The Reincarnation of

the Influential Courtier

Volume 3: The Wind And Clouds Will
Cover The Sky Part 2
By 天谢
Info About The Book

Alternatives Title Names

Haiyan Heqing
The Reincarnated Minister
The Reincarnation of a Powerful Minister
Reincarnated of Power 再世
权臣

Book Description
Once he died, Su Yan transmigrated into an ancient frail scholar and embarked
on the road of a powerful official surrounded by
attacks.

There is love, lost, and danger around every turn. Can Su Yan
survive court politics or the attention of powerful men?

Book Details
There are 460 story chapters and 8 extra chapters; for a total of 468 chapters.
There are 5 volumes plus the bonus chapters:
1. See All The Chang’an Flowers In One Day (1-71 Chapters)
2. The Judgment of Mountains And Rivers Is At The Tip of The Pen (72-142
Chapters)
3. The Wind And Clouds Will Cover The Sky (143-258 Chapters)
4. From The Lin Pavilion (259-349 Chapters)
5. Shake The Fish And Dragon, I’m Idle (350-460 Chapters)
6. Extras (461-468 Chapters)

Novel Acquisition
The website where the raws of the book can be found are located at:
https://www.gongzicp.com/novel-24170.html

This document is just Google-translated and lightly edited after.

The Manhua is owned and located on BillBill comics

Purchase The Book

This book has been officially licensed and published in China and as of 2023, there is
no indication of an official English translation.
Character List
Primary Characters
Su Yan(bain) The main character who is
now 17. He also goes by
Qinghe. the only son of Su
Keren, the governor of
Fuzhou. Once he returns to
Beijing, he is given his old
position back and given the
right to investigate the
terrorist group causing unrest.

Jinglong The Emperor, he is

somewhere between thirty-
four or forty-five years old.
His actual name is Zhu
Jinjun.He has accepted his
desire for Su Yan but wants to
let him slowly accept such
feelings.

Zhu Helin The Crown Prince, he is 14 at

the beginning of the novel. He
is accompanying his father to
court appearances and staying
late at the emperor’s study to
learn more about governing.
Zhu Xujing The Emperor’s brother, The
King/Prince of Yu also called
the king of Henan. Was once
known as the Jingbei Army's
god of war. He holds anger
towards his brother for caging
him in the city.

Jing Hong (Wu Su Yan will often call him

Ming) Zhui or A’ Zhui. He has given
up his ways of being an
assassin of the Seven Killing
Battalion and is fully devoted
to being Su Yan’s guard and
companion. He has decided to
let Su Yan achieve revenge
against Wei Jun and his
corrupt family.

Shen Qi (Qilang) A general of the imperial

guard, the
Embroidered Uniform Guard.
He is the primary general but
is still not given the command
position left vacant after the
death of Feng. The emperor
doesn’t really trust him due to
how he behaves with Su Yan.

Secondary Characters
He came upon Su Yan and Jing Hong
after the attack of the Tatars. He is the
19-year-old prince of the Weilat/ Wah
Alitan (Altan/ Altaan) people, who the emperor is attempting
 to use as an allies against the Tatars.
His people's totem is the "Toktirak"
standing in to the center of the world
and supporting the divine tree f the
sky, is the god of their people. He is
missing and presumed dead by his
people but is in the middle of a
recovery coma that for the last 3 years.

She is the niece of the empress

dowager. She entered the palace two
years before the start of the book. She
is the mother to the infant second
prince. Her family despise Su Yan and
cause him difficulty.

Concubine Wei
He is from the sixth grade, and his
main responsibility is to take charge of
the record of the history of the
country, lecture on the history of
scriptures, and draft manuscripts
Cui Jinping
related to the ceremony. He takes Su
Yan's side in court, he doesn't care
that Su Yan steps on tools and may
even turn on him so long as he is
righteous and doing what is write.
One of the crown prince’s personal
eunuchs.

Fu Bao

Is a beautiful young assasin who

infiltrates the King of Yu's residence.
He causes mayhem for the King of Yu
Fuyin and for the relations with the Weilat/
Wah people. He is part of the same
group, the Seven Killing Battalion, that
trained Jing Hong.
A direct subordinate to Shen Qi from
Gao Shuo
the Embroidered Uniform Guard. Shen
 Qi has him assigned to secretly follow
Su Yan.

The head guard for King of Yu. He

has been following the king for over
15 years and is one of his most trusted
people. He has fallen in love with
Fuyin.
Han Ben

He is a corrupt official who helped in

the initial plan to frame Altan and
steal his horses. He is extremely loyal
Huo Dun and deeply cares for Yan Chengxue.
When Yan Chengxue was assigned to
be the spy master to the border lands,
Huo Dun went as an agent.
A Buddhist monk who performs
magic and other things to entertain the
Empress Dowager. He is well liked by
Ji Yao her to the point she will try and force
her two sons to cater to him. He
operates a prosperous temple that
specializes in giving woman children.
Lan Xi The emperor’s personal eunuch. He is
clever and crafty.
Li Chengfeng The secretary of the Ministry of
Officials and the cabinet, and unite a
group of literary ministers to conspire
to eliminate adultery.

Mr. Crane He is one of the leaders of the terrorist

group. He is staying in the Wei’s
household. He leads the religious part
of the Vacuum Religion.
Red Master He is one of the leaders of the terrorist
group. He leads the military part of the
Vacuum Religion. Although the more
publicly known Hidden Sword Gate
section has been destroyed the secrete
Seven Killing Battalion training center
is still around. He is the powerful
master who trained all of the assigns
including Jing Hong and Fuyin.

Su Xiaobei One of Su Yan’s personal servants.

One of Su Yan’s personal servants.

Su Xiaojing

The unknown individual who is

The “Gamer” leading the terrorist group, the
Vacuum Religion.
 His full name is Feng'an Hou
(Feng'anHou) Wei Jun's , he is a Rites
Officer, he is who Su Yan accidently
insults when creates a couplet during
his first meeting with the emperor. He
is the uncle of the noble concubine
Wei. He led to the death of the
assassin Wu Ming’s sister.
Wei Jun

He is a corrupt official and attempted

to implicate Altan in some other crime
so he can steal Altan's horses. He has
deep traumatic trauma from his
childhood from when his family and
village was destroyed by one of the
horse tribes. When Altan is nearly
assassinated, he is implicated as the
one behind it. Su Yan was able to
spare his life by replacing his needed
head with another criminal and
assigning him to be a spy master out in
the boarder lands. Su Yan trust he will
do the job because his best friend, Huo
Yan Chengxues Dun, will be an agent out in the
boarder lands.
He is the governor of Yan'an Mansion
or the governor of Zhou in the Shaanxi
region, where Su Yan is first assigned
Zhou Zhidao
Chapter 199 What a Wonderful Flower
2023-8-21 11:24 Category: Reincarnated Powerful MinisterTurn off the lights
Su Yan walked out of the Yangxin Palace and met an unfamiliar acquaintance outside the
palace gate.

"Your Excellency." He raised his hands to the other party, "Your Excellency, are you here
from the court meeting?"

Linghu, the recorder of the imperial court, replied, "That's right. The emperor summoned
important ministers of the cabinet to meet him at 15:00. The cabinet elders haven't arrived
yet, but Lord Su came first.

"Speaking of which, Mr. Su almost always talks to the emperor behind closed doors every
time he meets the emperor. Can you tell me what they talked about? Otherwise, it will be
difficult for me to write this daily note."

Su Yan felt guilty for a while, but with a calm look on his face, he smiled and said: "It's not
all business. Today we are discussing the investigation of the Baizhifang explosion case, but
since it involves a government order that has not yet been announced, I cannot elaborate."

Linghu nodded and said, "I know this. The ministers will come to discuss matters later, and it
must be related to this case. Alas, one stone has really stirred up a thousand waves."

Su Yan felt that there was something inside and asked, "What should I say? I am injured and
have not attended the court in the past few days. Please let me know."

Anyway, waiting is just waiting. Su Qinghe's descriptions are pleasant and his words are
interesting. It's better to chat with him. Linghu looked around to see if there was no one
around, and lowered his voice: "The explosion in the gunpowder warehouse was bizarre.
According to the investigation by the censor appointed by the Holy Lord, the warehouse was
heavily guarded that night. No outsiders entered or left the warehouse, and no one entered the
warehouse with open fire. What happened to the explosion? How it happened, no one can
tell, the government and the public are talking about it, and people are panicking!"

Su Yan nodded: "I have also heard some rumors from the people, such as 'the red lotus
appears and chaos opens'. Has your Excellency heard of it?"

"Of course, there are things more ridiculous than these." Linghu did not dare to mention the
word "God's punishment".

The courtiers have heard of all kinds of rumors in the capital.

Some officials were so surprised that they pretended not to hear the rumors and refused to
spread them.

Another group of officials saw the explosion as an opportunity to fight against the same party
members and began to criticize each other's political opponents: civil servants (especially
those closely related to the Nishino Party) wrote a letter scolding the eunuchs and relatives
for their perverse actions and incurring divine punishment. Relatives who were close to the
eunuchs wrote letters accusing certain civil servants of being corrupt and accepting bribes, so
they were punished by heaven. Military attachés have always had a low status, and no one
dared to provoke them, nor did they want to wade into troubled waters. In the eyes of the
officials who claimed to be clean and honest, except for them, the censors and officials,
everyone else might be rebellious officials and traitors.

So everyone took the opportunity to cause trouble, and there was a lot of fighting and
bloodshed in the court.

Su Yan was stunned when he heard this, and asked: "What was the emperor's reaction at the
court meeting?"

Linghu smiled bitterly: "Your Majesty? Your Majesty also couldn't escape the spittle flying
all over the hall."

"What? Are you scolding even the Emperor?"

"A group of officials led by Mr. Jia Gongji, the right censor of the Metropolitan
Procuratorate, wrote a letter saying that the explosion in Baizhifang was 'a warning from
heaven to the sons of heaven'. They asked the monarch and the prince to rebel against the
province, and not only to investigate the relationship between the Ministry of War and the
Ministry of Industry The responsibility of officials is to issue edicts to calm the people."

"An edict to punish oneself?" Su Yan was startled, "Are you going to go to the line like this?"

"What does it mean to go online?" Linghu asked puzzledly.

"It's just, uh... making a fuss out of a molehill."

Linghu sighed: "This kind of thing has happened since ancient times. Since Emperor Wen of
the Han Dynasty, more than seventy emperors have issued edicts to punish themselves. Most
of them were because of floods, droughts, epidemics, and the general trend of the world."

In fact, Su Yan also knew that natural disasters such as earthquakes and droughts were
extremely harmful and impossible to control. Just because the emperor is ordered by heaven,
any disaster that cannot be resisted by human power will naturally be the emperor's fault.
That’s why so many emperors in history were keen to create “auspicious things” to prove that
they were wise rulers with good political connections and people. However, some unlucky
emperors, who experienced constant natural disasters during their reign, would be slandered
as “the emperor is immoral and God punishes him”.

It can be seen that luck is also very important when being an emperor.

If you have bad luck, no matter how smart and capable you are, it will be in vain.

Therefore, a tradition has been formed over a long period of time. Once there is a major
disaster or the regime is unstable, either the court officials force the emperor to issue an edict
of repentance, or the emperor himself uses the edict as a trump card and throws it out in times
of crisis to calm the people and quell public opinion, which is more or less effective.

However, even if it was just a formality, Su Yan believed that Emperor Jinglong would never
issue it.

Emperor Jinglong, who had just ascended the throne for the first time, wanted to use the
temple title of his late emperor, which aroused heated discussions in the court. Coinciding
with the great earthquake in Guanzhong, civil servants and officials forced him to issue an
imperial edict on the grounds of "divine punishment". Even the specific words were drafted
for him, and he only needed to put a seal on it.

Under such pressure from the whole court, the young emperor did not give in. He withstood
the pressure and joined forces with the Queen Mother to force a group of courtiers who relied
on their elders and manipulated national policies to resign. Only then did they lose the right
to speak in the court. Keep it firmly in your own hands.

Now, more than ten years have passed, and the emperor's prestige has grown. If some people
still want to use the same old tricks again, aren't they just asking for trouble?

Su Yan said firmly: "Master Jia is going to be in trouble."

Linghu chuckled and said, "Those who play with fire will burn themselves. Mr. Jia is always
here to talk and talk straight, and he only wants to leave a name in history. Now I am afraid
that not only will he not be able to leave his name, he will not even be able to keep his black
gauze hat."

Su Yan and he had similar political views. They looked at each other and smiled, and they
both felt that the other person seemed to be much closer to each other.

Linghu said with emotion: "I have seen a lot, remembered a lot, and thought a lot. In the civil
and military affairs of the entire dynasty, some were talented but not virtuous, some were
virtuous but not talented, and some were neither talented nor virtuous. Really talented people
There are not many people who are virtuous and have a heart for the common people... Mr.
Su is a leader among the younger generation. He has a bright future, but his future is also
bumpy!"

Su Yan knew that he was reminding him with good intentions, so he nodded with emotion:
"Thank you, Lord Ling. I will definitely not forget my original intention and move forward."

Linghu bowed to him and said sincerely: "We historians hold the pen to be 'straightforward'.
If Lord Su wants to go higher and further, he must be more than just 'straightforward'. Lord
Su must know the reason clearly, and there is no need for others to explain it. I wish Lord Su
a life as gentle as spring breeze and autumn water."

"The elegance of the spring breeze can accommodate things, and the articles of autumn water
are not stained by dust." Su Yan also cupped his hands and said, "I appreciate your sincerity.
I have learned and learned late, and I will definitely live up to my expectations." -

After being placed high hopes by the historian, Su Yan felt that he was washed away by the
clear water from head to toe, giving him a sense of Zen with a clear mind. As a result, when
he got out of the forbidden door, he was dragged away by King Yu before he could figure out
the direction. After getting on the carriage, my gong was immediately broken.

He was a little annoyed: "Didn't the prince agree that he wouldn't accompany you and
wouldn't enter the palace?"

King Yu smiled and said, "I haven't entered the palace, so why don't I just wait here for you
to come out?" As he said this, he handed over a small teapot.

Now he was talking to Su Yan, relaxed and unrestrained. Su Yan seemed to be infected and
started to act recklessly. He took the teapot and poured it into his mouth. He took a breath and
said, "Your Majesty knows that you climbed over the wall and left the city late at night. You
should restrain yourself." , don’t always test yourself on the edge of deceiving you.”

Prince Yu raised his eyebrows: "Does he know that I also kidnapped his beloved? Does he
know that we drank together and stayed in the same room all night?"

"I'm not a tool for you to use to be angry with your brother!" Su Yan said angrily, "Your
Majesty insists on handling the case with me, that's fine, but public affairs are public and
private affairs are private. From now on, we will only discuss business matters, don't be
blind. Fix what is there and what is not, so as not to be misunderstood.”

Prince Yu asked angrily: "Who are you afraid of being misunderstood by, Master Su? Is it my
imperial brother, the seriously injured Jin Yiwei Shen Qi, or your missing personal guard?"
Su Yan heard that he deliberately poked his sore spot, and was so angry that he hit him with a
teapot.

Prince Yu held it in his hand without spilling even a drop of tea. He stared at the bright red
lips on his snow-white face and sneered: "It's not easy to enter a palace and meet a saint.
Look at Mr. Su talking all the talk." Swollen."

Su Yan was caught out of the blue. His face flushed red at first, and then he became angry
and embarrassed. He grabbed any objects he could reach and threw them all at Prince Yu.

Prince Yu easily grabbed each item one by one and put them back in their original places
without even getting the grease on them.

Su Yan was panting from exhaustion and went to open the car door angrily.

King Yu quickly grabbed his wrist: "Where are you going?"

Su Yan threw his hands away: "Who cares where I go? Out of sight, out of mind!"

When King Yu saw that Su Yan was really angry, he knew that he was jealous at the wrong
time. He regarded Su Yan as his sweetheart, but the other party did not mean this. At most, he
only regarded him as a colleague who had to work together. The old grievances have not
been completely resolved, and we can't even talk about being friends. Isn't this kind of jealous
words deliberately meant to hurt people's faces and embarrass others?

...Why is love and love so troublesome and difficult once we leave the bed? King Yu sighed
depressedly, feeling like a fledgling boy.

He held the car door with his other hand and said to Su Yan: "As you said, public is public
and private is private. That's when I crossed the line."

This was a bit of an apology. Su Yan said with a sullen face: "Your Majesty, you must first
find out what your relationship is with this official."

What kind of relationship... a physical relationship? King Yu asked tentatively: "Friend?"

Su Yan rolled his eyes: "'Friend? I need you a friend?' This is what the prince said himself."

Prince Yu took a breath and answered firmly: "Comrades! Comrades! I have never denied
this."
Su Yan thought about it and felt that this answer was acceptable, so he softened his
expression and said: "Please remember what you said, your lord. Since you are just a
colleague, it is not appropriate to interfere in other people's private affairs."

Seeing that Prince Yu seemed a little angry, Su Yan asked again: "From the time I met the
prince until now, out of friendship, I have only advised him once not to indulge in love and
waste time. Have I ever inquired about your private affairs? How many bed partners do you
have?"

Prince Yu seemed to be choked, speechless for a moment, and felt a little sad - he was not
jealous because he didn't care, Su Yan really had no personal feelings for him - maybe he
would never have them in this life.

"I understand." He lowered his eyes and stopped looking at Su Yan. He put down his arms
and took two steps back. "If you want to leave, just leave."

Su Yan opened the door and got out of the car, then walked about a hundred feet towards the
Meridian Gate. He felt that the palace was really ridiculously large. He wondered if he was a
bit stupid for not taking a car but walking instead.

Besides, Prince Yu's shocked look just now was really rare. Did he go too far and hurt others'
self-esteem?

Su Yan quickly reflected and felt that compared to what King Yu had done to him, the few
words he just said were nothing.

But it would be foolish not to ride in a car.

The wheels clattered up from behind and stopped beside him. When the car door opened,
prince Yu stretched out a hand to him and said calmly: "You have to walk if you don't want
to sit in the car. Are you stupid?"

"You're stupid! Your whole family..." Su Yan was surprised that he would be guilty if he
continued to scold him. Su Yan chuckled, took his hand and stepped into the carriage. What
happened just now was considered a reversal.

On the surface, King Yu agreed with Su Yan's statement that "comrades should not interfere
in each other's private affairs." He had his own plans in mind, and was prepared to treat Su
Yan, a powerless scholar, as the most elite cavalry and the strongest cavalryman. city to
conquer.
Among the Thirty-Six Stratagems, "pretending to be stupid but not crazy" is also possible, as
is "torturing oneself". If necessary, "making friends far away and attacking nearby" is also
possible with other rivals. Except for "running away is the best", he is not afraid of deception.

With an imperial edict, the joint investigation team can be listed in Dali Temple, but
preliminary preparations such as personnel and fund deployment will still take a few days.

Moreover, the key clues that Fu Si of Beizhen was asked to investigate have not yet been
answered. Su Yan had nothing to do and showed up at Fengtian Gate the next day to see what
was going on at the court meeting.

He did not wear the fourth-grade official uniform of You Shaoqing of Dali Temple, but wore
a newly issued censor's uniform. It's blue, and the patch on my chest has been replaced by the
gay purple mandarin duck with the mythical beast Haechi. I feel much better.

On the fourth day of the morning, he was queuing up outside the Meridian Gate to register.
He was also standing in the censor's line. He listened to his colleagues in the Metropolitan
Procuratorate privately discussing the new official uniforms. They were all satisfied and said
that they had used internal funds to make them. This shows that The Holy Spirit attaches
great importance to Yan Guan.

Su Yan smiled secretly in his heart: I take it seriously, but it's not for you. Besides, even if it
is, you may not be able to repay the emperor with gratitude, why don't you talk a little less?

When they lined up in Fengtianmen Square and waited for the emperor to come, Jia Gongji
turned around and saw Su Yan. He was stunned and said, "Sir Su, are you standing in the
wrong place?"

Su Yan pretended to look around, then lowered his head to look at the patch on his chest:
"That's right. Could it be that the lower official is no longer the supervisory censor and the
Shaanxi governor censor and has been removed from his post?"

There are many ministers in the court who hold multiple positions, but the ranking of
positions is based on the highest position.

Sometimes, even if they are on equal footing, they still have to compete over whose part-time
job is more valuable.

In the early days of the founding of the People's Republic of China, there was a minister who
also served as the general envoy. He thought that another minister who also served as the
censor of the Metropolitan Procuratorate should not be ranked in front of him. He quarreled
with the other minister at the court meeting and fought on the spot over the C position.
But I have never seen anyone lowering his status. A fourth-rank Shaoqing would try to get
into the group of seventh-rank Yushis... This Su Twelve is really a weirdo.

Jia Gongji became jealous, walked to Su Yan, and said, "Since Mr. Su is proud of his status
as censor, he should uphold the style of admonishing ministers, be straightforward and speak
out, and not be afraid of power. Looking back at the court meeting, I said The official takes
the lead in admonishing, but Su Yushi cannot stay out of the matter, let alone hold back. "

Su Yan solemnly held up his hands and said seriously: "As a royal censor, you should correct
the chaos and speak out the current shortcomings. But I will listen to the superior's orders and
say nothing."

Jia Gongji was very satisfied with his statement, and thought: It was not in vain to bring him
into the team of censors, he is indeed a hero.

"Master Jia, please be at ease." Su Yan smiled at him and reminded, "The Holy Master has
arrived."

Jia Gongji quickly returned to his seat. Su Yan held up his sleeves, looked at his high-spirited
back, and smiled.

Chapter 200 Who dares to bully me?

2023-8-21 11:25 Category: Reincarnated Powerful MinisterTurn off the lights
On the morning of the Fengtian Gate on the sixth day of February in the Jiawu Year, Emperor
Jinglong listened carefully to the reports of the six ministers on their respective departmental
affairs, and delivered an important speech, urging the cleanup and disaster relief work of
Baizhifang to be further implemented, and to prevent the existence of superfluous personnel
and disaster relief. Negative phenomena such as prevaricating and lining one's own pockets.
At the same time, he asked the prince, who is the prime minister for disaster relief, to take
more powerful measures to ensure the basic living needs of the victims and the stability,
stability and unity of society.

The emperor's important speech triggered a strong response. The ministers expressed that
they must implement the instructions of the Holy Spirit and take greater efforts and more
decisive measures to resolutely complete the task of providing disaster relief and providing
for the people.

——The above report comes from Su Qinghe, the seventh-rank censor of the Censorate.

Su Yan finished reading the press release he had written in his mind, and finally when the
court meeting was coming to an end, he waited for Censor Jia to launch a heavy attack.
He's quite calm. He looked at Jia Gongji's figure emerging from the crowd, twisted the soles
of his sore feet, and cheered up.

Sure enough, Jia Gongji first asked why the memorial that he and a group of censors had
submitted was left unpublished. Then he brought up the old matter again and implored the
emperor not only to issue an imperial edict to hold the relevant ministers accountable, but
also to sincerely fast, bathe, and go to the Ancestral Temple in person. Worship and seek
forgiveness from God. The most important thing is that you have to punish yourself.

Of course, the wording is still euphemistic: "It is not that the emperor's government has failed
or made mistakes, but that God has sent a warning and sent disasters, causing countless
casualties and panic among the people..."

The translation is - this matter is not the emperor's fault, but since God expressed
dissatisfaction and used the big explosion as a warning, in order to calm the people's hearts,
you can wrong the emperor and issue a self-incriminating edict! The saint has already
reflected on himself three times. It would be great if you, the emperor, take your prince to
reflect and reflect with you.

The words were very sincere and generous. At the end of the sentence, he paused and
shouted: "King Wu of Zhou and Taizong of Tang even said that 'the common people have
their faults, and only one person is responsible for it.' The saints are more merciful than the
kings of Zhou and Tang Zong, and they cannot bear to see the common people suffer!"

Many public officials came out to express support, admonishing the emperor to put the
people of the world first and issue edicts to appease the anger of heaven. Such great
inscriptions would surely lead to long-term peace and order and all problems would be
eliminated.

This is the first time Su Yan has seen such a large-scale moral kidnapping and killing scene
since he traveled to ancient times. He has only one thought in his mind... Mom is selling it!

If you are a wise king, you must have the consciousness of being a wise king. You must be
like those wise kings in history who ate locusts alive when there was a locust plague, and
prayed for rain with bare feet when there was a drought. Even Emperor Lizong of the Song
Dynasty could punish himself because of the ominous omen of a comet streaking across the
night sky. He avoided the main hall and cut down on regular meals to show his intention to
practice cultivation. You, Emperor Jinglong, are much wiser than him, why can't you?
Woolen cloth?

What a righteous statement it makes, it simply takes the principle of "strict with others and
lenient with yourself" to the extreme.
In the center of the square, officials knelt to remonstrate, and petitions arose one after
another.

The civil and military ministers looked at each other, each with their own thoughts. Some
agreed in their hearts but could not express it because the emperor was in power, and some
felt inappropriate but did not want to confront the officials.

The cabinet elders were very cautious. After all, it was not good to express their position too
quickly on this matter. They had to look at the emperor's intention first - if the emperor was
willing to issue an edict in order to calm public opinion, wouldn't it be in vain if he jumped
out to oppose it too early? If you are a good person, you will have to bear the reputation of
being "fascinating Bu Li" when you look back. Therefore, even Jiao Yang, the second
assistant with the most impatient temper, remained silent.

As for the chief assistant, Li Chengfeng, he was old after all. He had caught the cold a few
days ago because of the overnight discussions and could not afford to fall ill. Otherwise,
depending on the old man's temper, he would be furious and hit Jia Yushi on the head with an
ivory wat board.

Jia Gongji looked around and saw Su Yan among the crowd of heads. He turned around and
looked in the team and found Su Yan standing alone, so he used his eyes to signal him to
follow the organization and not fall behind.

Su Yan cracked his knuckles in her sleeves, but his face was calm. The corners of his mouth
were even slightly raised, still smiling like he usually said nothing.

He looked past the ministers and gazed at the emperor on the jade steps. He was too far away
to see his facial expressions, but he seemed to feel the other person's gaze on him.

The crown prince Zhu Helin, who was sitting on the lower left side of the throne, stood up in
anger and was about to make trouble. Emperor Jinglong turned to look at him and said, "Sit
down."

"But--"

"Sit down." Emperor Jinglong emphasized his tone.

The prince sat back reluctantly.

Emperor Jinglong said: "My business is now, and your business is in the future. Why are you
anxious? You should listen more and watch more now. There will be a time in the future
when you can show your talents."
Lan Xi stood behind the emperor to serve, and his heart twitched: The emperor's words are
not easy to understand. It seems to be advising the young master not to be hasty and learn
first; but also vaguely dissatisfied with the prince's eagerness to exert power... But they
Father and son have always been close to each other. Could it be that he got the wrong idea?

Hard to say. After the incident in Kunning Palace, the emperor's attitude towards the young
master seemed to have changed. He sent the young master to the Ancestral Temple for nearly
a month, but he didn't feel any distress. When the young master came back to the palace, he
said hello. Because he looked a little haggard, the emperor only said a few words, which was
not as warm and heartwarming as before... Tsk, it's really hard to tell the father and son of the
Tian family. Lan Xi shook his head imperceptibly.

The admonishers knelt down and begged: "Your Majesty, please take heaven's warning as a
warning and keep the common people in mind!"

"Please issue an edict of repentance, so that people can be reassured and God's will can be
restored!"

"Does Your Majesty value his own reputation more than the safety of the country and the
lives of the people?"

Many people shed tears as they talked and wept with emotion. Several censors were so
excited that they couldn't control themselves and touched their foreheads to the ground,
leaving blood stains on the blue brick floor.

Su Yan looked coldly at the mass hysteria in front of him and wanted to suggest that the court
give them a "Touching Yourself" award.

Seeing that he hadn't come forward yet, Jia Yushi's eyes turned from urging to
disappointment and contempt.

Su Yan smiled at him, shook his sleeves, stepped out solemnly, and stood not far from
Censor Jia.

Everyone in the court knew that Su Shaoqing of Dali Temple was a popular figure in front of
the emperor and was deeply favored by the emperor. Now looking at this posture, it seems
that he is joining the team of admonitions, even wearing the imperial censor's uniform - could
it be that the emperor actually had the intention of issuing an edict? Or is Su Yan willing to
give up his holy favor and achieve a reputation for being outspoken?

The ministers secretly made various guesses, but they heard Su Yan raise his face to look at
the throne and ask calmly: "Damn it, I forgot when the Longevity Festival is?"
...Wanshou Festival?

What does the Longevity Festival have to do with Heaven’s Warning and Sinner’s Edict? At
this juncture, he asked this irrelevant question: Did Su Twelve have a brain convulsion?

Lan Xi hissed slightly and looked at Emperor Jinglong's expression.

Emperor Jinglong nodded slightly to him.

So Lan Xi took two steps forward and said sharply: "Wanshou Festival is February 14th."

"February 14th." Su Yan pinched his fingers and said, "It's only seven or eight days ago! The
emperor's birthday is one of the three major festivals along with 'New Year's Day' and
'Winter Solstice'. According to the laws of all states in the world, During the three-day
holiday, the government and the public rejoice together. According to the custom, craftsmen
in the capital decorate the streets with colorful paintings and cloths, the saints go up to the
towers to enjoy the sea of flowers and sing and dance, and the officials set up colorful incense
tables and hold wine glasses to express their congratulations.

"——Such a grand festival requires careful preparations, but I see that there is no movement
in the palace. If we don't prepare now, it will be too late."

Emperor Jinglong's eyes flashed slightly, and there seemed to be a faint smile on his lips.

Lan Xi also thought about something, and without having time to think about it, he answered
intuitively: "The emperor has always advocated simplicity. He once said that birthdays are
personal celebrations, and he did not want to use this as an excuse to make extravagant
arrangements and increase the burden on the people. Therefore, long life." Traditionally, only
family banquets are held in the palace. On that day, the ministers went to Fengtian Hall to
pay their respects and were given tea. That was all, there was no need for any further
preparations. "

"So that's it." Su Yan nodded seriously and said, "The emperor's actions are an example for
his subjects. The emperor is simple, and his subjects should also refrain from extravagance. If
so, why did Jia Yushi Jia, the censor, just the day before yesterday? Your Excellency is so
happy to have Lin'er, but you have to make a big deal out of it. You spend a lot of money to
hire a troupe to perform on the stage, dance with dragons and lions, play gongs and drums for
joy, and hold a banquet for relatives and friends at a flowing banquet. How about celebrating
for two days? "

Jia Gongji was startled, got up from the ground, and glared at Su Yan: "Su Twelve, what do
you mean? Are you going to impeach me? I am over forty years old, and I just had a child
with great difficulty. It is inevitable that I celebrate a little more in my joy. How can this be
against the law?"
Su Yan shook his head hastily: "No, no, Mr. Jia's behavior is humane and understandable. In
addition, I want to spread a rumor for Mr. Jia - I heard some officials in the capital privately
rumored that the son is Mr. Jia's spiritual master. It’s really a big mistake to ask for help from
the temple!

"Last July, Mr. Jia did go to Lingguang Temple to ask Master Jiyao - sorry, Jiyao is a demon
monk, a convicted imperial prisoner, and can no longer be called 'master' - to ask for a son
from the magic stick, but he didn't He did not bring his wife with him. When Jin Yiwei was
handling the case, Jiyao made it clear to all the officials he had met. It was true that Mr. Jia
had not been deceived, so Mrs. Jia and the child were innocent, and some officials were
asked not to do so. Talking behind their backs ruins other people’s reputations.”

Jia Gongji's face turned red and white.

The fact that he went to Lingguang Temple to ask for a son was a stain on his life because of
his blindness and mistaken belief in evil. After the incident of the monk of Lingguang
Temple cheating on the female believer, he was still grateful that he did not get into too deep
and did not send his wife into the tiger's mouth. He also wished that the matter would
disappear with Jiyao's death and the demolition of Lingguang Temple. Someone knows.

It's a pity that there is no airtight wall in the world. This matter still leaked out. Some officials
secretly made fun of him for being a "rohanzi". He could only knock out his teeth and
swallow it in his stomach, pretending not to hear.

This time, in front of everyone, Su Yan exposed this matter, which was indeed to dispel the
rumor for himself - what was the inside story of the case handled by the Northern Pacification
Division? As someone who had rectified the Jinyiwei and was good friends with Shen Qi
who handled the case personally, Su Yan's words were naturally more convincing.

But you, Su Twelve, don’t even look at it. Is now the right time to clarify this matter?

When he was passionately expounding on state affairs, what was his intention to confuse the
public by refuting rumors about his personal affairs? How could he put his old face aside?

Jia Gongji stared at Su Yan, veins popping out on his forehead, but he couldn't repay his
kindness by scolding him for meddling in other people's business, so he could only say
angrily, "Thank you, Lord Su, for clarifying this matter for me, but this is a court meeting,
Lord Su's rambling is a bit confusing and putting the cart before the horse."

It means that you, Su Twelve, are either confused or have ulterior motives. Don't be fooled by
him.

Su Yan smiled nonchalantly and said: "refuting the rumors is just a matter of course. I just
want to advise Mr. Jia - the gifts received at the son's birthday party, many of which are
precious gold, silver, jade, and antique collections, should still be collected. Returned. It
should be noted that there is no such thing as a free lunch. Those who are not close friends
with you give generous gifts for free. Are you expecting your Excellency to speak for him as
a censor? The sinful tool still became a weapon for him to attack his enemies, which in any
case violated Yan Guan's professional ethics of being "selfless and impartial in eliminating
violence."

"——The loyal words are harsh to the ears. I have good intentions. I hope Jia Yushi will not
be angry."

Jia Yushi was not only angry, he was also angry and ashamed. He was so angry that his
orifices were smoking, and he was so ashamed that he was ashamed.

Listening to the officials around him whispering, vaguely saying words like "bribery in
disguise" and "hypocritical", Censor Jia wished that a crack would immediately appear in the
square so that he could crawl into it and avoid the sharp tongues of others.

Su Yan turned his attention to the censors who were kneeling on the ground.

Twenty or thirty people were all the loudmouths who were close to Jia Gongji in the
Metropolitan Procuratorate. They were often seen jumping around in the court on weekdays.

The blood and tears of these censors were still hanging on their cheeks, and they could not
help but shrink under his needle-like gaze.

Su Yan walked slowly, walking around half a circle around everyone, commenting one by
one:

"Xue Yushi, when you went to governor Xuan Mansion, you arbitrarily arrested and raped
dozens of local generals. You can't escape the charge of 'abusing military generals', right?"

"Censor He Lou, the imperial court ordered you to recommend virtuous people before. Why
are all the people you recommend recommended are your fellow villagers? Your parents
specialize in 'virtuous people'?"

"And you, Huang Yushi, knowing that ocher is a forbidden color exclusive to the emperor,
because of your greed for vanity and to enjoy the feeling of being superior, you wear ocher
and yellow silk clothes to show off in the market. The Jin Yiwei did not arrest you for
questioning. Are you still lucky to this day? "

"Tang Yushi..."
The censors who were named were all horrified, and had no idea how the other party had
caught them.

When I think of the three words "Jinyiwei" again, I can't help but have earth-colored faces.
Jinyiwei knows, does the emperor not know? I just used Su Yan's words to find the best time
to punish them!

"Everyone has their faults. Why do you force the emperor to issue an edict for committing
crimes not in politics but in conduct? How do you know that God is not issuing a decree
because of your incompetence in virtue? Wary?

"How about this? Each of you should write a letter of guilt first, expose all the stains and dirt
on yourself, blame yourself for your mistakes, vow to change your mind, and become a
worthy person from now on. What do you think of this good official who is blessed by the
people and made public on the notice boards of the two cities?”

Su Yan gradually raised his voice: "Why are you silent? Please take the warning from heaven
as a warning and think of the people!

"Do you think your own reputation is more important than the safety of the country and the
lives of the people?"

The words that were thrown out would bounce back in his face, making these words
extremely embarrassing for the official.

Su Yan turned around and looked at the two groups of civil and military ministers on the left
and right, and raised his voice: "Who dares to say that he is perfect? Anyway, I, Su Qinghe,
don't dare. I also have things I did wrong and bad. In this case, everyone It would be great if
we all reflect and reflect together, and if there are any problems, we can correct them and if
there are no problems, we can encourage them.

"We might as well hold a 'Criticism and Self-Criticism' conference to deeply analyze our own
rights and wrongs. I believe God will be moved by our sincerity, and such a great inscription
will surely lead to long-term peace and stability, and everything will be resolved."

"Absurd!" One of the ministers loudly refuted, "How can a country be governed by 'criticism
and self-criticism'? If the heavens can be moved by a few words of self-reflection and a letter
of apology, and will be blessed from now on, why should the people work hard, the officials
perform their duties conscientiously, and the king work diligently in government?"

Su Yan stroked his hand and said: "Well said! Solid work will prosper the country, empty
talk will harm the country, so why are we still entangled in a piece of paper that punishes
ourselves and don't do our best in our respective positions?"
On the jade steps, Emperor Jinglong, who had been silent for a long time, spoke:

"I have ordered the establishment of a 'special case joint investigation team', and have
appointed Su Yan, the Right Junior Secretary of the Dali Temple, as the team leader to
investigate the Baizhifang explosion. All personnel involved in the Ministry of Justice, the
Dali Temple, the Northern Pacification Office, and the Metropolitan Prosecution Office,
regardless of rank or position, are at his disposal. Those who violate my order will be
punished for disobeying my order.

"Whether the big explosion in Baizhifang was a natural disaster or a man-made disaster, the
truth will always come out. Su Yan, I order you to get to the bottom of it, bring the culprit to
justice, and bring justice to the world."

Su Yan knelt down straightly, cupped his hands and said, "I accept the order!"

"As for you..." The emperor glanced at the censors who were named by Su Yan one by one,
sighed in disappointment, and stood up, "Deal with them according to the law. Those who
should be demoted will be demoted, and those who should be dismissed will be dismissed.
The court is adjourned."

Chapter 201 Just split this red lotus (Part 1)

2023-8-21 11:26 Category: Reincarnation of the powerful ministerTurn off the lights
Next to the official gate of Dali Temple, a stone tablet was erected "Joint Investigation Team
Office".

When Zuo Shaoqing heard about Zhengyin, he stood beside the monument, tilted the words
written by Yubi personally, and said sourly: "Young man is lucky enough to gain favor by
grandstanding."

"What is Lord Wen talking about?" Su Yan's voice sounded faintly from behind.

Wen Zhengyin immediately turned around with a smile on his face: "Sir Su has a brilliant
idea. This joint investigation... the idea of the task force is unprecedented."

"It'll be good if someone comes later. I have to go handle the case, so let's go first." Su
Yangong cupped his hands, mounted his horse and left with dozens of imperial guards behind
him who were ordered to protect him.

As soon as he left, the smile on Wen Zhengyin's face disappeared, and he said to Guan Pan,
Qing of Dali Temple, who was coming down the steps: "Master Guan, look, Su Shaoqing is
really busy. He is careless about the affairs of our Yamen. These are all important cases
decided by the emperor. Not to mention my peers, even your immediate boss doesn’t take it
seriously.”

Guan Pan said "Huh" in a neutral tone.

Wen Zhengyin knew that Guan Siqing was an honest man who didn't like to cause trouble,
but he didn't believe Su Yan acted so arrogantly, even if he was a clay figurine who didn't
have any earthy nature!

Seeing and hearing that Zhengyin looked at him, as if expecting an answer he liked, Guan
Pan moved the belt around his waist and asked, "You didn't go to the court meeting on the
sixth day of the lunar month?"

Wen Zhengyin said, "He went."

"You've gone and you still haven't understood?"

"I understand. I understand very well. Su Shaoqing is best at finding faults with people. He
can deal with anyone he wants."

Guan Pan asked again: "In that case, why are you fighting with him? Fighting for the position
of the minister of Dali Temple in the future?"

Wen Zhengyin was a little embarrassed: "This humble official has no such intention. I am
just speaking up for you, Master Guan..."

Guan Pan patted his shoulder and called him by his courtesy name in a serious tone, "Lin
Zhong, do you really think he can be worthy of the position of Dali Temple Minister?"

Hearing Zhengyin, he was startled.

"Don't look at Su Yan's elegant and elegant appearance. In fact, he is decisive in his actions,
and he likes to do odd things and make strange moves. This kind of person will either climb
high or fall hard. In any case, he is not the same as you and me. ”

Before getting into the sedan, Guan Pan put down his last words: "It's better to follow my
example and watch with cold eyes. If the building rises, I won't be affected. If the building
collapses, I won't be affected. It has nothing to do with me."

Wen Zhengyin stood there and thought for a moment, thinking: It makes sense! If I don't like
him, why should I argue with him? If he can climb up, I might as well hug him; if he falls
down, I might as well step on him. This old cabbage banger from Guan Tianbian can’t beat
me with three sticks, but he also has a wise way of dealing with things to protect himself -

Su Yan walked to the street corner and saw Shi Yanshuang and Wei Ying from Jinyiwei
Qianhu turning out of the alley next to them, and they bumped into each other.

"How are you preparing?" Su Yan asked.

Shi Yanshuang rushed to answer: "Everything will be done according to your instructions. I
guarantee there won't be any mistakes."

A few days ago, they started from a grain merchant from another place who bought flour, and
traced the source of funds to a money house. After digging deeper, they found that the boss of
the money house was the brother-in-law of Wei Jun, Marquis of Feng'an.

Although Wei Jun was a lustful ghost, his wife was virtuous and knowledgeable, so she was
not sent to court. His wife's brother was a merchant and was very close to the Fengan
Marquis Mansion.

"Following your instructions, we quietly kidnapped Wei Jun's brother-in-law, Wan Xin, and
imitated his handwriting to leave a letter to the Hou Mansion, saying that we were going to
Tianjin to discuss business. So the Wei family has not found out yet." At that time, Wei Ying
reported back, "The man was put in a secret cell in the imperial prison, which is enough to
avoid the eyes and ears of others."

Not to mention the eighteen punishments in prison, Wan Xin explained everything with just a
few blows of the whip: runny nose and tears:

The money was provided by him and came from the instructions of the two princes of the
Wei family. As for the purpose of buying so much flour, he didn't know.

He himself also joined the Vacuum Sect and donated a huge sum of money to "incense."
"Xiang Chang" can be regarded as the second-level leader in the sect. Below him are the
ordinary members of the church. Above him is the "chuantou", and above that is the leader.

He had never seen the face of the leader, but he had seen one of the three "leaders" from afar
once. The other person was wearing a red robe and a mask on his face, and it was difficult to
tell whether he was a man or a woman, old or young.

This description coincided with Ah Zhui's description, and it reminded Su Yan of a person -
the leader of the Seven Kills Camp.
The relationship between the Seven Kills Camp and the Vacuum Sect has become
increasingly clear.

Wan Xin is a personal certificate. On the one hand, it can prove that there is another black
hand behind the Baizhifang explosion. On the other hand, it can prove that the Wei family is
related to the Seven Kills Camp and the Vacuum Sect. However, his status in the church was
too low and he knew very little. As for the Wei family, they only needed to sacrifice Wei
Jun's wife and family, and three consecutive attacks of "ignoring nothing, feeling sad, and
killing relatives out of justice" would be able to clear away the relationship.

In short, the weight is still insufficient and the evidence is not conclusive enough.

Shi Yanshuang and Wei Ying became worried.

Su Yan said: "What are you worried about? A person like Wan Xin, who is a businessman in
the market, is not qualified to fight with others in the church, and he still doesn't get along
well with others? Thousands of church members are thousands of business opportunities. If I
were him, I could Trick every congregant into buying crutches.”

The two captains did not understand the joke of "fooling the lame", but they understood what
Lord Su meant - if they can't reach the upper level, they should dig downwards. The
followers of the religion are indeed minions, but they are also the roots of a religion.

The interrogation of Wan Xin continued, and in Su Yan's words, "a combination of soft and
hard tactics were used to hollow out his soul."

Got a lot of miscellaneous and ridiculous information.

Shen Tongzhi, who is good at intelligence screening and classification, was recovering from
his injuries at home. Mr. Su had no choice but to go into battle himself and divided them into
three categories according to their importance.

One of the seemingly inconspicuous pieces of information caught his attention——

Wan Xin once followed the instructions of the sect and spent money to pay tribute to the
Qing officials from the temple of the Ministry of Rites. He bought a certificate with the
Buddhist name "Jiyao" and gave it to a monk who had just arrived in Beijing for more than
three years.

...Monk Jiyao is also a member of the Vacuum Sect?

Ji Yao came to the capital more than three years ago. After gaining a foothold in Lingguang
Temple, he found an opportunity to enter the palace. Relying on his good looks and magic
tricks, he climbed onto the big ship of the Queen Mother.

If he hadn't been eager for quick success and wanted to make himself a "living Buddha", and
Shen Qi exposed the truth about Lingguang Temple's request for a son, and thus killed
Beizhen Fusi, he might have even steered the rudder of the Queen Mother away. .

By that time, it's scary to think about how Jiyao will make trouble in the palace.

——It also means that in addition to the government and the public, the Vacuum Sect has
also set its sights on the harem and has already driven in the hidden stakes!

——Luckily Qilang pulled it out quickly!

——No wonder the Vacuum Church hated Shen Qi so much that it sent a group of blood-
eyed killers to besiege him and beat him seriously.

When Su Yan connected the events before and after, he suddenly became enlightened.

This is another irrefutable proof that the Vacuum Cult has evil intentions.

There were also many trivial matters concerning the believers, and Su Yan also found a
breakthrough point from them. He selected a list of names and handed them over to the two
centurions.

Wei Ying looked at the list and said, "Sir, these...are all ordinary people, can they really be
used?"

Su Yan said: "The Vacuum Sect spreads widely in private secret societies, relying on these
followers who are ordinary people. You should understand that water can carry a boat, but it
can also capsize it."

Wei Ying clasped his fists and said, "I understand. I'm going to look for him now."

Su Yan warned: "Don't be violent, try to reason with them, and if that doesn't work, use
money to help them. They are all deceived victims."

Wei Ying and Shi Yanshuang nodded: "Don't worry, Lord Su."
After a few days, everything was arranged properly. Su Yan, in the name of the "special case
joint investigation team", set up a high platform at the intersection of Dongshi Street, the
most prosperous street in the capital. He also posted notices all over the city, notifying the
people to come to the "public trial meeting" to reveal the truth about the Baizhifang
explosion.

This strange thing, which was extremely fresh from the name to the style, quickly aroused the
curiosity of the people in the capital.

The entertainment life of the common people was really scarce. On weekdays, whenever
there was any movement from the government, whether it was Jinshi parading through the
streets or death row prisoners beheading, thousands of people would turn out to watch the
excitement.

This "public trial" started more than an hour before the scheduled start time, and the venue
was surrounded by the people in three layers. It was all thanks to the soldiers of the Five
Cities Military Division who worked hard to maintain order.

The honor guard sounded the gong to clear the way, and the official sedan entered the
ceremony. The chief judge, Mr. Su Yansu, and the other two deputy judges took their seats
on the stage, and the much-anticipated "public trial" finally began.

The strange thing is that even though it was said to be a public trial, the suspects were not
escorted out. Instead, they carried out tricks in a large area of cleared land.

The Bisha cabinet made of white paper on the wood is like a translucent floor-to-ceiling
screen on all sides, forming a two-foot-square cube in the center of the open space. Then the
soldiers entered the Bisha cupboard and poured a thick layer of white powder onto the
ground.

Someone who was curious asked loudly: "What is that?"

The soldier picked it up with his fingers, licked it, then grabbed a handful and handed it to
him. The man tasted it and said with a smile: "It's flour!"

Suddenly many people asked for it. Su Yan asked the soldiers to try it on about ten people,
and confirmed that it was indeed flour.

Amidst the lamentations of "What a pity, good flour just fell to the ground", the soldiers
poured out several sacks of flour and placed a lighted oil lamp in the center of the Bisha
cupboard.
Then, a layer of white paper was pasted on the top of the Bisha cabinet to form a relatively
closed internal space.

The more people looked at it, the more curious they became - even the top of the fence-type
furniture used for cooling in the summer was covered, so how could they still enjoy the
cooling? There is flour and a light inside. Is it for cooking?

Hey, why did everyone evacuate? There is a pipe connected to the bottom of the Bisha
cabinet, which is connected to the large bellows used for blacksmithing several feet away...
What kind of medicine is sold in the gourd?

The people were talking about something when the drummer struck the drum three times, and
there was sudden silence inside and outside the venue.

Su Yan stood up from the seat of the chief judge and said loudly: "I would like to remind
you, fellow villagers, that when the bellows start to blow, thunder will come. Please be
mentally prepared and don't run away in fear."

Many people laughed. Some said, "I've only heard of people praying for rain and sunshine. Is
it possible that adults are asking for thunder?" Some said, "Anyone who is timid is afraid of
thunder, and he is not a baby." Some said, "It's impossible." , If you can really call upon the
wind and thunder, why should you be an official? You would have been promoted to
immortality long ago."

One of the deputy prosecutors was a doctor from the Ministry of Justice and the other was a
censor from the Metropolitan Procuratorate. The people in the audience were talking more
and more outrageously. They frowned and were about to order someone to stop them, but
were comforted by Su Yan's eyes.

Su Yan shouted to the crowd: "Have you seen it clearly? There is only flour and lights in the
Bisha cupboard. The wind is starting to blow. Everyone needs to step back. Don't worry
about being struck by lightning if you do something bad."

Everyone laughed again. The soldiers dutifully pushed the human wall back until it was
beyond the painted red line drawn in advance on the field.

Several strong men worked hard to blow the air, huffing, huffing, huffing, and the air flow
rushed into the Bisha cabinet through the pipes, gradually blowing up the flour on the ground,
and filled the entire confined space, as if an artificial light snow had fallen inside.

What on earth is going to be done...Everyone held their breath in curiosity.

In the silence, a shocking thunderbolt suddenly exploded!

There was a violent explosion inside the Bisha cupboard, with flames shooting into the sky.
Paper scraps and thin wooden strips flew to pieces in all directions, and flames were still
burning when they fell to the ground.

"——It exploded!" The people screamed, subconsciously covering their faces with their
sleeves and retreating in panic.

There were several more heavy drum sounds, and the soldiers stamped the ground with their
whistle sticks, shouting repeatedly in unison: "Calm down! Calm down! Safe and sound!"

Seeing that only the Bisha cupboard was blown to pieces and the area around the open space
was still intact, the people gradually regained their composure and began to talk to each other
in disbelief.

An old man in a Confucian robe and a square scarf could not help but stand out from the
crowd, bowed to Su Yan on the stage, and said: "There is no gunpowder in the green gauze
cabinet, only flour and candlelight, how can it explode with a gust of wind? Could it be that
you really have the power to reach the sky and can use your divine power to attract
thunderbolts?"

Su Yan cupped his hands and said, "It's not that I have any magical powers. In fact, this is a
small dust explosion."

He explained the principles and consequences of dust explosions in a simple and easy-to-
understand manner. People seem to understand but the facts are before their eyes - a large
amount of dust fills a closed or semi-closed space, and it will explode when exposed to an
open flame, which is extremely powerful.

Su Yan said: "A small blue gauze cabinet is like this, but what if it is the warehouse of the
Gunpowder Bureau?

"Indeed, the investigation result of the censors is that no one has entered the gunpowder
magazine, let alone ignited the gunpowder in the inventory. Therefore, rumors are spreading
that the explosion in Baizhifang was a thunderbolt from heaven to herald a catastrophe. And I
also created it today. Let everyone take a look at a 'Thunderbolt' to see if it is God's will or
man-made!"

The old man wearing a Confucian robe and a square scarf seemed to be quite popular among
the neighbors. He asked again on behalf of everyone: "Do you mean, sir, that the explosion in
Baizhifang was also caused by this dust explosion?"

Su Yan said: "It's very simple. You just need to sneak into an empty room adjacent to the
gunpowder magazine, create a dust explosion ten or twenty times larger than this, and ignite
the gunpowder magazine, causing a series of explosions. What you heard that night "The first
explosion was not too loud, the second one was the most deafening, and then a series of
explosions gradually weakened?"

Everyone nodded in agreement as they recalled it.

"Because the first explosion was a dust explosion, and then the hundreds of tons of
gunpowder storage were ignited, so the subsequent explosions were heard several miles
away. The last series of small explosions were caused by the scattered stocks outside the
main storage."

"...Your analysis makes sense." The old man twirled his beard and nodded, "In this case, the
explosion in Baizhifang was man-made. Who is so vicious to do such evil deeds that bring
disaster to living beings? What is his purpose? "

"Then we have to ask the people who bought flour in large quantities before the incident." Su
Yan ordered the grain merchants to be brought up in a chain and stood side by side on the
stage.

The grain merchants complained that they had only done a business for others and used the
money to buy flour, and knew nothing else.

"Who are you doing business for?"

"Tongji Bank!"

"Who is the big boss of the bank?"

"It's Wan Xin, Boss Wan... the brother-in-law of Lord Wei."

Chapter 202: Just split this red lotus (Part 2)
2023-8-21 11:26 Category: Reincarnation of the powerful ministerTurn off the lights
Lord Wei! The two marquises of the Wei family in the capital—the Marquis of Xian'an and
the Marquis of Feng'an—were both well-known relatives of the country. How could they be
involved in the bombing? The people were in an uproar.

Su Yan made a serious face and said sternly: "Okay, there is no evidence at all, and you dare
to talk about the relatives of the country, you know this is a serious crime of losing your
head!"

Grain merchants complained endlessly:

"Everything the villain said is true, sir, you can see clearly!"

"It is indeed the money taken from Tongji Bank. There is a seal on the banknote. It is solid
evidence!"

"You really don't know what happened to the explosion. Maybe Boss Wan doesn't know
either?"

"That makes sense. I'm afraid I have to ask him himself whether Wan Xin knows about it or
not." Su Yan touched his bare chin and muttered, "But after all, Wan Xin is the brother-in-
law of Fengan Hou Weijun. If I If he is summoned for interrogation, I am afraid that he will
offend Marquis Feng'an..."

Some people who were closer to the high platform heard his "self-talk" and felt a surge of
blood in their chests.

Perhaps it was because Feng'an Hou was notorious for wantonly robbing beauties from the
people, which caused a lot of public outrage; while the young Lord Su was well-known in the
capital, and he had beaten the drum to appeal for his teacher, and was said to be loyal and
courageous. The people did not understand the power struggles in the court, nor did they care.
They only believed in one simple truth - those who robbed women were thieves, and those
who were loyal and brave were good officials.

Therefore, some bold young people shouted: "Sir! But Mr. Su who 'beats the drum at the
royal gate to avenge the injustice of the master, punishes the evil and eradicates the
evildoers'? I have heard that Mr. Su is not afraid of power, but you can't do it just because the
Wei family is powerful. Let’s just let it go!”

"That's right! If even Lord Su backs down, who else would dare to pull out the beard of that
evil tiger?"
"Since we are investigating the case, we must investigate it thoroughly and let everyone know
the truth about the Baizhifang explosion."

"Your Excellency, you must make the decision for the families of the common people who
died in the bombing!"

"I beg Mr. Su to make the decision for the people..."

"Master Su..."

The sentiments of the people were raging and the hearts of the people were on fire. Su Yan
was so moved that his eyes were wet, and he handed over his hands and promised: "I will live
up to the entrustment of all my fellow villagers. Even if there are thousands of difficulties and
dangers, I will never back down!"

There was a roar of applause from the audience.

After the deputy prosecutor's desk, Zuo Guangbi, a doctor in the criminal department, rolled
his eyes cryptically and said to Chu Qiu, the censor of the Metropolitan Procuratorate: "I
finally understand what we are here for today."

Chu Qiu was only in his thirties, and he had a handsome appearance with mountain eyebrows
and watery eyes. He was born as a Jinshi scholar six years ago and first entered the Imperial
Academy. Later, he ignored his career as a noble man and invited himself to serve as the
imperial censor in the Metropolitan Procuratorate. He is still a seventh grader today. Taste.
Hearing this, he said: "Brother Jin, please explain clearly what you are here for."

Zuo Guangbi said: "I'm here to serve as a foil. Looking at the drama and singing on and off
the stage, Su Twelve's reputation is going to rise again."

"...Are you insinuating that he is trying to win over the people, Shi Enjiayi?"

"Is not it?"

Chu Qiu said softly: "There must be a favor and justice. In today's public trial, the hatred
between Su Qinghe and the Wei family really came to the fore, and they continued to fight to
the death. Even the Queen Mother's side was openly offended. Recently. Are you willing to
take the same risk to show this kindness to ordinary people? "

Zuo Guangbi was a little embarrassed by his rhetorical question, and his face turned red:
"Brother Lingchuan, this is boring. He, Su Qinghe, has only met you a few times, but why am
I so close to you?"
"Of course, we can't compare in terms of closeness. But Brother Jinzhi, did you see that
Xiezhi?" Chu Qiu raised his chin towards the patch on Su Yan's official uniform on his back.
"He is wearing the robe of a censor, which means he handled the case as an imperial censor.
If this case can be recorded in history, it will add a strong and colorful chapter to the
achievements of the censors in our dynasty. Justice is more important than personal feelings,
Brother Jinzhi."

Yanguan people have a strong sense of community and always like to stick together. Zuo
Guangbi knows this, but he is still dissatisfied: "I don't necessarily think that Su Yan is a
member of Yanguan. How about the past few days?" Suddenly exposed Jia Gongji and Jia
Yushi at the court meeting, causing him to be dismissed from his post and investigated? Be
careful that he will stab you in the back. "

Chu Qiu suddenly felt disgusted - he didn't know whether Zuo Jinzhi had been in officialdom
for too long or what, but he had become jealous of talented people and made him feel
disgusted.

He endured his displeasure and said in a stiff tone: "The reason why officials and officials are
united is not for the benefit of the group, but to more firmly perform the duties of supervision
and inspection, and to go forward and succeed, to clear the source. Just like Jia Gongji, he
uses his duties as a tool for personal fame and reputation. , He is really not worthy of being
called a 'Guan'! Even if Su Yushi doesn't attack, I, Chu Lingchuan, will have to join him
sooner or later!"

Zuo Guangbi was slapped in the face, so he shut up angrily and ignored his former friends.

Chu Qiu didn't mind too much about the separation of his old friends. After all, they had
different paths and couldn't conspire with each other. He was able to voluntarily come out of
the Hanlin Academy, which cultivated "prime ministers", and was willing to be an unknown
censor. He followed a path that ordinary officials could not understand - he did not envy the
elite, but only maintained his integrity.

Su Yan didn't know that at the moment when he was interacting with the people in the
audience, the boat of friendship between the two deputy judges behind him had almost
capsized.

He followed the trend and asked Jin Yiwei to take the driving ticket and go to Tongji Bank to
summon Wan Xin. In fact, he went to the imperial prison to sneak the person out and bring
him to the public trial.

Wan Xin is also a good person at seeking advantages and avoiding disadvantages. He
originally refused to go on stage to testify, for fear of angering or even harming the Wei
family, which would cause him to have no good relatives to rely on. Shi Yanshuang wanted
to punish him, but Su Yan stopped him and said, "This kind of person only plans for himself
in everything. Even if he surrenders in fear of punishment at the moment, he might change
his mind when he gets on stage. You have to let him sort out the stakes." Only then will he
actively cooperate.”

So Wan Xin "accidentally" learned the details of the case that were accidentally revealed
from the private conversation between the two Jin Yiwei: The Wei family wanted to rebel!
Being used by the Vacuum Cult to assassinate the emperor is a grave crime against the nine
clans! Not to mention Emperor Long Yan's anger, even if Mrs. Qin's relationship was with
the Queen Mother, she would never forgive the rebels.

Wan Xin originally suspected that the big explosion had something to do with the Wei family
and the Vacuum Sect. Who would have thought that he was so stupid that he would plot
rebellion! In this way, in order not to be implicated in the situation of confiscation of homes
and genocide, there is no other way to survive except cooperating with the special
investigation team.

He expressed his position to Su Yan with snot and tears, saying that he would take credit for
his crime as long as he could be removed from the case and save the lives of his family
members.

As for my sister and brother-in-law, I couldn't care less when the time came. Besides, they
were the ones who concealed the truth first, and I couldn't be buried with their madness and
absurdity.

Su Yan congratulated him on making the right choice, and then asked Shi Yanshuang to give
him some advice.

So at the public trial meeting, Jin Yiwei brought Wan Xin.

Under Su Yan's series of interrogations, Wan Xin first lied and was "forced to have no choice
but" to confess the instigator.

——Even though the terms were negotiated in advance, he still kept it in mind and did not
mention the Wei family at all. He only said that he was acting under the coercion of the
Vacuum Cult.

The three words "Vacuum Cult" appeared at the public trial of the bombing case in such a
way that the general public was caught off guard.

Many people were shocked and speechless, looking at each other, forming an undercurrent of
whispers in the crowd.

When Su Yan saw this situation, he knew that many people in the capital believed in the
Vacuum Sect and were deeply poisoned. They did not believe Wan Xin's testimony.
But it doesn’t matter. Superstition is meant to be broken step by step.

Perhaps the first knock will only cause a slight vibration, followed by the second, the third...
and many times, with continuous knocking, there will always be a time when it can no longer
bear the load and suddenly breaks.

Su Yan frowned and shouted at Wan Xin: "The Vacuum Sect was banned by the government
as early as the early years of the founding of the People's Republic of China. Where did the
Vacuum Sect come from! Could it be that you are pretending to be an empty sect in an
attempt to get away with it?"

Emperor Taizu once issued an order prohibiting the preaching of the Vacuum Sect, and the
people all knew it, so they only dared to believe in it privately and never dared to say it
publicly.

When Su Yan asked, the whispers became even quieter, and the scene fell into an eerie
silence.

Wan Xin shouted, "I am innocent! Even if I have the guts and the heart, I can never do such a
heinous thing as blowing up thousands of people! It was really the instruction of the 'head of
the sect'. I have... the token of the incense chief as proof!"

He knelt down and took out a dental plaque from his arms with an eight-petal lotus flower
and the word "香长" engraved on the front, and the two lines of "The great calamity is about
to encounter the darkness of heaven and earth, and the red lotus appears into the vacuum"
engraved on the back. Presented to Su Yan.

Su Yan took it and finished reading it, then asked Jin Yiwei to hold the token and display it in
a circle along the edge of the crowd.

Someone in the crowd whispered: "It is indeed the Holy Lotus Order... I have seen it in the
hands of other Xiang Chang, it is exactly the same."

"Are you a 'public' too?"

"Yes, it seems they are all church members... Do you think the bombing was really the
leader's intention?"

"No way! Didn't the scriptures say that what I teach breaks the darkness, kills evil spirits, and
saves all sentient beings? Why did I blow up thousands of innocent people in Baizhifang?
This is impossible..."
"They all say that this explosion came out of nowhere, that it was a punishment from heaven,
and that it was a sign of the coming of the Red Sun Catastrophe. But we just saw that it was
clearly caused by that dust... dust explosion. It doesn't seem to have anything to do with a
punishment from heaven? Could it be all a lie?"

"Don't talk nonsense! Don't forget that if your original intention is shaken, not only will you
not be able to escape the calamity, but you will not be able to return to the vacuum world
after death, and you will be reduced to an animal for eternity."

"Perhaps one of the 'heralds' was corrupted, made arbitrary decisions, and trapped the leader
in injustice?"

"It's possible... but it's not right. If the leader can't see through and stop this trick, how can he
claim to be 'the Buddha appears in this world and leads all living beings'?"

For a time, there were divergent opinions, and many people fell into the confusion of whether
it was true or false.

Su Yan put the tooth tag into the evidence bag and said: "Just relying on a brand is not
conclusive evidence. It is ridiculous for you to identify a non-existent sect as the real culprit
of the bombing. Not to mention anything else. If it’s really the Vacuum Cult, what’s the
motive?”

Wan Xin memorized the manuscript for a long time, and now it came in handy. He
immediately replied: "To confirm the prophecy! When the White Paper Square explodes, isn't
it a 'thunderbolt sign of great catastrophe, the sky and the earth are dark, and the sun and the
moon have no light'" ?”

A child in the crowd sang along with a clear voice: "'The vacuum saves the suffering, the red
lotus appears, and the chaos reopens'."

The child said with a giggle, "Mother, a huge red lotus just exploded from the green gauze
cabinet! Is this also a sign of a great catastrophe?"

The people around him turned to look at him. The child's mother was startled and quickly
covered his mouth: "Don't talk nonsense! What do children know?"

The child was unhappy. He struggled to open his mother's hand and shouted, "I'm not talking
nonsense! You adults said the same thing, saying that the big explosion that night was a
punishment from God. What happened that day? What happened to today's explosion?" Not
anymore?"
As if the words awakened people from their dreams, many of them had expressions of shock,
suspicion, anger and even shame on their faces. Some of the believers suddenly woke up,
some were stubborn, some were beating their chests, some fainted on the spot, some were
scolding, some were scolding in return, and they became noisy and noisy.

Seeing that the situation was getting out of control, Su Yan quickly ordered his soldiers to
maintain order. The drummer beat the drum more than ten times in succession, temporarily
suppressing the chaos.

"I see that everyone has their own ideas. Since no one can convince anyone, why not let God
judge? Let's see if this Vacuum Sect, which was banned by the government, is really doing
justice for heaven, or is it acting under the pretense of destiny and deliberately causing
explosions? , to confirm the rumors they made up.”

After Su Yan finished speaking, someone asked loudly: "How to judge? Even if God speaks,
we ordinary people can't hear it! Can he really send a god to fall from the sky?"

"I have heard that God's will often depends on miracles. Let's do this. I will ask God's will on
this high platform in full view of everyone."

The soldiers brought two long poles and tied a wide white cloth. They also invited several
gentlemen who were good at calligraphy and painting to draw a huge eight-petal flower with
cinnabar on the white cloth according to the pattern on the token. red lotus.

Su Yan personally picked up a mop-like pen, painted a large circle around the red lotus with
black ink, and wrote a huge word "liar" inside the circle.

The pole was erected, and the white cloth was unfolded. The black circle and the word "liar"
on the red lotus mark were particularly conspicuous and could be seen from a hundred feet
away.

Su Yan put down his pen and said loudly: "It is said that the Holy Lotus mark of the Vacuum
Sect is given by God. If I desecrate the Holy Lotus, God will definitely send down thunder to
burn this contaminated white cloth and punish me." official.

"I will wait on this stage for two hours, until Xu o'clock after nightfall. If there are thunders
from the sky and fires from the sky, it means that God is trying to rectify the name of the
Vacuum Sect. If the weather is calm and nothing happens, it means that God is right. The
Vacuum Cult is dismissive, or wants to use my own hands to punish this false sect.

“What do you think?

"Whether the 'Buddha's Reappearance' master of the vacuum sect can exert great power,
communicate with heaven and earth, and attract thunder, we will wait and see--"

The people outside the stadium were noisy and talked about anything. After Su Yan finished
speaking, regardless of the commotion below, he returned to the desk to drink tea and rest.

The two deputy judges stared at him, Doctor Zuo's face was uncertain, and Censor Chu
frowned as if thinking about something.

Su Yan smiled and said, "I will have to sit here for another two hours. If you two adults have
other business to attend to, please feel free to do so."

Chu Qiu thought for a moment and said, "I'm a little curious about how Master Su will end
up using God's will as his sword and spear to declare war on the Vacuum Sect. Please stay
with me until the end."

Zuo Guangbi had already stood up to leave, but sat back after hearing this: "Since Chu Yushi
said so, I might as well wait patiently and see who the thunder hits in the end."

The three of them drank tea, read, wrote and drew separately, without talking to each other.

Some of the people in the venue couldn't wait long and gradually dispersed; some heard
strange news and came from all over to watch the excitement; some even went home to have
dinner, brought benches, peanuts, melon seeds, and tea, and came to the venue to occupy a
seat. Good location, waiting for results.

Many people climbed up on the stone pavement, on the steps outside the gate along the street,
between the well railings, and even on the eaves, hoping to climb higher and see clearly.

Night gradually fell, and time passed moment by moment, from Shen Shi to You Shi, and
then to Xu Shi.

The wind was clear and gentle, the moon was bright and the stars were sparse, and there was
no sign of thunder.

Su Yan took out his Western enamel pocket watch and looked at it. It was past eight o'clock,
almost nine o'clock, so he stood up and announced: "It seems that God really doesn't care
about the Vacuum Cult and its leader, and even a small spark is not willing to appear - —”

Before he finished speaking, he saw a young man in the crowd pointing at the western sky
and exclaiming: "Look! Meteor——"
Su Yan turned his head suddenly, and out of the corner of his eye he caught a glimpse of a
streak of light piercing the night sky and flying towards the high platform. He didn't know
what it was.

"It's not a meteor, it's a fire from the sky! The fire from the sky is coming to burn!"

"It's a miracle!"

——It’s indeed here! It's a pity that it's just a fight between trapped beasts. Su Yan shouted:
"Archer!"

Immediately all the arrows were fired, but none of them hit the stream of light.

I saw the stream of light falling towards the white cloth on the high platform. At the edge of
the crowd, King Yu, dressed in casual clothes, smiled disdainfully, loosened the string of the
three-stone bow in his hand and let go of the arrow.

The arrow flew out and met the stream of light in mid-air, but did not scatter it. Instead, it
pierced its edge and nailed it firmly to the wooden beam of the street archway.

This combination of strength and precision was so incredible that it made Su Yan speechless.

After everyone was stunned, they gathered around the archway. The soldiers blocked the
human wall and opened a passage to let Su Yan in.

Zuo Guangbi and Chu Qiu recovered from their astonishment, couldn't sit still, and followed
them in to see what was going on.

Everyone looked up and saw that what was nailed by the arrow was a strange object in the
shape of a large crow. The fire oil cloth stuck to its back and wings was still glowing with
fire. Two gunpowder tubes were tied to his abdomen. The arrow with amazing accuracy
perfectly avoided the gunpowder barrel, passed through the crow's wing and was nailed to the
wood.

Seeing the gunpowder tubes, the people were so frightened that they backed away.

Su Yan laughed, turned to the crowd and said: "Come and see, this is the firearm used by our
Daming army, called the 'Flying Crow of Divine Fire'. With the thrust of 'Fire', the flying
crow will be shot a hundred feet away. When it hits the ground or hits something, the
gunpowder inside is ignited, causing an explosion. Isn't the sound like a thunder strike?
"——If you can't ask for a miracle, you'll use the 'Sacred Fire Flying Crow' as a pretense. The
Vacuum Sect really has good intentions!"

After a brief silence, someone shouted: "Liar Cult!"

Immediately the responses came one after another:

"False religion!"

"Cult!"

"So many people have been killed, damn the Vacuum Cult!"

"Liar Cult!"

"Liar Cult!"

The three words "Liar Cult" finally merged into a uniform torrent of sound, echoing over the
streets and alleys of Dongshi for a long time. The light of lanterns on both sides of the road
illuminated angry faces.

Su Yan looked past the archway and saw Prince Yu drawing his bow beside the stone lions
on the steps. Prince Yu shook the bow in his hand, raised his sword-like eyebrows, and
smiled lazily.

Pretending! Su Yan commented in his mind.

...But he pretends to be pretty handsome.

Chapter 203 Don’t waste a moment
2023-8-21 11:27 Category: Reincarnation of the powerful ministerTurn off the lights
This public trial, which made the headlines of the Di newspaper the next day, lasted for three
hours until Su Yan announced in public that he would thoroughly investigate the biggest
suspect in the Baizhifang explosion, the Vacuum Sect, and arrest and interrogate one of the
masterminds, while the rest The accomplices, even the dignitaries and relatives, would never
tolerate it, and it ended amidst the thundering voices of the people.

The high platform was not dismantled immediately, but the lowered white cloth was torn off
by some people and trampled on the ground to vent their anger. The red lotus mark and ink
characters were covered with stains.

When Su Yan saw this scene, his mind suddenly jumped. He thought of those red lotus marks
hidden at the base of the wall in the alley. He was afraid that if he drew them in the future,
they would be circled, crossed out, or painted like a gourd. Writing the word "liar" is like the
demolition teams of later generations painting the walls, and I can't help but laugh.

"Su Yushi." Someone called.

He turned around and saw Zuo Guangbi, the doctor of the Ministry of Punishment, had left at
some point. The person who spoke was Chu Qiu, the censor of the Metropolitan
Procuratorate, so he also greeted: "Censor Chu."

Chu Qiu said: "Su Yushi's courage is commendable, but have you thought about how to deal
with revenge and counterattack next? The Wei family has the support of the Empress
Dowager, and the Vacuum Sect is intricately entangled and hidden in the city. Both open and
covert attacks are at work."

Su Yan remembered that Emperor Jinglong once said that he was setting himself on a
firewood pile to be burned, so he nodded: "Thank you, Mr. Chu, for reminding me. However,
even if there are tens of thousands of people, I will go to the place where the Tao is."

This sentence was quoted just right. Chu Qiu was solemn when he heard it, and he cupped his
hands and said: "You are a member of the same Taoism as I am."

Su Yan served as an official in the court for one year. Because he was also a censor, he also
knew about the situation in the Metropolitan Procuratorate. He believed that the Chu censor
was a truly honest official, so he was transferred here in the name of the investigation team.
Participate in case handling. After this contact, I had a better impression, so I responded
sternly: "I heard that there is a hierarchy, Mr. Chu is my senior."

Chu Qiu said: "I'm just a few years older, so I don't dare to use the word 'senior'. Just call me
'Lingchuan'."
Su Yan smiled and said: "Brother Lingchuan, please call me 'Qinghe' too."

Even though we bowed to each other when we met, our spirits have lasted forever. The two
smiled at each other and became friends.

After all the people had left, Su Yan no longer rode in the official sedan chair, but took a
carriage and was escorted back home by guards.

After a while, King Yu caught up with him on horseback.

Su Yan was afraid that he would come to watch the night again, so after expressing his
gratitude again, he said that he was very tired today and wanted to go home early to go to bed
and had no energy to entertain guests anymore.

Prince Yu chuckled: "This expulsion order is a bit like burning bridges across rivers. It's a
pity that I don't want to compete with the group of guards sent by the emperor's brother for
the bed outside your bedroom. Qinghe is overly worried."

Su Yan blushed and thought to himself, if you're here to tease me again, why did you stop my
carriage?

King Yu seemed to have heard his inner slander, and leaned over and whispered: "I just want
to remind Qinghe - Huanghuafang is in the north, adjacent to Qingchengfang where my
palace is. But your carriage is driving west, presumably because the driver is not Knowing
the way, it’s the wrong direction.”

Su Yan originally wanted to go to Shen's mansion in Yongfang when he was young, visit
Shen Qi before going home, but now his thoughts were revealed, and he felt a little
embarrassed about his face. Worried that Prince Yu would follow and disrupt the situation
and irritate Shen Qi, who was still injured, he had no choice but to order: "Car driver, turn
right ahead and go to the Su Mansion in Huanghuafang."

King Yu succeeded in his purpose and looked very good-looking. He escorted Su Yan to the
door of his house. When he saw him entering the yard with several guards, he said "take
care", turned his horse and left.

Su Yan wanted to be angry, but couldn't. After all, Prince Yu had helped a lot tonight.
Although he deliberately disturbed his date with Shen Qi, he didn't stalk him like before, and
instead seemed quite graceful.

He could only laugh and curse, "Scheming dog," and asked the servant to pass a note to the
Shen residence, saying that he had unfinished business today and would visit again
tomorrow.
As a result, when "tomorrow" came, he was busy with official business, which was delayed
until after nightfall.

It is said that striking while the iron is hot is the same, and the same goes for wars of public
opinion.

The public trial is just the beginning. Under Su Yan's planning, the five urban districts in the
capital, under the specific operation of their respective military departments, set up a
"Reporting Area for Vacuum Cult Victims" in the downtown area and accepted the
complaints in public.

At the beginning, the people were just watching the fun, and even if there were grievances,
no one dared to be the first to speak out.

The suffering masters that Su Yan had asked Shi Yanshuang and Wei Ying to find
beforehand came in handy. As he expected, Wan Xin was a businessman at heart. He had
contacted a large number of believers and wanted to develop business opportunities, so the
testimony he provided was trivial but true.

For example, a certain incense director deceived and raped female believers in the name of
preaching; a certain member of the family who suffered from hysteria was treated as a demon
by the believers and burned alive; and so-and-so members of the church resorted to selling
iron in order to cure illnesses and eliminate karma, which ultimately led to the destruction of
their families... …There are so many different things.

These suffering masters have no way to appeal, and they are afraid of the "magic power" of
the Vacuum Sect, so they can only knock out their teeth and swallow. Unexpectedly, a group
of guards in uniforms came, tried their best to persuade them, and spent their money on
"rewards for being brave enough to expose evil forces." They even helped write the
complaint and asked them to go to the special area set up by the Five Cities Military and
Horse Division to report the case.

Finally, several victims were persuaded, submitted complaints, and described the crimes of
the Vacuum Cult in public as required. Sure enough, they received bonuses afterwards.

Seeing that others had tasted the benefits, everyone who had been harmed, whether they were
members of the church or not, came to complain.

On the high platform in the crime reporting area, women here were crying and accusing the
believers of rape, and old women over there were crying and crying for their sons to come
back to their souls soon. Some even lost their benches, spatulas, and watchdogs. On the head
of the Vacuum Cult.
All kinds of dirty information spread from ten to ten, and snowballed in the capital and Kinki
areas, becoming irrefutable evidence that the vacuum religion was causing harm to the
country and the people.

This is often the case in the world. Once the reputation collapses and everyone is hurt, it will
be difficult to recover.

The Jin Yiwei were able to count all kinds of exposing notes and reported information.

As a result, more and more people came to the scene, jostling and shoving to file complaints.
Some tough martial artists even tied up the leader of the Zhenkong Cult to claim credit and
receive the second type of bonus set by the task force - "National Bravery Award".

The captured little leaders of the Vacuum Cult were unlucky enough to be the first to bear the
anger of the people, and were bombarded with rotten eggs and rotten leaves without any
explanation.

This situation is really like a tree falling and the hozens scattering, or a wall falling and
everyone pushing against it, and in the end only chicken feathers are left on the empty
ground.

"You see, this is the power of the people. As the saying goes, drown the enemy in the ocean
of people's war -" Su Yan just got off the carriage and accidentally stepped on a rotten
vegetable leaf on the ground. The frosty stone eaves had sharp eyes and quick hands, and she
grabbed her collar.

Su Yan, who straightened his clothes after standing firm, was a little embarrassed. He
coughed dryly and changed the subject: "Well, the shills you arranged for yesterday's public
trial were good. Their expressions were natural and their lines were reasonable..."

"I'm sorry, Mr. Su," Shi Yanshuang interrupted him sarcastically, "Actually, those few are
not shills, they are really common people. The Jinyiwei did plant spies among the crowd, but
I didn't expect that the people were killed by the adults at that time. Driven by the emotional
contagion, our people only shouted "Liar Cult" a few times, but it was of no great use..."

Su Yan was stunned: This cooperation is really amazing! As expected of a capital city, at the
feet of the Emperor, the ideological consciousness of the people is extremely high.

I don't know what happened in other cities where explosions also occurred on the second day
of the second lunar month. I have to quickly organize and report this public opinion war
model, and let the emperor send it to various places as soon as possible and promote it
vigorously.
He didn't attend the morning court today because of this matter, but someone had tipped him
off. Yesterday there was such a big commotion that even Wei Jun's brother-in-law was
imprisoned as a tainted witness. The Wei family couldn't have been unaware of it. But today's
court meeting was surprisingly calm. No official from the Wei family's party criticized him,
and no one even mentioned this matter.

Su Yan believes that there must be a monster when something goes wrong. But where the
demon is and when it will suddenly jump out and give him a fatal blow is currently unknown,
so you can only be vigilant.

On the other hand, a group of censors led by Chu Qiu from the Censorate impeached Wei
Jun, Marquis of Feng'an, for instructing his brother-in-law Wan Xin to collude with the
Zhenkong Sect, which was banned by the court, and for being an accomplice in the
Baizhifang bombing.

Wei Jun was unable to go to court to defend himself because of his disability, so he asked his
brother Wei Yan, Marquis of Xian'an, to write a letter of blood seal to the emperor. As Su
Yan expected, he fired three bullets in a row, "I don't know anything about it, I am
heartbroken, and I want to kill my relatives out of justice." He begged the court for justice.
Stop and give his brother-in-law rectification. In short, it was all Wan Xin's fault and had
nothing to do with his Wei family.

When Wan Xin was informed of this incident in prison, he was so angry that he cursed "an
old pig with a broken arm and bites people after eating steamed buns." He also said to Su
Yan: "I tried my best not to implicate the Wei family and only provided evidence for the
Vacuum Cult. He wants to abandon me to save the car? Since you are unkind, don't blame me
for being unjust! Does he think that I only care about money and know nothing? Wei Jun
went to the beheading stage three times."

Su Yan smiled and replied: "Even if you take revenge on Wei Jun, Wei Yan and Wei Guifei,
they can crush you to death like an ant with just a finger."

Wan Xin cried loudly: "For the villain's sake, Mr. Su will save the villain's life!"

Su Yan patted his shoulder and comforted him: "Actually, I like businessmen quite a lot.
They are very profitable. It's clear that they are much cuter than those sanctimonious
hypocrites. For you right now, prison is the safest place." Please stay here for the time being,
and I will order the jailer to treat you well. Write down everything you know about the Wei
family, and I will guarantee that you will survive."

At this time, Wan Xin had no other way to survive except to believe in him and place his
hopes on him. He had to do as Su Yan said and rack his brains to write about the crimes and
evil deeds of the Wei family.
Su Yan knew that these alone were not enough to fundamentally defeat the Wei family. He
had to provide iron-clad evidence to prove that they were disobedient and rebellious, so that
the Queen Mother would cut off her support for them.

Thinking about it, this task still has to fall on the Vacuum Cult.

As long as the leader of the cult can be caught and the old accounts of the Vacuum Sect
colluding with the Wei family, instigating Jiyao to deceive the queen mother, assassinate the
prince, burning the Kunning Palace, spreading rumors of rebellion, etc. are revealed, the Wei
family will be completely finished.

If I were the leader of the Vacuum Cult and the foundation I had worked so hard for so many
years was uprooted in the capital, would I want to kill the culprit named Su Yan? The answer
is inevitable, with a heart that is broken into pieces!

I have a seven-kill battalion, so many assassins are out in force, shooting cold arrows from
afar; poisoning food; disguising themselves as night guards and asking him to go to the toilet
in the middle of the night, and a knife can be stuck in the toilet... There are many ways to kill
people. yes.

After Su Yan put himself in his shoes, he broke into a white sweat and felt that from now on,
he might inhale the deadly poisonous mist with every breath he took.

The so-called dancing on the edge of a knife or walking on a tightrope on a cliff is nothing
more than this.

Somehow, Su Yan thought of Shen Qi. I wonder if he felt the same way when he decided to
bring down Feng Que.

Will Shen Qi be nervous or scared?

Do you regret it when you are being tortured by grooming?

How does a person who works so hard to survive and climb up overcome the instinct of
survival and be willing to give up everything to save the life and future of another person?

Su Yan let out a heart-wrenching sigh.

He was alone in his bedroom at midnight for a moment, and a very strong impulse surged
from the bottom of his heart——

He wanted to see Shen Qi. Without delaying for a moment, he ran towards Shichiro.
Chapter 204 Mr. Su disappeared again
2023-8-21 11:27 Category: Reincarnated Powerful MinisterTurn off the lights
Su Yan hurriedly put on an inconspicuous navy blue cloak and walked out of the room to go
to the stable to pick up the horse.

The imperial guards on night watch were alarmed, and the captain asked hurriedly, "Where
are you going so late at night?"

"Go to Xicheng." Su Yan said, "Call three or five people, change into civilian clothes and
follow me, try not to attract attention."

The captain of the guard wanted to persuade him to bring more people. Just as he was about
to speak, Su Yan leaned close to his ear and whispered a few words. The captain nodded and
said, "I will follow your orders."

The night is dark and the streets are empty. The sound of horse hooves tramples through the
remaining puddles on the stone floor, causing strings of water splashes.

Four horsemen, guarding a man in a cloak in the middle, galloped westward.

There is more than half of the imperial city between Huanghuafang and Xiaoyongfang, so it
is impossible to walk in a straight line. You can only reach the Small Yongfang Temple by
going west, crossing Qingchengfang and Nanxunfang, to Dong'anmen outside the Imperial
City, then turning along the Yu River to Chang'anmen Street just south of the Imperial City,
and bypassing the wall of Xiyuan. .

On weekdays, when people were coming and going on the street and the carriage could only
stroll slowly, Su Yan didn't feel impatient. Tonight, the horse was riding smoothly, but the
road to Shen's mansion felt particularly long.

After seemingly galloping for a long time, Su Yan suddenly reined in his horse and asked the
guard beside him: "Why haven't you arrived yet?"

One of the guards replied: "We are almost there. To your left is the Great Time Yongfang
Temple. On the right hand side of the palace wall is the Taiye Pool in Xiyuan. If you go a
little further, you will reach the Small Time Yongfang Temple."

"Da Shi Yong Fang..." Su Yan pondered, "It seems that the Crown Prince was assassinated in
the alleys of Da Shi Yong Fang."

"Yes. Why did you suddenly mention this, sir? Are there any new discoveries?"
Su Yan turned his head and looked at the dark alleys, with criss-crossing streets, all hidden in
the silent night. He whispered: "Gong Gui's testimony said that there are several entrances to
the secret passages leading to the underground 'Mingtang' in the capital, and he only knows
two of them. After the public trial meeting, some believers woke up and reported several
others. The underground dens for church meetings are scattered throughout the five cities.

"I have carefully read the intelligence compiled by Beizhen Fusi, but there is no mention of
Dashi Yongfang. Do you know why?"

The guard looked at him with a blank look on his face, as if he didn't understand the
unfinished meaning of his words: "I am stupid because of my humble position, please make it
clear."

Su Yan sighed secretly.

Sometimes his thinking is too lively, causing some jumps in his words. People who can't keep
up with the rhythm will inevitably find it baffling. But if it were Qilang, Ah Zhui, and even
King Yu, they could clearly understand what he meant, and even draw inferences from one
instance to another.

And the Emperor, he always felt that talking with the Emperor was like playing chess, the
other party seemed to always think one step ahead of him, and had one more trick hidden. So
there were some things he didn't even need to say, the other party would understand.

As for the prince Zhu Helin, although he is young and has an undecided temperament, he
often has his own thoughts and ideas, but his unconstrained and unrestrained temperament is
a rare treasure that can be cultivated in a deep and hierarchical palace.

——In short, it was because these people had whetted his appetite that he started to pick out
the degree of tacit understanding with other people. It is really easy to go from frugality to
luxury, but it is difficult to go from luxury to frugality.

Su Yan asked and answered himself a little listlessly: "Because it slipped through the net.
There must be a stronghold of the Vacuum Sect in Yongfang at that time, and it was at a level
that ordinary believers and lower-level leaders could not reach, so it was not exposed. ”

The guard was surprised: "In this case, it is not suitable to stay here for a long time because it
is dangerous. My lord, it is better to return home as soon as possible. It will be safer to come
back during the day tomorrow."

After the explosion, the capital strengthened its night patrols. Not only the five-city military
division, but also the Beijing army also formed teams to patrol. They had encountered four
obstacles and interrogations along the way, and they had to show the seal of Dali Temple to
pass. It was quite difficult for the remnants of the Seven Kills Battalion or the Vacuum Sect
to roam around the city.

Despite this, the four guards still did not dare to let down their guard. When they heard Su
Yan say that they were now standing on the edge of the beast's nest, they all looked solemn.

"Keep going and go to the Small Temple." Su Yan smiled, "They pounced on the meat before
they showed their fangs, probably wondering if it was a trap. Let them think about it. ”

He whipped his horse again and galloped westward. The guards had no choice but to ride
their horses to keep up.

Soon after passing the Imperial City and Xiyuan, we entered the alley at the junction of the
large and small Yongfang temples. There was a stone arch bridge in front of him. Su Yan was
about to dismount his horse and lead him across. A guard next to him suddenly shouted "Be
careful" and jumped to knock him down——

A cold arrow was shot silently from under the bridge, the arrowhead was dark, and it flew
past Su Yan's side. If the guard hadn't reacted sharply and taken action in time, the arrow
would have been bloody.

The remaining three guards drew their swords and protected Su Yan from evacuating. But I
saw twenty or thirty figures jumping out like ghosts from under the bridge, from the ridges of
nearby roofs, and from the trees beside the road. The figures were all dressed in black attire,
with black scarves covering their faces, and the sword blade in their hands stabbed at the
guards with a cold murderous aura.

The guards were terrified when they saw that the other side had a large number of people,
their sword moves were tricky and vicious, and they cooperated with each other tacitly
without a word of nonsense. They were obviously well-trained assassins.

But they can serve the emperor, their own martial arts are outstanding, and they have
weathered the storms. Even if the enemy is outnumbered and we are suddenly challenged, we
will not panic.

The guard who knocked down Su Yan jumped on his horse with him in his arms, and without
hesitation, he galloped towards the way he came. As long as he walked along Chang'anmen
Street to the vicinity of the Imperial City, there would be defenders who could ask for help.

The other three guards held on to the pursuing assassins, risking injury and death, just to buy
them time to call for help.
This was not the first time Su Yan was in danger, but the feeling of death coming as the
sword light swept across him in the next second still made his chest tighten and his heart beat
wildly. He took a deep breath, took out a fireworks specially designed for Jin Yiwei from his
arms, and quickly lit it.

The fireworks shot straight into the sky with a sharp whistle, and a red light was extremely
eye-catching in the dark night.

Several black arrows shot from behind. The guard leaned over and pressed Su Yan tightly
against the horse's back. After dodging the arrows, he stuffed the reins into Su Yan's hands
and said loudly in the whistling night wind: "If I fall off the horse, don't panic, sir. Just lie on
the horse's back and continue running eastward. You will soon meet the defenders!"

"——Listen!" Su Yan said.

The guard heard the sound of horse hooves... not only from the horses under him, but from
the overlapping sound of countless hoofbeats, like the thunder rolling in the sky during the
hibernation season, and even the stone ground shook...

"It's reinforcements!" the guards shouted ecstatically.

"No, it's an ambush." Su Yan looked at the imperial cavalry in uniforms coming like a tide in
front of him, his eyes as bright as stars, "The enemy is in the dark and we are in the clear.
Instead of always worrying about secret arrows, it is better to lure the snake out of its hole.
The four of you have worked hard tonight, and I will We were used as bait together.”

The guard was speechless for a moment, not knowing whether he was admired or frightened.

Su Yan was afraid that he would misunderstand and think that he was ignoring human lives,
so he hurriedly explained: "I didn't mean to use you as bait, but I was about to go out, so I
wanted to have a backup plan to deal with emergencies."

The guard sighed: "My lord, you are just using yourself as bait, why should you feel guilty?
When in danger, we have martial arts and can't escape. What about you, lord? Have you ever
thought about what if we are timid and afraid?" If you die and run away by yourself, what
should you do?"

Su Yan laughed: "I know that no matter what happens to you, you will never abandon me.
You are all loyal people, otherwise why would the emperor send you to protect me?"

While they were talking, the Jin Yiwei troops passed by them and rushed towards the
assassins in black who were chasing them from behind.
The captain of the guard who had been warned by Su Yan before going out rode his horse
and looked at Su Yan nervously. Seeing that he was safe and sound, he breathed a sigh of
relief, clasped his fists and said, "I am lucky enough to live up to my duty. I arranged
reinforcements in time and ambushed him." Opposite Dashi Yongfang, close to the Baochao
Bureau in Xiyuan, we will act immediately upon your Lord’s signal.”

Su Yan turned the horse's head and followed them to hunt down the assassins, saying: "These
men in black are probably killers from the Seven Killing Battalion. If they are left alive, I will
interrogate them one by one."

The captain immediately gave the order.

Su Yan once again came to the stone bridge where he was attacked, and saw the men in black
fighting and retreating. They seemed to want to break out and escape, but were repeatedly
blocked by the fighting Jin Yiwei, who wanted to capture them alive.

Several black-clothed assassins were forced into a corner, biting the wax shell of the pills
hidden in their mouths, and then knelt down with their swords in hand, their whole bodies
twitching.

Su Yan quickly raised his voice and said, "Don't let them commit suicide!"

Jin Yiwei rushed over to pry open the assassins' teeth, but saw that their pupils gradually
turned blood red and they let out painful roars. The true energy in their bodies surged, and
their skills increased steadily in a moment.

"——Blood Eyes!" A guard in uniform shouted, "Don't look into their eyes, be careful not to
fall under the spell of fascination!"

The assassin in the blood-eyed state is crazy and ferocious. He is like a puppet and does not
know pain. He can easily perform nightmare magic and is extremely difficult to deal with. In
the blink of an eye, Jin Yiwei, who was too close, was accidentally hit. His consciousness fell
into a state of ecstasy, and he launched an attack without distinguishing between friend and
foe. The scene suddenly became chaotic.

Seeing this, the guards urged Su Yan to leave.

Su Yan also knew the current situation. It was useless to stay by himself. Instead, he would
distract everyone to protect him, so he evacuated from the battle circle under the cover of the
guards.
As they were leaving along the river bank, a flying claw Bailian rope suddenly shot out from
under the dark water, grabbed Su Yan's shoulders, and pulled him from the galloping horse
into the river, causing a huge splash with a splash.

The guards were shocked and jumped into the river one after another, resisting the enemy and
looking for people in the white waves.

But until the water surface returned to calm, they still could not find Su Yan. They were very
annoyed and reluctant to speculate that after the assassin in the river dragged Mr. Su into the
water, he immediately took the people and swam away with the current, leaving this section
of the river.

This person is good at water and his skills should not be underestimated. What is even more
frightening is his firm and tenacious will. He endured and lurked throughout the whole
process, and finally seized the fleeting opportunity. It is able to snatch people away under
heavy protection, and escape without hesitation after a successful attack. It is exquisite in the
control of advance and retreat.

The captain of the guard looked livid, and gritted his teeth and ordered: "Look! Divide into
two teams, carefully search upstream and downstream, and search both on the river bank and
on the river bank. Be sure to rescue Mr. Su safely, otherwise we will wait to be brought up to
face the saint!"

Chapter 205 Remembering who I am

2023-8-21 11:28 Category: Reincarnated Powerful MinisterTurn off the lights
Su Yan only felt a pain in his left shoulder. The next moment, he was dragged into the river.
He only had time to hold his breath when he fell into the water.

There was a person holding him hostage and swimming quickly under the water. Su Yan
guessed that he was one of the assassins from the Seven Killing Battalion. He struggled hard,
but the opponent's arms were like a welded iron frame that could not be shaken.

Spring had just begun, and the river was bone-chilling. He held his breath until his head hurt,
and his lungs stung. He desperately tried to breathe, but was tightly restrained. It wasn't until
he was about to drown that the other party mercifully lifted his face out of the water. After
taking a breath, he was dragged back into the water again.

This happened again and again, Su Yan felt extremely uncomfortable, and his chest was so
tight that it was about to explode, and he just wanted to faint.

Just when he thought he couldn't hold on anymore, he finally left the river. At this moment,
he was exhausted and coughing violently. He was like a soft sack, being carried away face
down. As for where he was going, he could no longer pay attention. Besides, it was pitch
dark all around and he couldn't see anything clearly.

The assassin seemed to be possessed of superior Qinggong skills, and he was still walking
like flying. Soon he seemed to have entered some house, and dropped him directly on the
cracked stone floor.

There was a bonfire burning on the ground, and Su Yan was thrown next to the fire. The thick
cloak that had been soaked with water was heavy on his body. He untied the ties and pulled
off the cloak. He finally breathed a sigh of relief. While turning over, he quickly glanced
around and vaguely saw the main hall of a decaying Taoist temple.

The gable wall is tilted, the incense burner is overturned, and there are cobwebs and dust
everywhere. On the Xumizuo is a tattered statue of the Sanqing God, which seems to be
glaring at him with its head tilted in the dim firelight.

Su Yan forced herself to calm down and looked at the assassin who kidnapped him - most of
his face was hidden behind a mask made of fine black metal mesh, and his black
clothes were wet and clinging to his body.

He recognized the man immediately from the thin figure wrapped in black clothes and the
pair of eyes exposed above the mask, and shouted, "A Zhui!"

The assassin did not respond. His eyes were as red as blood, as cold and hard as ice, and
revealed the instinctive and bloodthirsty murderous aura of a wild beast.

Su Yan's hands and feet were cold, not just because she was soaked in the cold night.

He knew that this was the bloody pupil state caused by the Seven Kills Camp's skills going
too far.

Ah Zhui had been possessed by a demon before in Qingshui Camp, Shaanxi Province, but the
situation seemed different from the current situation - that time, although his mind was insane
and his temperament changed drastically, he still recognized him at least, and his blood-
stained pupils were burning with twisted and fanatical emotions.

And this time, the look in that pair of bloodshot eyes when they looked at him was like
looking at a stone or a dead branch, with absolute indifference that had no warmth at all.

Su Yan suppressed the ominous feeling in his heart and spoke softly: "Ah Zhui, do you still
recognize me? I am Su Yan and Su Qinghe. Please open your mouth and say a word to me..."
As he spoke, he stood up. Get close to each other.
He slowly put his hand on Ah Zhui's mask. Seeing that the other person didn't resist, he felt
happy and wanted to take off the weird mask.

At this moment, the Blood-Eyed Assassin suddenly took action, strangled his neck, and
almost lifted his feet up in the air.

Su Yan's cheeks turned red, and she pulled at the opponent's iron-like fingertips, kicking with
her toes in vain, but was still choked to death.

When he was about to suffocate, the other party finally let go, and he fell back to the ground,
curled up in a panic, and broke out into a cough that was more violent than choking on water.

At the moment of death, Su Yan was shrouded in the shadow of fear, and discovered for the
first time that after Jing Hongzhui was deprived of all human will and emotion, what was left
was actually more cruel than a beast, and it was like a sword. A powerful and efficient killing
machine.

The masked assassin in front of him is no longer the A-Chai who would blush and say, "I am
moved by my lord."

It wasn't the Ah Zhui who pressed his lips and tongue together, kissing him without changing
until he almost suffocated, and who found every opportunity to pester him to practice more
with him.

Not to mention the Ah Zhui who was looking forward to warming his bed, but hugged him all
night without daring to do anything rash, and secretly kissed the back of his hair when she
thought he was asleep...

While Su Yan coughed, unspeakable anger surged from the bottom of his heart. This anger
burned his heart like fire, swallowing up all the doubts and fears.

——This is the person they brought step by step from the darkness to the sunshine, and now
they want to turn him into a ghost again!

"You are a person with a truly free soul." "You always choose to take the most difficult path.
You are not moved by any external forces such as money, power, fame and fortune. You
always move forward courageously and always hold the sword and ask your heart." - The
words are still in my ears. , but they deprived Ah Zhui of the qualities he valued and admired
most.

Just like a sword that had finally been quenched of its death energy and could finally be
sheathed, the scabbard was smashed to pieces, leaving only the sharp blade as a weapon for
them to modify and manipulate at will!
Su Yan's body trembled slightly in anger and hatred.

He was willing to pay any price he could in exchange for Jing Hongzhui's soul. He vowed
that even if he went to heaven and earth, he would completely eradicate and bury the Seven
Kills Camp, the Vacuum Sect, and the Wei Family, including the "Yi Zhe" hidden in the
deepest part.

The bonfire reflected Su Yan's face, and his eyes shone with a frightening light that was more
intense than the flames.

Su Yan sat up and saw Jing Hongzhui bending down to put a bunch of twigs on the fire to
roast. The light seemed unable to penetrate the blood-eyed assassin's mask and
night clothes . He was as silent and cold as a ghost.

"Ah Zhui, what are you doing?" Su Yan tried to ask in a normal tone.

The other party ignored him and raised the thing in his hand to look at it. As if he felt it was a
little overheated, he lightly fanned it in the air a few times.

Only then did Su Yan see the thing clearly: a bundle of curved iron wires more than three feet
long, which was twisted together with many thin wires. The redundant and protruding wire
heads around the body were twisted into an angled shape. Like clusters of dry thorn branches,
or like ice crystal trees frozen on window glass in winter.

But because the material is sharp metal, it is a bit more ferocious and weird than the beauty of
natural creations.

Su Yan looked at it with a sullen face. Whatever this thing was, in the current situation, it
looked like a torture device. But as a thorn whip, there was no need to burn it, and as a
branding iron, there was no need to shape it. It felt like there were worse uses...

Xue Tong Wuming stepped over the fire without saying a word, holding the bundle of hot
iron wires with one hand and pulling Su Yan's clothes with the other .

Su Yan stretched out his hand and pressed his collar tightly, calling out: "A Zhui, wake up!
Did the Seven Killing Camp also feed you drugs? Don't let them manipulate you, think about
who you are and what your true wishes are!"

His efforts to stop him seemed to the other party to be more powerless than the flesh on the
sword. Xue Tong Wuming used only one hand to easily tear open his clothes and peel him
out of the shell like a naked boiled egg.
Su Yan saw the other party's bloody eyes moving from his neck and chest, along his waist
and across his thighs, without any movement, as if a machine had scanned the slaughter
target and assessed the site of the knife according to the set program.

Full of chills and anger intertwined in his heart, he suddenly understood the intentions of the
manipulator behind the scenes——

The lines formed by this bundle of hot iron wires in the shape of branches are very similar to
the lightning lines that appear on the surface of the human body after a lightning strike.

The Zhenkong Sect was indeed eager to kill him, but not with swords and poison, but with
"divine punishment."

He could almost imagine the scene tomorrow and the day after tomorrow, no more than two
or three days at most, when Jin Yiwei discovered his body, and the unstoppable rumor that
would spread throughout the world - Su Yan, the chief prosecutor of the Baizhifang
explosion case , because he denounced Vacuum as a cult, blasphemed the Holy Lotus,
arrested the Pope, and provoked God to punish him with thunder. He was struck to death by
thunder and fire in the wilderness.

If we add some more curious details such as "A dragon came out of Hanoi, grabbed its
shoulders with its claws and flew away" or "His official clothes were struck by lightning
while naked, his official uniforms automatically took off and were neatly folded next to him",
it would surely spread more widely. .

Su Yan subconsciously touched the wound on his left shoulder and shivered in pain - when
the flying claws clasped the shoulder, there were five bloody scratches. Fortunately, he wore
thick clothes and added a cloak, while Jing Hong chased him and volleyed him into the air.
He had to use some skillful force when he pulled it up, so it was only a flesh injury, not a
bone.

Even so, the pain was severe. After being soaked in the cold river water for a long time,
several wounds turned white, grinning like a child's mouth, and oozing light red blood.

Now the struggle became more intense, affecting the blood vessels deep in the wound, and
the blood gradually became thicker and thicker, flowing down in a meandering way.

Xue Tong Wuming held Su Yan's wrists with one hand, and was about to tie the hot iron wire
to his chest and abdomen, when he suddenly saw the snow-white skin stained with bright red
blood, and was visibly startled.

Su Yan immediately recalled that in Qingshui Camp, Lingzhou, when Jing Hongzhui, who
was possessed by a demon, was hit on the head with a porcelain pillow, he acted as if nothing
had happened. However, when he saw the blood flowing from his palms that were punctured
by broken porcelain pieces, he was agitated. Then, the zhenqi rushing through the meridians
returned to its original position and returned to normal.

——Who would have thought that an assassin who once licked blood with the tip of his knife
and killed people without batting an eye would be afraid of the blood gushing from the body
of his beloved?

It can only be said that fear arises out of love. Like a person among thorns, if you don't move,
you won't be hurt. Once you are moved by love, that love is both the lingering spring breeze
and a sharp weapon that can cut people.

For such a short moment, Su Yan took the chance and pulled out his wrist.

This body is a white porcelain statue that has become a spirit. The delicate skin and tender
flesh cannot bear it, and the wrists are covered with bruises in an instant. However, Su Yan
did not rub him, nor did he make any futile counterattack or escape. Instead, he wrapped his
arms around the other person's shoulders and held his shivering body against the cold.

Spring is cold, and nights in the wilderness are especially cold. A campfire cannot dry
wet clothes . The night wind swept through the hole in the door, and goosebumps appeared
on his naked and wet body. He took advantage of the close movement to absorb the hot body
temperature under the other's night clothes——

How could Ah Zhui's body be so warm, with similar body shapes and ages? Even on the
coldest winter nights, with an extra bodyguard in the bed, he would be warm all night long.
Even his feet, which were most afraid of the cold, would be carefully tucked into his thighs
and covered, and would soon warm up.

Su Yan's nose was sore, and she unconsciously spoke with a tone of grievance: "Ah Zhui, my
shoulder hurts and it's very cold... The river water is very cold and my clothes are soaked.
Now I don't even have to wear wet clothes . I'm going to freeze." died."

The nameless Xue Tong held the red-hot and gradually cooling weapon in his hand, with a
murderous target hanging on his chest. After a moment of shock, he fell into a brief daze, as
if something had gone wrong in the established program. .

The smell of blood near his nose stimulated him, a very familiar and vaguely uneasy smell...
He took off the metal mesh mask with his free hand, and the smell became more obvious. He
couldn't help but lick the wound on Su Yan's shoulder that was still bleeding.

Slightly sweet, slightly fishy, very fresh smell of blood. He licked intently, like a hungry and
confused beast.
Su Yan gasped in pain, but instead of shrinking away, he hugged the assassin in black tighter.

"Ah Zhui, you said, 'This life belongs to you,' and you said you wouldn't go anywhere, just
stay by my side. You also said you could break bones into firewood, cut meat into cooking,
and peel skins into clothes, as long as there is still a little bit left in this body. If you can catch
your eye, tell me to take it, but please don’t drive you back into the darkness.” He said in a
thin, whimpering voice, “——I take every word seriously, but you can’t. You can't lie to me,
and you can't kill me.

"If you lied to me and killed me... I won't feel uncomfortable. I won't know anything when I
close my eyes. But what kind of pain and despair will it be if you wake up one day? I'm
afraid that then, You won't survive either.

"A Zhui, I won't call you a beast anymore. If you really want to do that with me, then do it.
There will always be a second time... But you have to wake up first and recognize me."

Su Yan leaned her upper body back, held Jing Hongzhui's face with both hands, and
regardless of the danger of being fascinated, she looked into his bloody eyes and said softly:
"Ah Zhui, look at me - who am I? Be careful. Think about it, who am I?”

The figure of a person was reflected in the blood pupils. Wuming was thinking, who is this
person?

This person is the target of his death. Even the method of death is stipulated and must be
carried out meticulously.

This person was like the other people he had killed, which made him indifferent, but he was
also completely different from the other people he had killed, which made him undecided.

The man gently spoke a few words to his numb mind, which were more powerful than
stabbing him with a knife.

He should have killed this man without hesitation, but he didn't want to kill him and wanted
to "kill" him in another way.

The action of "thinking" seemed like a luxury to him, like a lonely copper coin in an empty
pocket. Once overdrawn, it would trigger the flow of true energy in his body, causing him to
suffer unbearable pain. At this moment, three thoughts were fighting in his mind, trying to
kill out the final winner, and they even wanted to blow his head off.

The quickest and most effective way to calm this severe pain is to "not think about it".
Just obey and let the killing instinct control your body and mind.

——But through a layer of wet night clothes , this person's flawless body is pressed against
his chest, which can be torn to pieces or hugged.

The sweet taste of blood on his tongue was like strong wine, ignited by inexplicable desire,
burning his mouth, burning all the way into his chest and lower abdomen, burning his lower
body into a spear that must be used in battle.

His pupils turned a deeper dark red, and his breathing became heavy and rapid. Wuming
suddenly threw away the bundle of iron wires in his hands and slammed Su Yan down to the
ground covered with a cloak.
Chapter 206: Adults are welcome anywhere
2023-8-21 11:28 Category: Reincarnated Powerful MinisterTurn off the lights
The personal guard's attitude was extremely serious and sincere, but the words he spoke were
extremely flirtatious. Su Yan stared at him and became very embarrassed. She wrapped
herself in rags jumped to find another cloth boot.

There were only faint embers left in the bonfire, and nothing could be seen. Taking advantage
of the moment when lightning pierced the night sky, he saw the boot. Before he could jump
over, the hall became pitch black again. He kicked something hard and his toes hurt, and he
screamed "ouch".

Jing Hongzhu came over naked, picked up the delicate Lord Su, and rubbed his toes which
had suffered a great loss after enjoying the pleasure.

Su Yanzhong fell back into the warm embrace and felt very comfortable, but the current
hugging posture was a bit awkward. Face outward, with your back pressed against the other
person's chest, with your legs on each other's arms, in the same position as if you were peeing
on a child...

Su Yan said in embarrassment: "Why are you holding me like this? Let me down quickly."

"Sir, don't you want to relieve yourself? It's dark, let me help you." Jing Hongzhui could see
in the dark, so he carried him to the corner smoothly, facing a tilted incense burner, and
whispered in Su Yan's ear, "Sir, just pee."

Su Yan said angrily: "Put me down, how can I pee like this!"

Jing Hongzhui was stunned for a moment and whistled "Shhhhhhh".

Su Yan scratched his arm frantically: "I don't want to pee anymore. Can I stop peeing? Please
spare me!"

Jing Hong heard him say that he didn't want to pee. Just as he was about to turn around and
walk back to the campfire, he suddenly saw that the half-collapsed altar table next to him was
at the right height, so he bent his leg and stepped on it to gain strength, and put his elbow on
the same side on his thigh. .

——————A 1,000-kilometer drive is hidden here. The author has something to say after
seeing the driving recorder——————
Jing Hongzhui rekindled the bonfire. He used his inner strength to quickly dry his
night clothes and put them on Su Yan. Then he wrung out the cloak and placed it near the
fire to bake.

Su Yan couldn't bear to see his naked buttocks, so she asked him to put on the
night clothes pants. Although his robe was torn into tattered strips, his trousers were still
intact and could be worn after drying.

After Jing Hongzhui finished his work, he sat down, hugged Su Yan in his arms, and checked
the wound on his shoulder.

The five scratches looked long, but they were not deep. The bleeding had stopped and
solidified into dark brown scabs. They looked fine. But because they had been soaked in the
river, they had to apply medicine immediately after returning to prevent the wounds from
getting infected.

"Does the wound hurt?"

"Is it cold to be shirtless?"

The two asked each other at the same time.

Su Yan laughed: "Don't move too much and pull your shoulders, it won't hurt much."

"It's not cold." Jing Hong chased after him, touching his anus through his pants, "Here, does
it still hurt?"

Su Yan slapped his hand away and rolled his eyes: "It hurts! If you forget to do dilation next
time, I will chop off your dick."

There’s still next time! Jing Hongzhui was overjoyed in her heart, with an honest look on her
face that she would correct her mistakes when she knew they were wrong. She lowered her
head and said, "What you are trying to teach me is that your subordinates must remember it
and never do it again."

After struggling for most of the night, Su Yan was sleepy and tired. She snuggled into his
arms and dozed off. However, she was reluctant to fall asleep, so she forced herself to talk to
him and asked him how he fell into the hands of the Seven Kills Camp a while ago. of.

Jing Hong said that it was the camp leader himself who did it. It turned out that he chased
Fuyin into the secret passage of Linhua Pavilion that night. During the fight, an explosion
occurred underground and the secret passage collapsed. The two of them got out of the
depression and continued fighting.
Fuyin was no match for him. He pierced his Dantian and destroyed his cultivation. The camp
owner appeared at this moment.

He had never fought against the camp leader, so he didn't know the depth of his skills. After a
determined fight, he discovered that the camp leader's martial arts were unfathomable and he
couldn't defeat him even with all his strength. In the end, he was restrained by the other party
and drank the secret medicine. But Fuyin dragged his seriously injured body and took the
opportunity to run away.

"What's going on with the secret medicine?" Su Yan asked.

Jing Hong pursued: "In the years I was in the Seven Kills Camp, I saw those killers taking
medicine, but not this kind. What they took before was a medicine that stimulated the vitality
and improved their skills in a short period of time. I always feel that practicing martial arts
You can't take shortcuts, otherwise the foundation will be unstable, so you will secretly spit
out the medicine every time and never take it.

"The secret medicine this time is something I have never seen before. Once you take it, you
will directly enter the blood-pupil state, and your mind will also become chaotic. If you don't
obey the order, the true energy in the body will rush around, and the meridians will burst. The
pain is unbearable.”

Jing Hongzhui frowned, suspecting that the new medicine was related to Fuyin. The other
party once said that he was used as a medicine man by the camp owner for several years, and
life was worse than death. Could it be that he was researching this medicine?

Su Yan took a breath and touched his naked back comfortingly.

"If it weren't for you, sir, I would have turned into a crazy blood-eyed assassin sooner or
later." Jing Hong recalled what she had done to Su Yan before, her lingering fear lingered,
and she kissed Su Yan's fingertips with fear and guilt. , "My subordinate hurt you, sir, and
almost... please punish me severely."

Su Yan's fingertips were tickled by his pecks, so she took the opportunity to pinch the corner
of his mouth to pull out a smile, and said generously: "I don't blame you. When I saw your
eyes turned bloodshot, I directly classified you as a mental patient. A mentally ill person who
kills someone is not criminally responsible."

Jing Hongzhui didn't understand what Su Yan meant, but he could tell that Su Yan was
teasing him. He allowed Lord Su to pinch his face, and he promised very seriously: "It won't
happen again."

Su Yan asked: "How come you don't know how to do it? You said last time that if you don't
use the nightmare technique, you will be poisoned and the situation will be worse."
Jing Hongzhui said resolutely: "I will kill the camp leader, destroy all the secret medicine,
and completely eradicate the Seven Kills Camp. If the other assassins don't come to interfere,
I will let them live; if they are my enemies, they will be killed together." ”

Even though he had restrained his murderous intent, it still made Su Yan tremble and
shudder.

Su Yan put her face against his chest, listening to his steady heartbeat. The tension and chill
gradually dissipated, and sleepiness came over her. She murmured, "Do you know who the
camp owner is? Have you seen what he looks like?"

Jing Hong responded: "I haven't seen it. But during the fight, I took off his mask and touched
his face. My hand remembers what he looked like. As long as I touch that face again, I can
Recognize it immediately.”

Su Yan squirmed in his arms and adjusted to the most comfortable position, thinking that this
was amazing, but there are hundreds of thousands of people in the capital, I can't let you
touch them one by one.

Jing Hong heard what he mumbled, and when she looked down, she found that he had fallen
asleep deeply.

"...Have a good sleep, sir." Jing Hongzhui whispered and kissed the hair on the top of Su
Yan's head.

There was wind and rain outside, lightning and thunder, and firelight jumped inside the
house, illuminating a small and quiet world. Jing Hongzhui held his sleeping master in his
arms and sat motionless until dawn.

Chapter 207 Make room for him

2023-8-21 11:29 Category: Reincarnated Powerful MinisterTurn off the lights
Su Yan slept soundly in the small, dilapidated Taoist temple that was exposed to wind and
rain, unaware that there was a turmoil outside all night. The Jinyiwei and the Imperial
Guards almost turned the entire capital upside down, trying to find him by searching for him
in heaven and on earth.

When it was daylight, the rain stopped. Su Yan woke up and saw that Jing Hongzhui had
been sitting with him in his arms all night without even changing his posture. He stood up in
embarrassment.

"Why don't you put me down? My body is numb, right?" He said, rubbing the other person's
arm carefully.
Jing Hongzhui's true energy was always circulating in his body, his energy and blood were
smooth, and he didn't feel numb. However, it was rare for Mr. Su to be so considerate, so he
just enjoyed it secretly. It didn't seem like a big mistake. So as the kneading made a "hissing"
sound, he frowned and pretended to be uncomfortable.

The more Su Yan rubbed it, the more he felt something was wrong - this martial arts master
who claimed to be "stiff and numb and unable to move" had his muscles not softened by him,
but his lower body was rubbed hard. What was going on? He suddenly felt that he had been
deceived, slapped the other party on the shoulder, and scolded him with a smile: "Get out of
here! Last night, the guards thought that I was captured by the enemy. If I don't go back, I
don't know how much trouble I will cause."

Jing Honghui picked up the dry cloak, shook off the dust, and tied it on Su Yan. He put on his
torn robes and was really struggling, like a disciple of the Beggar Clan.

Su Yan suppressed a smile: "May I ask if this hero is an elder of the Beggar Clan? How is his
kung fu? How confident are you in removing demons and guarding the way?"

Jing Hong thought for a while and replied seriously: "One in your pocket, one in your hand,
you can use it wherever you want. As for kung fu... if you think it's good, then it's good. If
you think it's not good, I'll practice more."

Su Yan was stunned for a moment, then suddenly understood. With a red face, he spat at him
and turned to walk out.

Jing Hong chased after him, hugged his master, and used Qing Kung Fu to fly quickly and
steadily. Su Yan hugged his neck with satisfaction and praised: "You are a maglev train."

The dilapidated Taoist temple is on a hilltop on the outskirts of the capital. Half an hour later,
Jing Hongchui and Su Yan appeared near the outer city. At this time, many soldiers from the
Military and Horse Division were still searching along the river. Unfortunately, the heavy
thunderstorm last night washed away all traces.

When Su Yan saw a familiar figure on the horse, his heart started to bleed, and he shouted
from a distance: "Qilang——"

The man heard the sound and looked from afar, galloping over on his horse.

Jing Hongzhu stopped, the gentle curve on his lips disappeared, and his face turned cold
again.

A man and a horse galloped in front of him, and it turned out to be Shen Qi. Su Yan went up
to meet him and saw that his face was green and his lips were bloodless, his eyes were
bloodshot, his lips were chapped and there were cuts, his expression was sharp and haggard,
as if he had suffered a huge blow overnight, all because of the stubbornness in his heart. And
the stubborn spirit supports it.

Su Yan felt so distressed that she helped him get off the horse and touched the dark red blood
on the dark horse.

"Your wound is split!" Su Yan said anxiously, "Let me see it quickly!"

Shen Qi seemed to have not heard anything, and held her lost lover tightly in her arms,
fearing that if her hands were loosened, the person would disappear again.

"As long as it's okay," he murmured in Su Yan's ear, his voice hoarse and hoarse, "As long as
it's okay..."

As soon as the energy dissipated, the whole person slid down as if without any strength. Su
Yan used all her strength to support him, with wet eyes: "I'm fine, but you, you are going out
after only a few days, and you are riding a horse. How injured are you?" , Don’t you have a
clue?”

Shen Qi gasped and said only four words: "I'm not worried."

No matter how many imperial guards and imperial guards , no matter how elite they were, he
could not let go of his heart that was strangled by the steel cable. He forced himself to think
over and over again about how much the Seven Killing Camp and the Vacuum Sect hated Su
Yan, and what would happen to his wife if he fell into those people's hands, and even made
the worst plan, to see him alive or dead.

Fortunately, Qinghe returned safely.

——Just come back, just be fine, nothing else matters.

Shen Qi let out a long breath and dropped her head on Su Yan's shoulder.

Su Yan held him tightly and said anxiously, "A Zhui, give me a hand."

Under the dead tree next to him, Jing Hongchui stood with his sword in his arms with an
expressionless face. His rags were blown by the wind, and he looked like a peerless
swordsman before a decisive battle. In short, if the enemy does not move, I will not move; if
the enemy falls, I will not move. The comparison is aloof style.

Su Yan said angrily: "Why are you pretending? Come here and help me see his wounds."
Seeing that his master was really angry, he came over and poked Shen Qi's injury with the
end of the scabbard.

Su Yan slapped away the sword, laid Shen Qi down, and rested his head on his thigh. He
untied the other party's belt and skirt , revealing the blood-stained bandages wrapped around
his chest and abdomen.

Even with her eyes closed, Jing Hongzhui knew where Shen Qi's injuries were, how far the
sword blade penetrated his flesh, which blood vessels were cut, and which vital points were
avoided - because it was him who had done it.

At that time, he was still nameless with blood pupils and obeyed orders. The instructions he
received were to seriously injure the opponent but not to kill him.

As for why he was not stabbed three times more or less - it was just like being chased by
Shen Qi and being stabbed three times by the opponent; and why when the sword edge
penetrated Jin Yiwei 's Feiyu suit, even in a state of confusion, he still It can give rise to
feelings of comfort... who knows.

Su Yan went to untie the bandage, but in a hurry, he went around and around and couldn't
untie it. Seeing more and more blood seeping out, his fingers trembled violently, and he
called out in an almost pleading tone: "Ah Zhui——"

Jing Hong had no choice but to tap several acupuncture points on Shen Qi's body to stop the
bleeding, and then injected her own energy into the opponent's heart veins to help him heal.

After a while, Shen Qi's pale face gradually turned red. She frowned in pain first, and then
slowly opened her eyes.

Jing Hongchui immediately withdrew his hand and wiped it several times on the hem of his
clothes

He lowered his head and stared at the blood on his palm that couldn't be wiped clean. He
suddenly remembered that he had touched something even more unbearable than blood...
Shen Qi's descendants immediately became furious and regretted that he didn't shake his
hands at that time and just cut the guy's lungs directly!

Shen Qi was like a lone wolf smelling hostility. When her wary eyes glanced from Jing
Hongchui's sword to Su Yan's face, it was already a February day when the snow had melted
and the ice had disappeared. Su Yan's heart relaxed, she held his hand and said, "I'll take you
back home, and then ask Mr. Yingxu to come over for re-diagnosis and treatment."
It was impossible to ride a horse in such a situation, so the royal guards got a carriage and
carried the chief officer into the carriage.

Shen Qi held Su Yan's hand and didn't let go. Su Yan originally planned to accompany the
car, but saw Jing Hong changing her intact clothes and also squeezed in.

Shen Qi said coldly: "There is no place for you here."

Jing Hong ignored him and said to Su Yan: "If he is about to die, I can give him another
breath."

Su Yan turned to Shen Qi and said, "How about... make room for him?"

Shen Qi gritted her silver teeth, breathed heavily for a while, and then said, "My wound hurts.
Come over and give me a pillow while he sits across from me alone."

Su Yan immediately moved over and not only let her use his thigh as a pillow, but also let her
touch him with his hands.

Now it was Jing Hong who was gritting his teeth secretly, but he was helpless that his worst
period was over, and now he was determined not to sell Shen Qi, who was half-dead. In the
end, he chose to meditate with his eyes closed, holding the sword given to him by the adults
in his arms, out of sight but out of mind.

The carriage traveled a long way, and the people around it became noisy. It must have
entered the inner city, and suddenly it stopped suddenly.

A Jinyiwei whispered outside the car window: "Sir, a eunuch is here to pass on the order,
asking Sir Su to enter the palace."

Shen Qi held Su Yan's hand tightly and mocked reluctantly: "You sit in the deep palace, and
you are very well-informed."

"Be careful with your words." Su Yan patted the back of his hand as if to remind him and
comfort him.

Such a big scene, even the imperial guards were sent out, the emperor couldn't have been
unaware of it, and it was estimated that as soon as he and Jing Hongzhu showed up, a secret
report was immediately sent to the emperor. It was reasonable for the emperor to worry about
him and want to summon him to the palace to inquire about the situation.
Su Yan gently pulled his thigh out from under Shen Qi's head, and said to Jing Hongzhui: "A
Zhui, I have a task for you."

Jing Hongzhui opened his eyes and looked at his master.

"Send Shen Tongzhi back home for me. If his injury condition changes, I hope you can help
me. Also, please tell me what you want to say after Mr. Yingxu's diagnosis and treatment."

Jing Hongzhui's face darkened after hearing this.

Su Yan also knew that there was a deep old grudge between him and Shen Qi. If he didn't
find a chance to resolve it, meeting each other every day would be like a cockfight. Even if
the two of them could stand it, he couldn't.

So he turned around and said to Shen Qi: "Qi Lang, I also give you a task - show the injury
number as it should be, accept treatment honestly, and don't run around again. Before I come
back, let Ah Zhui see it Look at you, don't fight."

Shen Qi's face also turned dark.

Su Yan lifted the curtain and got out of the car, leaving two love rivals in the same room,
staring at each other.

Jing Hongzhui unconsciously held the hilt of the sword. Shen Qi sat up with difficulty and
sneered: "Why, you still want to kill me!"

"Is it difficult to kill you?" Jing Hongzhui asked, "Right now, you can't even block one of my
moves. It's easier than killing a dog."

"Then why don't you take action?"

"..."

"You're afraid that Qinghe will hate you. That's right, the revenge of killing your husband is
not something that lasts forever." Shen Qi said slowly, "Not only can't you kill me, but you
also have to serve me like a servant. Isn't it very frustrating?"

Jing Hongzhui's eyes flashed with cold light, as if he was about to draw his sword in the next
moment. Once the murderous sword is drawn out, it will not be sheathed until it drinks blood.
He saw back and forth on the edge of murder for a long time, but finally reason prevailed -
Your Majesty solemnly entrusted you to me. If he attacks Shen Qi at this time, it will not be a
matter of settling the grudge, but a betrayal and betrayal of Your Majesty. .

After taking a few deep breaths, he swallowed the murderous intention back into his stomach
and uttered the self-taught words: "You secretly took refuge in the forces behind the Seven
Kills Battalion. You killed the imperial guards first to make a declaration of surrender. In
order to avoid the emperor's suspicion, He deliberately injured himself seriously and staged a
good show to be surrounded by assassins - do you know all this? "

Shen Qi's face was frozen, and he asked coldly: "The technique you practice has great hidden
dangers. Once it gets out of control, you will become a murderous puppet. Even that scene
was set up by you and me together - does Qinghe know about all this?"

The two of them each held each other's handle, and as they stared at each other, neither could
suppress the other. There was a tense silence in the carriage.

Finally, it was Jing Hongzhui who spoke first: "My lord, in your heart you only care about
the country, the country, and the people of the world. If you do the opposite, you will
definitely make me sad and disappointed in the future. I don't think you are too stupid. After
all, you are really stupid." Are you still playing some trick?"

Shen Qi retorted: "You are a minion of the Seven Killing Battalion. You will surrender today
and rebel tomorrow. You may be captured and brainwashed the next day. If you can't stand
on your own, how can you have the face to criticize my position?"

Jing Hongzhui took a deep breath and said in a deep voice: "I will find another way to deal
with the martial arts. As for you, if it weren't for your face, I wouldn't bother talking to you at
all. If you are on an errand, Wrong, if you become your enemy in the future, I will kill you
with my own hands!"

Shen Qi opened his mouth, then suddenly closed it again. After a moment of silence, he said:
"Just take care of yourself. Instead of staring at me, why not look up at the heights? Your so-
called emperor who can reuse adults is forcing him to I'm sending Qinghe to Prince Yu's
bed!"

Jing Hongchai: "!"

"Although it is a test, it also means that the emperor has regarded Qinghe as a forbidden
concubine. King Yu and I are the ones he will strictly guard against and even get rid of soon.
Qinghe has ambitions and will never be a lucky minister. This is more important to me than
to him. You know better, but once the emperor gets his hands on it, even if he no longer
wants to be the emperor, he will be covered in dirty water. "
Jing Hongzhui lowered his eyes and said nothing, rubbing his fingers slowly and heavily
back and forth on the scabbard.

Su Yan's previous pleas echoed in her ears thousands of times:

"...Brothers or anything else, anyway, this kind of relationship is what he wants and I can
accept it, so let's just keep it like this. Ah Zhui, please don't stop us, okay?"

Mr. Su has feelings for Shen Qi. Now that things have happened, he has to face this fact, and
he feels sour in his heart.

——But fortunately, adults may not have no affection for him. Otherwise, how could you
have risked your life to awaken his sanity, acquiesced or even condoned his aggression, and
made a lifelong promise to him?

Thinking of Su Yan, Jing Hongzhui's cold expression relaxed a little. Touching the "oath"
given by the Lord, he calmly said to Shen Qi: "I was the one who kidnapped the Lord last
night, and I was also the one who slept with the Lord. After I regained my consciousness, I
couldn't help it and fell asleep again."

Shen Qi coughed violently, leaned over the felt blanket, and spat out a mouthful of blood
on his clothes .

Jing Hong leaned forward, put her hand on his back, and continued to inject Qi continuously.
At the same time, she continued: "My lord has not rejected me. Whether it is mercy or
responsibility for me, I accept it. As long as I can accompany you, He, keep him safe and
smooth throughout his life.

"The master has you in his heart. And you, Shen Qi, if you want to put your love and
possessiveness above his wishes, you'd better withdraw early. He doesn't need your love, and
I don't want him to be sad."

Shen Qi held his wrist tightly with murderous strength.

On Lantern Festival night, Su Yan frankly told him that he was willing to die for him and
Jing Hong.

"...Under a combination of circumstances, fate was so deep that now my future and destiny
are intertwined and inseparable. Losing you would be cutting my heart out, sacrificing him
would be cutting off my limbs. If anything happens in the future, There is no escaping the
disaster. I will live with you and die with you."
He originally thought that the extraneous thing he had brought with him could be cut off with
a knife behind his back. But I didn't expect it to take root in the bones and melt into Qinghe's
flesh and blood, whether it was cut or not.

Why is it so difficult to stay with someone for life?

"Is it difficult?" Jing Hong asked back.

Only then did Shen Qi realize that, inspired by pain and confusion, he had spoken out these
words that were difficult to swallow.

Jing Hongzhui squatted down and looked at him levelly, with a serious and cold expression:
"You are willing, my lord is willing, and I am willing, that's it. Whoever wants to break up
you - or us, we will find a way to get rid of him."

Chapter 208 The Emperor is very solemn

2023-8-21 11:29 Category: Reincarnation of the powerful ministerTurn off the lights
Shen Qi had a dream.

He forgot the exact date, but it was roughly before Su Yan returned to Beijing from Shaanxi,
when Gao Shuo secretly reported to him that "Jing Hongzhui, relying on his status as a guard
who accompanied Lord Su day and night, climbed into Lord Su's bed."

In the dream, Su Yan held hands with a vague figure whose face could not be clearly seen,
and told him in a gentle but firm tone that he had another love, and that in this life he and him
could only remain brothers.

He went crazy at that moment.

He killed the invisible figure, killed Su Yan who refused to change his mind, and finally,
holding Su Yan's body, killed himself with one knife after another.

His ghost cannot be reincarnated and is obsessed with it. It lingers at the grave where the two
of them were buried together every night, asking every leaf that grows in spring and every
snow that falls in winter: Have you seen my wife?

When he woke up, Shen Qi was soaked in cold sweat, as if he had just been fished out of the
water.

He always knew that he had a problem, and the problem was not in his flesh and blood, but in
his heart.
There lived a sadistic monster in his heart, which would tear and roar in the darkness from
time to time, and needed blood food decorated with painful wails to fill its hunger.

Jinyiwei , Beizhen Fusi, and the prison gave him the freedom of being like a fish in water,
giving him enough legitimate reasons to use "responsibility" and "acting according to orders"
to cover up the smell of blood emanating from the monster in his heart.

But after meeting Su Yan, everything changed.

He had to be careful at all times not to let the monster's fangs and claws hurt Su Yan, or even
be seen by the other party. Carefully cover up the black karmic fire burning in your soul.

He was more patient and restrained than he had been during the ten years under Feng Qu'e.
He did not dare to relax even in bed. Behind every tooth mark on Su Yan's body was his
repeated confirmation, warning and punishment of himself.

And at this moment, because of Jing Hongzhui's words, he was cut in half alive——

Half is dark, restless, crazy, and destructive. Let the urge to die together turn dreams into
reality.

The other half still has reason and spirit, and the sweetness of linden nectar still lingers in the
soul, echoing "Qilang" again and again.

Half to death, half to survival.

Jing Hongzhui was still squatting in front of him, looking at him with a scrutinizing look, and
said indifferently: "You smell of blood."

nonsense! Shen Qi shook off his wrist and wiped the blood from the corners of his lips.

"It has nothing to do with your injury." Jing Hong continued, "It's your scent, I can smell it.
Looking at you wearing official skin, I didn't realize that you are also an outlaw at heart."

Who is the same as you?

After spitting out the mouthful of congestion, the cramping pain in his chest seemed to
lessen, and the agitated emotions gradually cooled down. Shen Qi slowly straightened up his
upper body, leaned against the wall of the carriage, and looked at the vast world in front of
him from a new angle.
This person's greatest advantage should be his loyalty to Qinghe, Shen Qi thought - of course
there is some element in this loyalty that a toad eats swan meat and is grateful for his
kindness, but from several critical moments, it can be seen that he is someone who will die
for Qinghe.

While he was recuperating, Qinghe's safety was in danger. No matter how hard the Imperial
Guards and Imperial Guards worked, they were under orders and couldn't think about Qinghe
from the bottom of their hearts. Even if they did, they didn't have enough ability to achieve it.
For example, last night, with so many people protecting him, Qinghe was still able to be
kidnapped.

At least for now, this Jing Hongzhui is still available. Especially when those in power are
eyeing him, Jing Hongzhui's identity with no background and his courage of "being barefoot
and not afraid of wearing shoes" are quite suitable.

——At least more suitable than Prince Yu.

Shen Qi remembered that when King Yu came to win over him, he had half wanted to join
forces with him and target the emperor's intentions. He sneered at this in his mind:

Since ancient times, the distant relatives have never been separated. No matter how
dissatisfied Prince Yu was, he was still the emperor's brother after all.

More importantly, how did King Yu treat Qinghe? How could he agree to it if he killed him
quickly?

The emperor's life is up for grabs, King Yu has ulterior motives, and the prince is a young
tiger with sharp claws. He fights alone amidst the pressure of powerful people. Even if he
overcomes obstacles and exhausts all his agencies, can he really keep Qinghe safe?

Since Jing Hongzhui took the initiative to propose an alliance, it is better to use him first and
settle accounts after using him. Shen Qi sorted out his thoughts and replied calmly: "How can
two desperate criminals fight against three nobles?"

Jing Hongzhu stood up and sat back in his seat, hugging his sword again: "No matter how
precious a person's life is, he only has one. But it still depends on what the adults want."

"He has always been soft-hearted. It's not like you don't know that." Shen Qi said.

Jing Hongzhui thought for a while and said, "Let's look at the situation first. If it really comes
to a life-or-death situation, you have your own considerations, and you and I have our own
methods."
Shen Qi didn't talk anymore, seemingly closing his eyes to rest, thinking to himself If the
deadlock of either/or is really put in front of him, what choice will Qinghe make? -

Su Yan got off the carriage and saw a chamberlain waiting by the roadside. He went up to
greet him and said, "My father-in-law has worked hard. Is this an imperial edict or an oral
instruction?"

The chamberlain bowed and replied: "It's an oral instruction. Master Su, please invite me.
Don't let the emperor wait."

Su Yan lowered his head and looked at himself. He was still wearing night clothes under his
mud-stained cloak . Why? "It's really disrespectful to describe the saint like this. Can you let
me freshen up and change clothes ?"

The chamberlain turned his head and glanced at the corner of the street, and said with a smile:
"The car is equipped with water bottles, sweat towels and clean clothes . Mr. Su can come
with us to change clothes."

Su Yan saw a four-horse carriage parked far away at the corner of the street. It was more than
twice the size of an ordinary carriage. It must be very spacious inside, so he nodded and said,
"Thank you, father-in-law."

He followed the eunuch to the carriage, climbed the stairs, opened the door and walked into
the carriage.

The interior of the carriage is indeed as spacious as a pavilion, with a fixed floor-to-ceiling
screen separating the guest room and bedroom. The front guest room is complete with tables
and seats. Through the hollow lattice of the screen, you can vaguely see the low couch
covered with satin quilt in the back.

This area and comfort are almost equal to a small apartment, and it is worthy of being a
carriage in the palace. Su Yan sighed silently, took off his cloak and hung it on the wall hook,
looking around for a kettle.

The water in the kettle had probably just been filled, and it was still warm when poured into
the basin. He wiped his hands and face carefully with a cotton towel, took off his
night clothes and balled them up. He wanted to wipe out the traces but had no place to throw
them, so he wrapped them in a cloak and tied them. Become a burden and throw it in the
corner.

Five scratches on his shoulders were exposed, with dried blood scabs on them. They looked a
little scary, but were actually not very serious. Su Yan ignored it and rummaged through a
pile of brand-new robes in the cabinet with his shirtless body looking for the midfielder.
He originally planned to ask Mr. Yingxu to come over to diagnose and treat Shen Qi after
sending Shen Qi back home, and also treat his own wounds along the way. When I received
the summons halfway, I could only put it aside for the time being and deal with it later.

Just then, a slight gasp was heard in the quiet carriage, as if someone was in pain.

Su Yan turned to look behind the screen and asked, "Who is where?"

He first saw a corner of a pale robe with exquisite patterns. The other party came out from
behind the screen and turned out to be the emperor in disguise.

"Your Majesty?" Su Yan was startled, realizing that he was disheveled and very rude, so he
hurriedly grabbed a robe and hurriedly put it on himself.

Feeling that the situation was embarrassing, his face was burning badly, and he didn't care to
look at the emperor's expression as he hurriedly tied the belt.

The emperor came closer, held his finger, and said solemnly: "Don't move." Then he
opened the skirt of his clothes , took off half of his sleeves, and looked at the wound on his
shoulder.

"Was it injured by a flying claw?" The emperor frowned.

Su Yan nodded nervously: "The injury is not deep, just apply some medicine and it will be
fine."

The emperor pulled him to sit down, poured a basin of warm water again, cleaned his wound
with his own hands, took out medicine powder from the cabinet and applied it to his wound,
and finally bandaged it carefully with gauze.

Seeing that the emperor didn't say a word during the whole process, Su Yan's heart beat more
and more, thinking of the ridiculous things last night, he glanced at himself hurriedly and
guiltily - fortunately, Ah Zhui only licked but did not bite, leaving no teeth marks. There
were only some bruises on the skin, which was said to be a bump. The ones that fell and
those that fell were almost the same.

There was a charcoal pot burning in the carriage, which drove away the cold air of early
spring. Even if you were naked, you wouldn't catch a cold for a while. The emperor finished
tying the gauze head and applied medicinal wine to the bruised area.

Su Yan was stimulated by the spicy smell of the medicinal wine and sneezed. He hesitated
for a moment and asked in a low voice: "Your Majesty, don't ask me what I went through
after I was kidnapped by the assassin last night, and how I came back this morning?"
While the emperor was rubbing out the medicine, he asked, "If I don't ask, why don't you take
the initiative to tell me?"

Su Yan said sarcastically: "I saw that it was morning time, and I didn't expect that the
emperor was actually in the carriage. I was so surprised that I forgot to report the situation in
time."

The emperor said calmly: "The morning court has dispersed."

Broken up? This is just now, less than half the usual time.

The emperor looked at him and seemed to see through the doubts in his heart: "Last night I
received an urgent report that you were attacked in Yongfang of Dashi and were kidnapped
and disappeared... What do you think I was feeling at that time?"

Su Yan looked ashamed: "I was careless and made the emperor worried."

The emperor paused and continued to rub his hands: "I immediately sent out the Imperial
Guards and Imperial Guards to search the city, and waited for their return in the Yangxin
Hall. I waited from the second watch to the third watch, from the third watch to the fourth
watch, and until Tiandu It’s bright, but there’s still no news from you.”

"Your Majesty..." Su Yan lowered her head and did not dare to look into his eyes.

"I have been in the imperial court for fifteen years. I have never stopped going to court early
in the morning unless I was seriously ill, and today is no exception. So I went to Fengtianmen
to listen to the government, but when I listened back and forth, I could only feel the buzzing
of the courtiers below, and I could not hear them clearly. What you said only made me have a
headache. Fortunately, the news came at this time that you were safe and sound and had
entered the outer city. I announced that I would disperse the court and leave the palace
incognito to pick you up. "

Su Yan held down the hand that was rubbing the medicine on her body, feeling a throbbing
pain in her chest: "Your Majesty."

The emperor picked up the cotton towel, wiped all the medicinal wine from their hands, and
sighed deeply: "Qinghe, I am old and can't stand the trouble. If you threaten me with your
own safety again, I... I will take it back to you. The power allows you to stay in the official
office."

Su Yan felt more and more uncomfortable, his nose felt sore, and his eyes were misty: "It's
my fault, I really didn't mean to scare the emperor... The emperor is not old at all... I still
want to continue investigating the case..."
The emperor said: "I know that you are dedicated to serving the public good. You said so
many soft words in front of me just to continue investigating the case."

Su Yan shook his head repeatedly and found it difficult to refute. He gritted his teeth and
pierced the middle singlet, tied the belt with trembling fingers, and then fell to the ground to
plead guilty: "My heart...can't be selfless. Your Majesty knows this for sure."

"Don't raise your shoulder, the wound has just been bandaged!" The emperor unconsciously
raised his voice, then lowered it again, sighing, "For other officials, I hope they are all loyal
to the country, but for you, Su Qinghe, I hope you are more selfish and think more about
yourself... How contradictory."

The emperor bent down to help Su Yan up, hugged him in his arms, and kissed his forehead:
"You did a good job, but I was stunned."

Su Yan choked and said: "I... I'm sorry, Your Majesty."

He was grateful for what the emperor gave him, but he couldn't repay what the emperor
wanted in equal measure——

It's like standing in front of a cordon. Once you step into the restricted area, everything will
be turned upside down and there will be no way to turn back. With the dignity of the
emperor, how could he allow others to get involved in the forbidden property? Even if Shen
Qi and Jing Hongzhui didn't get angry, the emperor would not spare them.

It's like an unsolvable situation. There is no other way except to stay within the boundaries
and withdraw in time.

But could the emperor tolerate his repeated refusals?

Even if he could, how could he bear to see the other person disappointed again and again.

Qinghe, hurry up, don't make me wait too long. Every word is a needle that stabs the heart
and a spell that moves the heart.

The emperor patted him on the back: "Okay, don't cry anymore. You shed tears every time in
front of me, as if I always bully you with my power."

Su Yan raised his sleeves to wipe his face in shame, feeling that private matters were much
more difficult to deal with than official matters. If he could, he really wanted to go back to
the beginning of time travel, where he would only work on his career and not talk about
relationships. If he encounters someone who wants to force and provoke him again... report
him to the police? A good beating? You can't kill anyone!
Ahem, it’s still an endless loop. Every one of them is an injustice.

Now we can only take one step at a time, and solve the most urgent tasks of the Seven Kills
Camp and the Vacuum Sect first, and worry about the rest later.

Su Yan picked and explained the situation last night. Because Ah Zhui's origin had been
concealed from the emperor before, he could not mention words such as blood pupils and
drugging now. He could only say that his bodyguards arrived in time, rescued him from the
assassins of the Seven Kills Battalion, and sent him back to the capital.

The emperor pondered for a moment and asked: "Which guard, the martial arts master you
conquered? The one who got into a jealous fight with others in Meixian Tang?"

Su Yan was determined to protect the lives of the two adulterers, and said: "The guards are
only dedicated to protecting the master. With the status of the emperor, it would be... not
dignified to say such business talk as 'jealousy'."

The emperor was putting a robe on him, and when he heard this, he slapped him on the
buttocks: "How presumptuous! If I were not dignified, I would not be dressing , but taking
off your clothes ."

The injured area on his back was affected, and Su Yan secretly gritted his teeth in pain. He
quickly tied up his belt and said with a dry smile: "Yes, I made a mistake. Your Majesty is
very solemn and considerate of me."

The emperor stroked his lower back through his robe, his breathing becoming increasingly
rapid: "Besides the shoulder, where else is it injured?"

Su Yan didn't dare to say anything, and shook his head repeatedly: "It's gone, everything is
fine."

"You only applied medicine on your upper body, but you also let me see your lower body?"

At this sight, someone's head will be blown off! Su Yan tightly protected his belt: "I am
scared! I am ashamed! Please forgive me and take back my life."

"Are you shy or scared?"

"Everyone has it."

"That's all, I won't embarrass you." The emperor gently raised his chin with his fingers, "Let
me see if your tongue is injured."
You ask knowingly, how can you still say so many words after hurting your tongue? Su Yan
knew the emperor's intention, so he reluctantly opened his mouth and stuck out the tip of his
tongue.

The tip of his tongue was light red and small, glistening with moisture, and the emperor took
it in his mouth with satisfaction.

After a long time, Su Yan gasped, stood unsteadily and grabbed the emperor's collar . The
emperor held his waist with one hand, pressed the back of his head with the other, and asked:
"Are you hungry? I have food here."

Su Yan's legs felt weak after thinking about the "Rain and Dew Favor" last time, and he
reasonably suspected that there was something in the emperor's words, so he hurriedly said:
"I'm not hungry, thank you for your grace. I... I'm a little dizzy, maybe I lost a lot of blood
from the wound before... "

The emperor smiled tolerantly: "Then leave it for next time. I will send you back to my
hometown to recuperate."

Chapter 209: Knowing Shame and Correcting It

2023-8-21 11:30 Category: Reincarnated Powerful MinisterTurn off the lights
The emperor wanted to send him back to his palace in person, so Su Yan naturally didn't dare
to say that there were two adulterers in the carriage behind... No, it was his brothers and
guards who were eagerly waiting for him, so they wanted to wait for the emperor to leave
before going to Shen. Government inspection.

It was almost noon, and on normal days, he would definitely have stayed with the emperor
for a meal. But now because he felt guilty, he was afraid that the emperor would insist on
taking off his pants to check if there were any wounds, so he acted like he was exhausted as
soon as he entered the door, and complained: "I am a little sleepy, and I am afraid that I will
lose my dignity before the emperor..."

The emperor didn't feel dissatisfied, and told him to get more rest, and then asked the
imperial doctor to come to see him again, prescribe some tonic medicine, and then took a
carriage back to the palace.

Xiaobei and Xiaojing were worried and frightened the whole night. When they finally saw
their parents come back, they hugged their children and cried. They found that they were so
flustered that they even forgot to boil water for bath.

Su Yan comforted them: "It's okay, let's eat first. After that, you boil the water slowly. I'll go
out to see someone and bring Ah Zhui back by the way."
The two boys went to heat up the rice. Master Su took the opportunity to get a basin of cold
water and hastily wiped his lower body through gritted teeth. Because the water was too cold,
he decided not to clean the inside yet and would do it later when he was soaking in the tub.

He rummaged through the medicine cabinet, trying to find some Jinchuang powder. It turned
out that the powder was not suitable for special parts, and he didn't know if it was mixed with
borneol or camphor. He just applied a little bit, and it was so hot that it hurt even more than
without any medicine. It was so irritating that he burst into tears. If it falls off, wash it off
quickly and just put on a pair of clean pants.

The food is hot. Because his buttocks hurt and he couldn't sit on the chair, Mr. Su excused his
back pain from sitting for a long time, ate something in a hurry while standing, and sent the
boys to prepare the carriage.

As a result, as soon as he walked out of the gate and before he even got into the carriage, he
saw the prince riding his beloved red-maned horse, chasing dozens of exhausted attendants
behind him.

Zhu Helin saw Su Yan from a distance, his eyes suddenly lit up, and he jumped down without
even stopping his horse. He held his elbow, looked him up and down, and asked like a
barrage of questions: "Is everything okay? Is there anywhere? Injured? Did the assassins
torture you after they captured you? I skinned them all alive and cut them into pieces in order
to avenge you!"

Because this concern was too nervous, it sounded a bit unlucky and violent, but Su Yan was
still moved, patted the back of the prince's hand and said, "It's okay, just a scratch on the skin.
It has been bandaged. Don't worry."

Zhu Helin breathed a sigh of relief, raised his sleeves to wipe the hot sweat on his forehead,
and muttered: "You scared the soul out of the young master... The young master planned to
take the guards out of the palace to find you last night, but Si Yao The emperor refuses to
open the palace door, so he brings out my father's decree to suppress me. Damn it!"

Su Yan smiled and said: "Young master is thoughtful, I am really grateful."

"As soon as the palace door opened this morning, I rushed out. They searched along the river,
but I didn't ask the soldiers and horses to seal off the Dashi Yongfang and raked it up inch by
inch. The last time I was assassinated, I was also in Dashi. Shiyongfang, maybe there is an
underground stronghold of the Seven Kills Battalion there. You said what it was called... Yes,
under the dark light, I thought maybe the assassins didn't take you out of the city." Zhu Helin
sighed in frustration. He said, "It turns out that I guessed wrong. You are really outside the
city. But by accident, I dug out the den in Dashi Yongfang and captured several leaders of the
Vacuum Cult."
Su Yan said: "My guess is very reasonable. If it were me, I would arrange two groups of
people under the water. One group would follow the river to the outside of the city, making
some splashes to attract the pursuers, and the other group would bring them with them. The
prisoners sneaked back to Dashi Yongfang. This is safer and can delay the attack for a longer
time. Even if the pursuers are finally found, everyone will be eating hot pot. "

The annoyance on Zhu Helin's face disappeared, and he laughed and scolded: "Nonsense!
How can someone stand in the position of an assassin or kidnapper and design his own death
in reverse!"

Su Yan was happy to see that Zhu Helin no longer cared about it, and knew how to think of
countermeasures when encountering problems, and that he had also added some credit to
himself.

He was about to praise the prince a few words, when suddenly a chill flew from his back to
his limbs, his body trembled involuntarily, and his whole mind felt a little dizzy.

Zhu Helin thought he was freezing, so he quickly took off his blouse and put it on him: "Are
you okay? Why don't you ask the boy to get a thick cloak?"

"It's okay." Su Yan grabbed the lapel of her clothes and wrapped herself tightly, her upper
and lower teeth chattering. "I probably fell into the water last night and caught the cold. Just
drink some ginger soup..."

As they were talking, a large group of Ti cavalry came galloping towards them. Leading them
was a tall man riding a black horse, wearing a golden crown and a black robe. He looked very
familiar.

Zhu Helin had a good look in his eyes and said, "It's Uncle Si Wang!"

As soon as Su Yang turned around, the galloping black horse had already passed him. King
Yu bent down and stretched out his long arms, and directly lifted Su Yan onto the saddle. The
man and the horse flew past like an arrow off the string, leaving behind a string of loud
laughter: "Farewell, Your Highness."

After Zhu Helin was stunned for a moment, he was furious: "Okay, how dare you snatch
someone from my hands!" He immediately got on his horse and chased King Yu.

The guards of the East Palace had no choice but to chase after the prince exhaustedly,
shouting: "Master, slow down, the ground is slippery!"

Su Yan's eyes blurred, and after a few seconds of flying through the clouds, he was already
on the back of a galloping horse.
Prince Yu held his waist with one hand, controlled the reins with the other, and said with a
smile, "Are you scared?"

Su Yan was a little annoyed: "Are you kidding me? I was talking to the prince, and you just
robbed me and ran away. You scared me and didn't say anything. The prince doesn't want to
lose face?"

"Whatever, I may not even give him the face of his father." King Yu said, "You were just
frightened, but I was frightened all night and all morning, leading the palace guards all over
the city to look for people. You said you wanted to Don’t you want to compensate me?”

Compensation! Su Yan was forced to sit sideways by the saddle and the horse's neck, which
was not only awkward, but also painful. He turned his head to see Prince Yu's chest, and then
his stubbled jaw, as if he hadn't shaved for a day or two. His hair was not neatly tied up, and
several strands of hair broke free and fluttered in the wind.

In his impression, the Prince of Yu was a playboy who paid much attention to his appearance.
His clothes might not be the brightest, but they were gorgeously patterned, his face was
handsome, and he was well-groomed. Except for the few days when he was exhausted by Fu
Yin's enchanting flute, he had never seen him look so unkempt.

No matter what, people stayed up all night and came out to look for him. Su Yan
unconsciously softened his tone and said in a low voice: "Prince Yu is worried, and I am very
ashamed."

King Yu said: "I shouldn't have agreed to let those imperial guards keep vigil for you. They
have been living in the palace for a long time. At most, they just practice some moves on the
martial arts field, and follow the escort when worshiping heaven and ancestors. No matter
how sharp the spear head is, They are all dull, and they are just superficial.”

Su Yan felt that the guards sent by the emperor were not as unbearable as he said. He would
be kidnapped. Firstly, the incident happened suddenly and he was caught off guard in an
instant. Secondly, Ah Zhui was very skilled in lurking, attacking, and escaping. It is the
strong point of the expert. If it were another assassin, he might not be able to succeed.

However, at this moment, he felt that he owed King Yu a favor, and he would not harm the
imperial guard in order to clear his name, so he said, "I was negligent and my plan was not
thorough enough."

"I've asked about it all. You did a good job of luring the snake out of its hole, but
unfortunately you made two mistakes. If this were put on the battlefield, it is very likely that
the whole game will be lost due to one mistake."
Su Yan was criticized but had no dissatisfaction. Ever since he learned about the other party's
past experiences and the identity of the "Anonymous God of War" buried in history books,
when he faced King Yu, his mentality couldn't help but feel a little split -

On the one hand, I feel that King Yu's actions are still stained with irregularities. Especially
when he is alone with himself, there are always some fancy habits that naturally pop up, so he
needs to be extra vigilant. On the other hand, I feel that for a person like this who "has fought
for three thousand miles and blocked millions of divisions with one arm", whether he is
serious or not should not be such a rigid conclusion. When he is serious, he is quite heroic,
and when he is not, It would be an understatement to say that he is bold and unrestrained.

At this moment, because they were talking about business, the latter mentality took over. Su
Yan said sincerely: "I would like to hear the details."

Prince Yu said, "First, you didn't grasp the time and location of the enemy's surprise attack
accurately enough, and the ambush was too far away. Fortunately, there were no particularly
powerful assassins among those assassins. If it were me, I would have shot the guards on
horseback and you through with one arrow, and there would be no time for you to call for
help."

Su Yan secretly said: There are actually some particularly powerful ones who are ambush
under the water. Fortunately, Ah Zhui didn't kill me harshly even though he was possessed by
the devil. Otherwise, as King Yu said, I might not be able to wait for the ambush to come and
save me.

He nodded and said: "Your Majesty is right, what else is there?"

"Second, the ambush has surrounded the assassins. We seem to be sure of victory, but
changes often happen on the eve of victory. If you have special skills and are brave, you
might as well go to suppress the formation and boost morale. But you He is a weak scholar
with no strength, so he should be more cautious and steady, and should not return to the scene
of the battle at that time, causing someone to capture the thief and capture the king first. "

Su Yan's face turned red and hot, and he admitted that what he said was reasonable, but for
the nth time someone complained that he was "incapable of restraining a chicken", and he
couldn't stand it. He muttered: "Who is the king of thieves? The prince slandered the official,
The lower official will be impeached by Shangshu."

King Yu laughed heartily, and while the horse was jolting, he deliberately scratched his
delicate cheeks with the stubble on his chin as punishment for his inconsistency.

Su Yan's face hurt, and her butt hurt even more. She had been averse to the cold and now felt
hot and dry. She seemed to feel more relaxed due to the wind, but she was sweating more,
and her mouth was dry and her throat hurt, as if she was swallowing quicksand.
Previous experience told him that this was like a precursor to a fever, and it was a high fever
that had a rapid onset and could reach thirty-nine degrees in a matter of ten minutes.

Su Yan raised his hand dizzily and grabbed Prince Yu's sleeve, saying weakly: "I... I feel
uncomfortable..."

King Yu felt that his face was very hot while he was rubbing it. He thought he was shy. He
was startled when he heard this. He quickly stopped his horse and touched his forehead with
his hand. It was so hot that it was hot.

Su Yan felt like he was breathing fire every time he took out a breath. He shivered violently
and suddenly stopped moving.

Seeing that he suddenly fainted, King Yu frowned, patted his cheek, and called in a deep
voice: "Qinghe? Qinghe!"

Zhu Helin caught up from behind and became furious when he saw this: "Zhu Xujing, what
did you do to him!"

Prince Yu was in no mood to argue with his nephew who had wronged him, so he turned his
horse and rushed to the doctor's house. At the moment, he couldn't tell whether Su Yan's high
fever was caused by falling into the water last night or by being injured by an assassin, so he
could only find a doctor nearby to diagnose him, either internal medicine or surgery.

Fortunately, Chen Shiyu's hospital is not far from here. King Yu and the prince's horses
competed with each other, and they arrived at the gate of the hospital in about a quarter of an
hour. Prince Yu jumped up with Su Yan in his arms, kicked his toes on the saddle, and flew
in from the top of the wall.

"Yu Weng!" he shouted loudly, "come and save people!"

Chen Shiyu is using catgut to suture the patient's wound. It is said that this catgut is indeed
more useful than mulberry thread. Mr. Su is really a genius. He knows everything about
astronomy, geography, and medicine. He was feeling sincerely in his heart, and his hands
were shaking after being blasted by King Yu, and the stitches were crooked. .

——I have never heard such a panic tone from His Highness the Fourth Prince. Chen Shiyu
was worried that the situation was serious and quickly asked the apprentice on the side to take
over the suture work. He hurriedly washed his hands and went out of the room to see what
was going on.
As soon as he opened the door curtain, he saw King Yu standing in the backyard holding
someone in his arms. Then a young man in rich clothes rushed in from the front hall and
anxiously looked at the person he was holding.

Chen Shiyu felt that the man in Prince Yu's arms looked familiar, so he looked at it intently
and said in a voiceless voice: "Master Su?" -

There was a spicy medicinal smell lingering in the room. Chen Shiyu covered Su Yan who
was sleeping on the bed with a quilt, shook his head and walked out of the consulting room
with a sigh.

Prince Yu and the Crown Prince had been blocked outside the clinic before and were not
allowed to enter. Now they were waiting impatiently. When they finally saw Chen Shiyu
come out, they were frightened by the serious look on his face.

Zhu Helin was the first to ask: "Doctor, how is Qinghe? Why did he suddenly faint from the
fever?"

Chen Shiyu looked at him with a scrutinizing look, and seemed to think it was impossible, so
he turned his stern eyes to Prince Yu: "Your Highness, Fourth Highness, please take a step to
speak."

King Yu had never been so scared before, fearing that at the next moment, Yu Weng would
use the name of a terminal illness to knock him out.

The two of them entered a quiet room. Chen Shiyu frowned and said, "Your Highness, I'm
not blaming you. What you did was indeed... it was indeed unethical!"

"My king? What have I done?" King Yu was stunned.

"I know that you have been trapped in the capital for ten years, and you are resentful. I also
suspect that His Majesty is afraid of you, so I use the word "lust" to defile myself. But you
also said that those were consensual affairs and you never used your power to force others.

"But what about now? Look at Mr. Su. From head to toe, how does he look like an Israeli?
Although I don't know Mr. Su very well, I am impressed by his character. His Highness treats
him like this. To break the ice and break the jade, the old man will not complain!"

Prince Yu was confused: "Why do you ask me to treat him like this... How can a piece of ice
jade be broken? No, Yu Weng, you have to explain clearly, what is going on with him?"

Chen Shiyu looked at him suspiciously, as if assessing the credibility of his demeanor and
words. After a moment, he slowly said: "The cause of Mr. Su's high fever and coma was due
to falling into the water, cold, and shoulder injury, but there is another important reason. The
cause - he injured the shield, and the shield accumulated in the shield was not discharged in
time, which is why the fever was so severe."

King Yu seemed to be petrified, and the dregs fell down.

"The prince was able to apply medicine and bandage his shoulder injury, which shows that he
still understands his sympathy. But why did he ignore the shield injury? He didn't even clean
it up after the injury." Chen Shiyu stroked his beard and shook his head, "You young people,
sigh..."

Prince Yu's eyes were red, his teeth were gritted, the muscles on his cheeks were twisted to
an almost ferocious degree, and he squeezed out a few words from between his teeth: "He is
really... injured... medicine..."

Chen Shiyu saw that King Yu's complexion was turning green and purple, and his speech was
incoherent, which was a sign of internal injuries from the seven emotions. He hurriedly
massaged his meridians and acupuncture points to relieve his turbulent emotions, while
explaining: "The injury is not serious, and the medicine is also a good medicine used in the
palace. . Your Highness must really care about Mr. Su and don’t force others into trouble in
the future.”

Prince Yu gasped, and slowly drew out a trace of calm from his boiling chest.

His first reaction after hearing this was that Qinghe had been abducted by the assassin and
suffered unspeakable humiliation.

But Chen Shiyu's next words, "a good medicine used in the palace", made the target of his
anger change direction -

Today's morning court meeting ended early. What was his diligent and diligent imperial
brother doing in such a hurry to leave the court? After learning about Qinghe's whereabouts,
rush to meet him? If the emperor bandaged Qinghe's shoulder, why didn't he apply medicine
to the other injuries as well?

Was it Qinghe who tried his best to conceal it for the sake of reputation and face, or was it...
that he only got hurt after meeting the emperor?

If it was the latter, the emperor deliberately kept this wound and refused to clean up what he
left behind. Was it to declare his possession of his body and mind like branding an animal?

King Yu's heart was full of shock, suspicion, hatred, resentment, and jealousy, all of which
were finally swallowed up by a strong feeling of distress.
"Yu Weng..." he said hoarsely, "Hide this from me. Don't let anyone know. The one outside
is the prince, let alone let him know."

Chen Shiyu sighed, "This is about Lord Su's reputation. I am not a talkative person, so I will
keep my mouth shut. But Your Highness, from now on -"

King Yu interrupted him: "It's not me."

"--What?"

"Really not."

Chen Shiyu hesitated for a moment and sincerely advised, "Your Majesty, please correct your
mistakes after you realize your shame!"

King Yu was speechless and almost spit out a mouthful of old blood. He sadly and helplessly
shouldered the blame.
Chapter 210 The six steps in front of the palace
2023-8-21 11:31 Category: Reincarnation of the powerful ministerTurn off the lights

When King Yu returned to the wing where seriously ill patients rested, Prince Zhu Helin was
standing by Su Yan's bed, applying a wet and cold cotton towel to his forehead.

Seeing King Yu come in, the prince hurriedly asked: "What did the doctor say to you?"

King Yu said calmly: "It is said that he fell into the water in Qinghe and caught cold. In
addition, his shoulder injury was infected by soaking in water, so he had a fever."

The prince was skeptical: "That's it? But I see the doctor looks so serious..."

Prince Yu replied unhappily, "How serious do you want it to be?"

The prince snorted coldly, turned around and continued to hold Su Yan's hand.

A medicine boy knocked on the door and came in, bringing the boiled antipyretic decoction.
The prince saw him skillfully pick up a funnel-like object and put the pointed end into Su
Yan's mouth, and stopped him, saying, "Just force it in like this? What if he chokes!"

The medicine boy said respectfully, "Your Highness, I have fed many unconscious patients
and my hands are very familiar with this. The medicine will enter from both sides of the
teeth, and the patient will swallow it unconsciously and will not choke."

The prince said unreasonably: "I don't care. The copper tube of your funnel is so hard that it
might hurt his throat. Take it away!"

He drove away the medicine boy, picked up the medicine bowl, looked at Su Yan, whose
eyes were closed, and then at King Yu, and said with a sullen face: "Uncle Si Wang, please
help him up, and I'll give him the medicine." "

King Yu asked back: "Why didn't you come to help me and I came to feed him?"

The prince said angrily: "He fainted in your hands, can I trust you to feed him?"

Prince Yu sighed softly, took a quilt from the closet next to him, put it on Su Yan's back, and
snatched the medicine bowl from the prince's hand with lightning speed, sat on the edge of
the bed, and said, "I will teach you how to induce coma. Give me medicine and watch.”
He pinched the two cheek points on the side of Su Yan's face with one hand, and with a little
skill, he opened the closed lips and teeth. Then he took a sip of the soup and lowered his head
to feed her. His movements were clean and neat, and no juice leaked out.

After being stunned, the prince flew into a rage and punched him: "Why are you taking
advantage of him, you shameless old fool!"

King Yu leaned back to avoid the wind of the fist. The medicine bowl in his hand was calm
and he said mockingly: "Your Highness, do you want to take advantage? I'm afraid you are
not skilled enough and sprayed the whole bowl of medicine on his face. "-

When the horse-drawn carriage arrived outside the forbidden gate, Emperor Jinglong got out
of the carriage and transferred to a shoulder chariot.

Lan Xi waited for a long time and hurried forward to help the emperor get on the sedan chair.

The emperor waved his finger, indicating that no help was needed.

Lan Xi told the chamberlain carrying the chariot to stay steady. He followed the chariot with
a worried look on his face as he walked: "Your Majesty had a headache all night last night.
He will go to court as usual this morning, and he will leave the palace incognito at the end.
What's important about the dragon body? Are you going to send someone to call the imperial
doctor now?”

The emperor leaned on the armrest, resting his forehead on his hand, his eyes slightly closed,
and there was a hint of exhaustion in his voice: "No need, the imperial doctor just looks like
this. The medicine he prescribes is not curable or fatal, but I just want to be safe." , the effect
is not as good as a hot cotton towel from Qinghe.”

"Su Shaoqing has many folk remedies and strange prescriptions that are really effective. Even
Mr. Yingxu admires his medical insights." Lan Xi rolled her eyes and said with a smile, "I
heard that he came back safe and sound, otherwise "Shall I send him to the palace again and
give him a hot compress?"

The emperor opened his eyes and glanced at him, then closed them again: "No need. He was
slightly injured, let him have a good rest."

Lan Xi saw the wind and immediately replied: "Yes, I will ask the imperial doctor to go to
the Su Mansion and bring some medicinal materials to warm the qi and blood."

The emperor gave a faint "Huh", neither sure nor sure. Eunuch Lan was secretly happy,
knowing that he had figured it out well again. The emperor looked at it noncommittally, but
the Holy Heart was actually very pleased.
The emperor seemed to be taking a nap on the slightly swaying shoulder chariot.

Not long after, he arrived at the jade steps in front of Yangxin Hall and landed on his
shoulders. The emperor raised his eyelids and said: "Have I slept for so long? What time is
it?"

Lan Xi felt a little strange: The emperor had just squinted for more than a quarter of an hour,
how long had it been? Probably fell asleep. He smiled and said: "It's not yet time to return to
the Imperial Palace. When we return to the Yangxin Hall, we can just have lunch in the
imperial kitchen."

The emperor suddenly stood up on his shoulder chariot, his eyes widened, and there seemed
to be a crack on his unmoving face.

Lan Xi saw him looking around blankly, as if he was looking for something, and even
stumbled slightly. She hurried forward to support him and said, "Your Majesty, is your head
aching again?"

The emperor grabbed Lan Xi's wrist. After several breaths, he whispered: "Lan Xi, help me
back to the palace."

Lan Xi supported the emperor, feeling something was wrong in his heart, but he couldn't
explain the details.

At the first step, the emperor kicked the side of the step with his toes and leaned forward. Lan
Xi whispered "Your Majesty, be careful". Fortunately, the Emperor reacted quickly and
stabilized his figure immediately.

Lan Xi said with concern: "Your Majesty must have a severe headache. Come, I will carry
you up."

"No need, I'm not too sick to walk yet."

This is a serious statement. Lan Xi flattered the horse and slapped him on the leg. He was
startled and was about to apologize when the emperor suddenly said: "There are six steps in
front of the Yangxin Hall."

Lan Xi was stunned: Isn't this obvious? What's wrong with the emperor today? He seems to
have lost his soul. He said respectfully: "Your Majesty is right, it's the sixth floor."

The emperor let go of his wrist and walked up the steps step by step. After a brief pause in
front of the threshold, he raised his legs and stepped in.
Lan Xi followed closely, and the strange feeling in her heart became more and more obvious,
but she heard the emperor say without looking back: "Pass on Wang Chunfu."

The emperor was finally willing to announce that he was the imperial doctor. Before Lan Xi
could be happy for a long time, he heard the emperor change his words and said: "Forget it,
I'm a little sleepy. I'll talk about it after I wake up."

The emperor slowly entered the inner hall, and the chamberlains came forward to wipe his
hands and face with hot towels and undress him.

"Lunch..." Lan Xi hesitated.

"Not for now." The emperor lay down on the bed, closed his eyes and said nothing more.

Lan Xi stepped forward to tuck him in, but did not step back. Instead, he waited outside the
bed curtains for a long time. Only when he heard the emperor's breathing becoming heavy
and long did he tiptoe out of the inner hall.

The emperor slept for more than two hours and only woke up at Shen.

The palace attendant heard the movement behind the bed curtain and asked softly, "Is Your
Majesty going to get up?"

The curtain was lifted, and the emperor squinted at the skylight coming in from the palace
door, and saw countless tiny flying dust floating in the light like gossamers.

The palace attendants seemed to see a look of relief on the emperor's face, and then
disappeared again after being stunned.

The emperor's expression was as calm and calm as usual, and he ordered: "Wash, and pass on
the meal."

The palace maid recalled what Eunuch Lan had said and asked again, "Has the Emperor
summoned Envoy Wang?"

"...No need." The emperor said -

Shen Mansion.

Shen Qi was carried into the main room by a group of frightened servants. The maids were
busy running around the room, fetching water and taking off clothes.
Jing Hongzhui, holding his sword, leaned against the window and watched coldly.

Not long after Su Yan got out of the car, a Jin Yiwei secretly came to report:

"Lord Su got on a carriage at the corner of the street. Judging from the specifications, it is a
carriage from the palace."

"The father-in-law who came to deliver the oral message said that there was water and
clothes in the carriage that could be cleaned and replaced, but Mr. Su never came out after
entering the carriage."

"There are experts secretly guarding the carriage, so the low-ranking officials can't get close
enough to see what's going on."

Every once in a while, the information is updated:

"It's been more than half an hour, but Mr. Su still hasn't shown up."

"The carriage is moving, heading towards the Su Mansion."

"The carriage stopped at the door of Su's mansion, and Mr. Su got out of the carriage alone.
After opening the door, he turned back to say hello to the carriage. But the man in the
carriage did not show up, and the lowly officials did not know his identity."

"The carriage left Huanghuafang, entered the palace from Donghua Gate, and stopped in
front of the forbidden gate. The person in the carriage... is the emperor!"

After Su Yan returned home, the Jin Yiwei spies followed the carriage to the forbidden gate
and finally found out the identity of the person in the carriage. No one dared to follow him
any further, and that was the last piece of information.

Shen Qi sent the spy away expressionlessly, his fists clenched tighter and tighter on his
thighs. After a moment, he spoke, his voice terribly sharp: "More than half an hour! It's
enough to change clothes for a year."

After Shen Qi pointed out the emperor's thoughts towards Su Yan in front of Jing Hongchui
on Lantern Festival, Jing Hongchui mocked him on the surface, "He is the emperor, do you
still want to come forward and rob him?", but actually added this matter to The heavier
binding stones weighed heavily on my heart.
Listening to Shen Qi's words at this moment, Jing Hongzhui was like a big bush of thorns.
The sharp, hard, and piercing thorns on the stems all spread outwards, piercing the heart
hanging among the thorns. It was full of holes and bleeding.

To be fair, he didn't want Mr. Su to have anything to do with anyone anymore, especially
someone in power who was overwhelming.

But what he is more worried about is that if the emperor really has close contact with the
adults, will he find the traces he left last night and express his anger and punish the adults?

Fortunately, after the carriage arrived at the Su Mansion, the master got out of the car safely
and entered the house. According to the spies, there was no abnormality in his expression.
This made Jing Hongzhui and Shen Qi relieved that they had something in common.

After worrying, there was even more unspeakable unwillingness and anger——

To call Su Yan away from them, all it takes is a word or even a look.

No matter what they want to do, no one dares to say no. If we take a tough action, I am afraid
that even Su Yan himself may not dare to resist resolutely, and there is a high possibility that
he will just accept it.

It was easy to turn around and pick them up. With just a word or a look, they would be
shattered into pieces like fish under a knife.

——This is the supreme power of the emperor.

Jing Hongzhui was not afraid of this overwhelming power, but was worried about the harm it
might cause to Su Yan. But unless he takes Mr. Su away and wanders around the world from
then on, or hides his name anonymously, he will not be able to escape the curse of "could he
be the king's official".

At this moment, he read from Shen Qi's eyes that her thoughts were surprisingly consistent
with his own, so they were united in their hatred of the enemy as never before.

"You are willing to fight to the death to dethrone the emperor. But if you can't even stand,
what can you do?" Jing Hongzhui said coldly, "You should heal your wounds first, and then
think about your future!"

"I know, you don't need to remind me." Shen Qi said.

The two of them returned to the Shen Mansion in silence.

Shen Qi was carried out of the car, and Jing Hong followed closely and entered Shen's
residence.

Shen Qi mocked: "Did I invite you?"

Jing Hong responded: "Your Majesty's orders must be carried out. Whether you invite me or
not is none of my business."

The two had nothing to say again and both went into the main room.

So the situation above appeared, with stars holding the moon and others watching
indifferently.

The steward of the Shen Mansion who was sent to fetch a doctor hurried back and reported:
"Mr. Yingxu said that he had a patient on hand and couldn't get away, so he sent his
apprentice over for follow-up examination."

Shen Qi didn't care and asked the steward to bring people in.

This disciple was a middle-aged doctor in the prime of life, with nimble hands and feet. After
checking Shen Qi's injuries, he spoke like hard beads popping out one by one: "The wound
has cracked again! The blood vessels are broken again! If Master Shen continues to abuse
himself like this, even the gods can't save him!"

Shen Qi had a dark face, and the steward beside her tried to smooth things over: "I hope the
doctor will do his best to treat my master and bring him back to health."

The middle-aged doctor checked his pulse and said: "Don't worry, Mr. Shen can't die! There
is a foreign energy in his body that protects his heart pulse. I will re-sew his wound and give
him some decoction. In a few days, new shoots will sprout from the dead branches." ,
continue to practice yourself.”

At a critical moment, the doctor is like the judge of life and death. The steward held back his
anger and said with a smile, "No, no, don't worry, doctor. My master will follow the doctor's
advice and take good care of his injuries this time."

The middle-aged doctor's face looked better now, and he treated Shen Qi's injuries and
prescribed medicine.

Before leaving, he left a message: "Lie in bed for a full month, not a day less!"

One month! Shen Qi stared at the top of the tent with murderous intent.
Jing Hong came over and patted his arm with her scabbard: "I'll go back and report to the
Lord. Just lie down and let me know if you have any relevant news."

"Relevant" refers to those people and things. Shen Qi tacitly agreed with him, but acted
noncommittal.

Jing Hongzhui was about to walk out of the room when Shen Qi suddenly said: "Qinghe has
always been weak. Overwork, falling into the water, shoulder injuries, any of them are
enough. If you touch him without any measure, he will be on the wanted list of Fusi in
Beizhen." One of the chief villains is the remnant of the Hidden Sword Sect—nameless!”

Jing Hongzhui paused silently, snorted with the same noncommittal tone, and left.

Chapter 211 It’s my turn now

2023-8-21 11:31 Category: Reincarnated Powerful MinisterTurn off the lights

The flames were blazing in the brazier, but the firelight still couldn't illuminate the darkness
deep in the room.

There was a person standing in the darkness, with a red robe covering his insteps and a cloak
covering his face, leaving only half of a bronze mask with strange patterns exposed.

Several men kneeling in front of him were dressed as ordinary people, holding wooden
plates. There were many pages of paper, torn cloth and even peeled off wall coverings on the
plates. Each object had an eight-petal red lotus printed on it. Some of the patterns are neat,
some are scrawled, but they are all made of bloody fingerprints.

"These are what the brothers in the sect left behind before they were arrested, to show their
piety to Zhenkong and their loyalty to the leader. Some of them were thrown into prison, and
some were martyred on the spot. Now our sect's foundation in the capital is shaken, and we
have suffered heavy losses. Seven or eight out of ten members have also left. There are also
those who have left the sect and brought the Jinyiwei to clear out the traitors in various
strongholds... I beg Lian Chuantou to report the situation to the leader, and ask the leader to
show us a clear way out!"

Several men paused.

The man in red robe was silent for a moment, and said in a voice that could not be
differentiated between male and female: "I understand, and I will go ask the leader for
instructions. You will wait for instructions."

Those people kowtowed gratefully and retreated.

The man in red robe slowly grabbed the object covered with the red lotus blood mark on the
wooden plate, raised his hand and threw it into the brazier.

"Piety and loyalty" soon turned to ashes under the licks of fire.

The red-robed man snorted coldly, "Not enough to accomplish anything, but more than
enough to cause trouble." He then turned and disappeared into the darkness.

Late at night, under the willow trees by the Tonghui River in the outer city, a man wearing a
raincoat and a bamboo hat was sitting on a stone fishing.

The ghostly figure of the red-robed man flashed out from behind the tree, walked a few feet
away from the angler, and stopped.

"I'm really in a good mood." The man in red robe said, "The capital is in turmoil, but the
leader is still in the mood to go fishing at night."

The man in the coir raincoat turned his head, and his side face under the bamboo hat was
shrouded in the moonlight reflected on the water, and it seemed to be shining slightly - it was
Mr. He. He gently shook the green bamboo fishing rod and said in a clear and elegant voice:
"Look at the willow bank on this bright moonlit night, with its sparkling waves. How does it
look like?"

The man in red robe seemed completely indifferent to all the romance, and replied dryly:
"Okay."

"It's very quiet and beautiful. It seems to cleanse people's soul, right?"

The man in red robe made no reply.

Mr. He smiled and added: "Last July, it was this river where hundreds of baby corpses floated
inland within a few days. So would you say it is beautiful or smelly? Is it quiet? , or noisy?”

"Whatever you want to say, just say it." The man in red's voice sounded like it was coming
from a cold machine.

Mr. He lifted the fishing rod, and a small silver fish was twisting and struggling on the hook.
He looked at the fish out of the water and whispered, "A river is a river. If I want it to stop
flowing, it will stop flowing. If I want it to flow, it will flow. It all depends on how I use it."

"So what are you going to do about the current muddy waters in the capital?" said the red-
robed man, "The Vacuum Sect has been secretly operating in Beijing for several years and
has attracted many followers. Now, because of Su Yan, the situation is over and the trees are
falling and the hozens are scattered. As a leader, don’t you have more important things to do
than fishing and fighting?”

Mr. He unhooked the small fish and threw it into the fish basket: "Didn't the company leader
already do it for me? First, he used the 'Sacred Fire Flying Crow' to blow up the white flags
that Su Yan had set up, then he used the Seven Killing Battalion to assassinate Su Yan, and
finally Didn’t they all succeed? Oh, and I also lost a meat bun.”

If a meat bun beats a dog, it will never come back. The man in red robe knew that he was
referring to Tianzi Assassin No. 23 - Wuming.

Wuming is the most skilled traitor in the Seven Kills Battalion. He wanted to squeeze out the
last bit of use value from the opponent, so after capturing him, he poured the secret medicine
into his mouth. Those who take this medicine will become a blood-eyed assassin who has lost
his mind and only knows how to kill according to orders, without exception. Unexpectedly,
after the other party kidnapped Su Yan, he actually left the blood-eyed state overnight and
turned back into Su Yan's lackey.

This was his big mistake as the camp leader, and it was a shame. When Mr. He mentioned it
in an understatement, the red-robed man's eyes suddenly turned cold, his body was full of
vitality, and his murderous intention loomed: "Don't forget, I'm just a supporter in name
only." The title of "Herald" within the church. I am neither your subordinate nor a believer.
We are in a cooperative relationship.

"Given the current situation in the capital, I doubt that the Zhenkong Sect is completely
powerless to save the situation, let alone complete the plan we agreed upon. I will report
everything here to the Lord for his decision!"

Mr. He stood up, revealing a corner of his white shirt with ink lettering from under his coir
raincoat woven with bamboo leaves. He held the fish basket in his hand and said calmly: "He
is the one who cooperates with me, and you are not qualified. He sent you to help me and
listen to my orders, not to let you make your own decisions. . It’s up to you how you want to
report, but all subsequent actions must be based on my instructions.”

The man in red robe did not speak, only two points of cold light came out from his mask.

Mr. He called with a smile: "What do you think, Camp Leader Lian...Lian Qinghan?"

The camp owner remained motionless, like a statue in a red robe, and finally uttered two
words dully from behind his mask: "Okay."

Mr. He tied the fishing basket around his waist and stuck the fishing rod diagonally behind
his back, just like an ordinary fisherman, walking into the city with his clogs on his feet.
The camp owner walked not far behind him.

The gentler wind on the spring night blew Mr. He's temples, carrying long strands of hair. He
seemed to be chatting with someone or talking to himself, and said softly: "Su Yan is my
fierce rival."

The camp leader said: "Shouldn't the powerful enemy be eliminated quickly?"

Mr. He said: "In a game of chess, it's hard to meet an equally matched opponent. Wouldn't it
be a pity not to have a hearty battle for dozens of rounds?"

The camp leader said coldly: "So you are just trying to satisfy your chess addiction and delay
the master's great cause? You have lost two big games in a row, and even the chessboard is
about to be overturned. If you continue to play like this, all your years of planning will be
ruined." If you don't tell me that your wealth and wealth will be depleted, the Lord will be
angry. If I don't tell you that I will be punished, I'm afraid you won't have any good fruits to
eat."

Mr. He smiled again, his eyebrows blurred into an ink painting in the hazy moonlight.

"A chess player should not only look at the gains and losses of one move or one move. If
necessary, he must give up a corner to make a big impact. Su Yan is now in the limelight. He
has the favor and support of the emperor. He is full of tricks and is a person with strong luck.
Time. Since you can't defeat him twice in a row, it's better to avoid his edge.

"Avoid its edge? Do we have to give up all the capital's huge foundation?"

"That's not the case." Mr. He explained, "Following the spread of prophecies, the explosions
in the capital and other places on February 2 were just the second step in building
momentum. Even if they were successful, they would only sow the seeds of panic in the
hearts of all living beings. , let it sprout a little bit and shake the royal family's popular
sentiment. If you want to seize power, you can't just rely on the ignorant and changeable
popular sentiment. The first is the prince, and the second is the war.

"First, we will seize the crown prince's position, and then let several wars break out at the
same time. With internal and external troubles, we will have the opportunity to attack
Emperor Jinglong.

"The new emperor was appointed in danger, and the young master was suspicious of the
country. When people were in panic, he reversed the case for King Xin, and told 'that
incident' through the fratricide thirteen years ago and through the mouth of the old man who
survived the Qin Prince's Mansion. Throw it out - the world will be shaken!
"Emperor Jinglong may not be able to shake his prestige over the years, but what about the
new emperor? He is just a child. If not for the sake of the emperor's dragon vein, who would
obey him? If the theory of 'false dragon' spreads around the world, do you think there will be
people inside and outside the court? Without a lot of suspicion, will the vassal kings
everywhere be ready to take action?"

Mr. He didn't say any more, as the camp owner already understood what was going on.

But he valued the present more than the future, so he asked again: "The premise of everything
you said lies in the crown prince. But Zhu Helin's position is very stable. You have been in
the Wei Mansion for several months, and you have not seen the second prince. How can we
tell what’s going on there?”

Mr. He asked back: "Do you think the explosion of Baizhifang was just to confirm the
prophecy?"

"Is not it?"

"Of course it's more than that." Mr. He walked slowly towards the inner city, stepping on the
early spring grass under his feet.

When the two soldiers at the city gate saw him, they not only did not question him, but also
took the initiative to open the city gate and welcome him in. Mr. He lightly touched their
eyebrows with his fingers and said, "Eternal indestructibility."

The two soldiers were so excited that tears filled their eyes. They knelt down and replied
piously: "Everything is vacuum!"

The city gate slowly closed behind him.

Mr. He did not continue what he just said, but asked the camp leader: "Su Yan, what do you
think?"

The camp leader said: "Wuwei betrayed the Seven Kills Camp for him, and both of them will
die. If necessary, I can take action myself."

Mr. He smiled and said, "I told you that he is in good luck. If you don't believe me, you can
try again. I heard that he was injured and sick, and is recovering in his own house. If you can
kill him directly, it will save me a lot of trouble."

The Su Mansion is now surrounded by the imperial guards and the Jinyi Guards, and there is
also Wuming, a martial arts master who is familiar with the Qishaying Kung Fu. The camp
leader made some calculations and felt that if all the remaining assassins from the Seven Kills
Battalion were dispatched to hold off the guards, and he personally dealt with Wuming, and
then quickly killed Su Yan before the army arrived, he still had a 60 to 70 percent chance of
winning.

So he said, "Just watch."

Mr. He added leisurely: "There is also Prince Yu beside Su Yan. It is said that the two have a
close relationship."

The camp leader's steps stagnated slightly: "Zhu Xujing...the leader of the Jingbei Army back
then."

"Even the Fascinating Sound can't stop him. It can be seen that his skills have not retreated
but improved in the past ten years - plus this one, are you really sure to kill Su Yan in the
midst of numerous guards and escape unscathed?"

The camp leader was silent, and then said after a moment: "They can defend for a while, but
not for a lifetime. Unless Su Yan is always huddled in a room, as long as he shows up, he can
find an opportunity to attack and kill."

"What you said is correct." Mr. He said, "But in this case, wouldn't it be a waste of all the
effort I put into Shen Qi's move? If he knew that Su Yan died at the hands of the Seven Kills
Camp, he would definitely become A mad dog will die with us. This person is of great use to
me, so I must keep him first."

The camp owner said: "You want to plant a hidden chess piece among the court officials, but
it doesn't have to be Shen Qi."

"Shen Qi's position, temperament, and methods, including his relationship with Su Yan, and
Emperor Jinglong's attitude towards him, formed a delicate triangle, which destined him to be
more suitable to be this secret star than any other courtier. chess."

Although Mr. He strongly recommended Shen Qi, the camp leader suspected that according
to the opponent's habit of cunning rabbits, there must be more than one secret chess in the
court. The only one who was willing to tell was Shen Qi. Because he was conquered with the
help of the Seven Kills Battalion, he had to reveal it to him.

This kind of behavior of showing one hand and hiding the other made the camp owner
secretly unhappy and even more suspicious of his ulterior motives in the so-called
"cooperation" with his master.

But he had no right to torture Mr. He and could only report everything.
Mr. He's steps seem to be slow and leisurely, but in fact the distance between steps is
astonishing, and he doesn't know which body technique he is using. It feels like he is
"shrinking the ground into an inch". It didn't take long for him to arrive near the Xian'an
Marquis Mansion. He said to the camp leader: "That's it for now. There is no need to send
any more."

Who are you trying to harden by saying such things, knowing that you are only traveling with
him for cross-examination? The camp owner sneered and disappeared into the dark alley.

Mr. He knocked on the door several times. When the servant who answered the door saw
him, he was all smiles: "Sir is back! In this outfit, does he go fishing at the river?"

Mr. He took off his bamboo hat and raincoat, handed them to him, and said with a gentle
smile: "I can't help but open the door for me on a whim."

The servants kept saying, "It's no trouble. Sir, your fish basket is very heavy. It looks like you
have a good catch."

Mr. He took out a grass carp about a foot long from the fish basket and handed it to him:
"This is the biggest one, I'll give it to you, little brother."

The servant waved his hand: "This can't be done. How can I accept the fish that the
gentleman has worked so hard to catch? How about I take it to the kitchen and use it to make
a supper for the gentleman?"

"Haven't you heard that a drunkard doesn't care about drinking? Similarly, a fisherman
doesn't care about fish. Just take it, it will be boring to talk about it any more."

Seeing that he could not refuse, the servant took the fish and thanked him profusely.

Mr. He carried the light fish basket and walked away in white clothes in the wind. The
servant murmured behind him: "What a Bodhisattva-like figure!"

Returning to the wing where he lived, Mr. He walked to the closet in the corner, opened the
door, and took out the rattan box.

He unlocked the machine lock on the box, opened a slit, and then inserted the small whitebait
about the width of his thumb one by one.

The fish was still alive, bouncing on the wood chips at the bottom of the box, making a series
of rustling and popping sounds. But soon, the sound became thinner and thinner, and finally
disappeared, and calm returned to the box.
Mr. He clasped his hands together and sighed, "All living things suffer, and hell is always
there."

He walked to the shelf in the corner, washed his hands in the basin, wiped them with a white
cotton towel, and sat back at the desk.

On a piece of white paper he spread out, he wrote the word "dust explosion" in elegant
handwriting, drew a circle next to it, wrote the word "liar" inside the circle, and then blew the
ink stains dry.

There is an open box on the desk, and inside there is a page of blood scriptures, as well as the
prince's famous article "Essays on the Sacrifice of the Predecessor" that he copied. Mr. He
put the newly written papers together and closed the lid of the box.

There was a chess set lying next to him. He picked up the white piece and thought of
something. He lowered his head and smiled, and said softly to his opponent who did not exist
in the void, "You have played two good moves in a row. Now it's my turn."
Chapter 212 Mr. This Mr. That
2023-8-21 11:32 Category: Reincarnated Powerful MinisterTurn off the lights

"Get out! Get out of here!" An emerald rouge box hit the ground and broke into pieces.

A young man and woman, their faces pale with fear , crawled out of the hall without even
having time to put on their clothes .

"...Why don't you get out?" Concubine Wei glared at Ruan Hongjiao. Her sideburns were a
little messy, and the buttons on her waist were loose. In anger, the anger between her brows
and eyes seemed to be coming out at the next moment.

Ruan Hongjiao knew that as long as the other party touched Tankou, she would quietly
become a ghost in a dry well deep in the palace. It would be a lie to say that she was not
afraid, but she had seen the storm after all, and Lian Beizhen I had experienced the fierceness
of Chief Fu Si before, and in comparison, Concubine Wei's anger didn't seem so scary.

She stepped forward gracefully, pulled up the thin shirt to her neck, covered the shoulder
straps around her waist, and said softly and respectfully: "The two profligate disciples have
no sense of propriety, just throw them out and be punished." Come on, your Majesty, you
must not get angry. You know, we women are so delicate that we can’t stand anger.
Excessive anger will not only harm our body, but our skin color will also become dull.”

Concubine Wei immediately touched her face, then turned to look in the mirror. She saw that
her angry look in the mirror was indeed discolored, so she gently used her fingertips to gently
rub her eyes.

Ruan Hongjiao helped her sit down, took the golden comb from the table, and gently combed
her hair. In the mirror, two faces more beautiful than flowers appeared, as beautiful as lotus
flowers.

"Your Majesty is truly unparalleled in beauty," Ruan Hongjiao said. "My family has seen
countless beauties. Only when I came to see your Majesty did I realize how narrow my vision
was before."

After being persuaded and coaxed, Concubine Wei's anger subsided a lot.

Ruan Hongjiao was a famous courtesan in the capital. It was said that she was good at music,
chess, poetry, painting, singing and dancing, and she was also good at treating people. She
was very popular among the scholars, and many officials and officials were obsessed with her
to death. When Mrs. Qin heard about her reputation, she summoned her family to the
Marquis Mansion to give her daughter, who was in danger of falling out of favor, a lesson on
"how to make a man swoon."
Concubine Wei was a little repelled at first, thinking it was ridiculous to let a prostitute teach
a nobleman. But Mrs. Qin advised: "There is no distinction between high and low in matters
between men and women. Otherwise, why would even Emperor Huizong of the Song
Dynasty hang out in a brothel? Is there no beauties in the Three Palaces and Sixth Courtyard?
It's not that Master Li is charming and capable. My dear daughter, you Just learn another
skill. You must know that no man is not greedy for pleasure. When you serve the emperor
later, you will be satisfied and your heart will come back. "

Concubine Wei was a little moved by what her mother said, so she met Ruan Huakui. She
was really good-looking and capable, and she felt comfortable getting along with her.

After several lessons, Concubine Wei almost regarded her as a female companion to soothe
the loneliness in the palace. Not only would she be summoned from time to time to entertain
her and relieve her boredom, she would even take her with her to burn incense in the
Buddhist temple.

Today, the two prostitute disciples made a mistake during the demonstration. The speaker
was unintentional and the listener was intentional, which annoyed Concubine Wei who was
already holding back her anger, so she turned on Ruan Hongjiao.

But Ruan Hongjiao seemed not to be affected at all, and still said in a praising tone: "Even
the slaves who are women can't help but be moved by my mother-in-law, not to mention the
men?"

Concubine Wei couldn't help but vomit her bitterness: "That sounds nice. I've taught you
several times, but it doesn't necessarily work. Your Majesty is still unlucky... Even if you
learn the art of inner flattery, it will be in vain!"

Ruan Hongjiao said, "Your Majesty, you have to lure the Emperor here first. Once they meet,
they will have a warm relationship. Once the atmosphere is heated up, we can move on to the
next thing."

"Why don't I know this! Your Majesty has come to Yongning Palace more often recently than
before, but I see that he still visits Zhao'er, and occasionally he stays overnight in the side hall
once or twice. People outside who don't know what's going on think that I regained my favor
and began to flatter you in various ways. In fact, only I know the bitterness inside. "

"'If the mountain doesn't come, I'll go to the mountain.' Ah, empress. Since we are all in the
same courtyard, it's not difficult to get into bed in the middle of the night."

"Try it! It's useless." Concubine Wei sighed, "The imperial guards said they wanted to be
more vigilant to prevent assassination by cults. They guarded the palace gate day and night,
so that I can't even reach the edge of the dragon bed."
"...It's a bit tricky." Ruan Hongjiao frowned, looking very troubled and prepared for her, "But
it's always a good thing if you are willing to come to the queen's place. As long as the person
is here, there is some way to get in."

Concubine Wei's expression relaxed a lot: "That's true. Not to mention the other palaces, they
are all used to being cold. But as for the prince, the emperor used to ask him to go to Yangxin
Hall to study government affairs every night, but now I heard that it is not a big deal.
Summoned. I heard that Zhu Helin was very disappointed."

She called the prince by his first name, which was considered disrespectful according to
palace regulations. Ruan Hongjiao just pretended not to hear, combed Concubine Wei's hair,
and applied osmanthus oil carefully to maintain it: "The second prince Yuxue is cute, and of
course he pleases the emperor more. It is said among the people that parents love Yao'er. ”

Concubine Wei laughed, "Yes, Zhao'er has done well. He looks like the emperor and is smart.
The empress dowager loves him to the core. I noticed that when the emperor looked at him,
his eyes were especially gentle. Do you think the emperor likes Zhao'er more than the crown
prince Zhu?"

Even if the other party could ask this, I couldn't answer it. Ruan Hongjiao's back was wet
with cold sweat, and she said in a matter-of-fact tone: "The royal family is the sky, and the
slave family is the mud. How can the mud know God's will? At most, it can only insert
branches and bloom flowers, which are picked by the empress." If you wear sideburns and
the emperor praises you, "People are more beautiful than flowers," it is considered a blessing
for your ancestors. "

Concubine Wei was really in love with her at this moment. She held her catkins with her
backhand and put them on her shoulders: "Rub my shoulders and push my back."

Ruan Hongjiao not only complied with the instructions, but also did more and more
comfortably than Concubine Wei said.

Concubine Wei's eyes were slightly closed, and the rouge at the ends of her eyes showed an
emotional blush, recalling her first meeting with Mr. He under the corridor in the courtyard of
the Hou Mansion.

The hazy spiritual light, the misty clouds, and the magical gods with clasped hands stared at
her - that scene was always lingering in her heart, but it did not bring any purity to her.
Instead, it gave rise to a warm current in her chest. From time to time, she was ironed until
her bones were soft and soft, and she just wanted to have hands rub her body vigorously.

She gasped lightly and bit her lustful red lips: "Hongjiao, I have something to ask you..."
Ruan Hongjiao leaned next to her ear and whispered: "I don't dare to ask for advice. If you
have anything to do, just ask me. I will do my best to handle it."

Concubine Wei slowly rubbed her face against hers: "Mr. Jiao has no mouth or hands, so why
is he called 'Sir', and how can he educate the world?"

Ruan Hongjiao was startled for a moment, then laughed silently: "Please come into the
account, your Majesty, and I will ask this gentleman to come and speak out."

The hanging red gauze curtain rippled, and a white jade-like wrist stretched out. Kou Dan
pinched the palm impatiently with his fingertips, and then retracted it. After a long time,
Concubine Wei heard a long groan from the tent.

After her panting subsided, Concubine Wei said in a slightly hoarse voice: "Hong Jiao, what I
really want is another gentleman."

"The slave family knows that it is the emperor."

Concubine Wei chuckled, with a strong sense of self-deprecation: "Your Majesty? He is my

support and hope in this life, but unfortunately, I can't wait. Even if I take off my clothes and
stick them up, I will only bring trouble to myself." Humiliating. In this case, how can I be
willing to waste my youth and wait for a rain that will never fall? "

Ruan Hongjiao was shocked when she heard the implication. No matter in the palace or
among the people, it is common for female relatives to masturbate with sexual devices when
they are empty and lonely. Although they are shy to see others, it cannot be said to be
promiscuous. But if it's stealing someone, the nature is completely different, especially as the
other party is a royal concubine, having such thoughts is a capital crime of genocide.

Why did Concubine Wei tell her her thoughts? Ruan Hongjiao was thinking a lot and was
nervous, but there was no panic in her tone. She asked softly: "What does the empress
mean..."

"... There is a guest in the Hou Mansion, a layman with extraordinary charm. As soon as I
saw him, I felt that the bad fate in my previous life was not over, and I wanted to renew my
relationship with him in this life, so as to fulfill the cause and effect. But what is his
intention? Gong Shi couldn't ask in person. He wanted to send maids, but he was worried that
their clumsy tongue would lead to bad things. With your status, it's perfect for you to ask for
help. "

My status! Ruan Hongjiao sneered in her heart, yes, no matter how much you use elegant
words such as school secretary, oiran, head of the line, everyone, etc. to cover it up, you are
not actually a bustard? If you can pick up customers, pimping is also your duty! Concubine
Wei is willing to leave this matter to her, she really thinks highly of her.
Ruan Hongjiao felt strangely calm in her heart, and agreed softly: "Your Majesty, please tell
me his name."

"His name is... Mr. He." Concubine Wei suddenly grabbed Ruan Hongjiao's wrist and stared
at her face, "If a fourth person knows about this, do you know the consequences?"

Ruan Hongjiao's wrists hurt from her grip, and she said without changing her expression:
"Don't worry, Madam, just based on today's events, the slave family will be dead. Your
Majesty is kind to you, and the slave family is willing to serve your Majesty."

Concubine Wei let go of her hand and smiled charmingly: "Help me dress ."

Thanks to the good medicine of the famous doctor and the nourishment of the master's true
qi, Su Yan's high fever came and went quickly. He slept for most of the day, sweated
profusely at night, and the fever subsided the next morning.

But after all, my energy was much depleted, and I was still a little dizzy and weak. I could
only lie on the bed, opening my mouth to eat and reaching out for clothes .

After eating half a bowl of plain porridge, he felt that he was sweating all over and wanted to
take a bath. However, the two boys strictly followed the doctor's advice and said they should
not take a bath for a day or two to avoid getting cold, and the wounds should not be exposed
to water. .

Even the personal guard felt guilty and blamed himself, but he was determined to listen to the
doctor on this matter.

Mr. Su's invincible leadership style was thwarted, and he became even more shabby. He lay
in bed and fumed, and no one paid attention to him.

The cold war raged for a quarter of an hour, and the personal guards were the first to
surrender. They brought in several large fire pits to heat up the room, and then filled basins of
hot water to help him wipe his body bit by bit.

Although Mr. Su was a little embarrassed, but since his whole body had been bathed in the
concubine's saliva, it would be too pretentious to worry about whether to escape, so he
collapsed on the bed and let her control him. At the same time, he did not forget to warn the
other party: "I'm hurt behind." It’s not over yet, don’t take advantage of it.”

The personal guard said indifferently, "I'm not an animal," and he was glad that he had used a
silver needle to seal the acupuncture point earlier, so that he would not raise a flag to salute
his lord in the process.
Mr. Su was wiped clean, and he seemed to feel refreshed. He even had the illusion that "I can
resume work and go to court tomorrow."

Jing Hongzhui ruthlessly broke his illusion: "Your Majesty's body is weak in energy and
blood. If I go to stand in court tomorrow, I'm afraid I'll faint in the square."

Su Yan angrily hit him with a pillow: "Whose fault is this!"

"It's my subordinate's fault." Jing Hong rushed to the bed and knelt down. He was beaten and
scolded, and even poured tea when he was thirsty. "No matter how you punish me, I will
accept it willingly."

Su Yan was helpless with his doggy behavior, and he wasn't really angry. After saving his
face, he returned to calmness and patted the edge of the bed: "Sit down, I have something to
ask."

Jing Hongzhui not only sat on it, but also took off his shoes and was so bold as to hug his
parents.

Su Yan scratched him a few times, but couldn't scratch him at all. In addition, the other
party's body was really hot and strong, and it was quite comfortable to nest in, so that was all.

Jing Hongzhui happily hugged the adult to her chest, but was heartbroken by the next
sentence——

Su Yan asked: "How is Qilang's injury?"

Qilang came and went, saving all the energy of pretending to be unfamiliar.

The medicine and stone are indifferent, and there is no way to save the day. Jing Hongzhui
wanted to answer like this, but he was afraid of angering the adults in a short time, so he had
to answer honestly: "The wound was re-sewed, and the doctor said he should lie down for at
least a month. But according to my subordinates, the guy's physique is quite good." Hey, I
have internal strength to assist with the healing, so it probably won’t take more than a
month.”

Cockroaches are cockroaches, known for their tenacity. This analogy was very harsh, but it
was not without any basis... Su Yan was speechless.

"What's going on with the Vacuum Cult?"

Jing Hong replied, "Most of the followers of the Vacuum Sect in the capital have deserted,
and many leaders have been arrested. The rest are in a panic, hiding from the Jinyiwei . The
camp leader has not appeared since the last battle with me. The leader of the Vacuum Sect is
even more hidden, and there is no clue at all. We all suspect that the Vacuum Sect is
desperate and will attack you, so we have strengthened the guards inside and outside the
mansion."

"We are... you and Shen Qi? You don't want to bite... uh, don't tear down the house?"

Although the goal was temporarily reached, Jing Hongzhui didn't want to mention it in front
of adults, so he said very chivalrously: "He is seriously injured, and I can't defeat him."

There was a voice outside the window: "Why don't you tell him that I am also involved?"

Su Yan was surprised and asked, "Prince Yu?"

He remembered that he was on King Yu's horse before he fell into coma. He must have sent
him to see a doctor. After waking up, he heard from the boys that he was chased home by
King Yu and Jing Hong.

He thought that Prince Yu had already returned to the palace, but he didn't expect that not
only was he at his house, but he was also very shamelessly listening to him in the corner.

Su Yan pushed Jing Hong to chase. Jing Hongzhui had no choice but to jump out of bed, put
on her shoes and walked to the window, saying stiffly: "When will the prince return to the
house? My family is ill and it is not suitable to see guests."

King Yu chuckled, and his voice seemed to disappear outside the window. After a moment,
he opened the door again and said to Su Yan: "In order to prevent the assassins of the
Vacuum Sect from counterattack, I plan to stay here for a few more days. If Qinghe wants to
know anything else, just ask."

Su Yan didn't bother to be polite with him and asked, "What's the trend in the court? What
about the Wei family?"

"The wind blows from east to west, from north to south. The courtiers are bickering,
quarreling and quarreling in public, making it very noisy - but the court is always noisy, I
think the emperor is used to it." King Yu moved a back chair in front of the bed, and Dama
Jin Dao sat down and stretched out his hand to push back Su Yan who was about to get up
and get dressed.
Jing Hongzhu held the hilt of the sword, staring at Prince Yu's claws with a chilling look. If
Su Yan hadn't winked at him, the three-foot-long sword would have been unsheathed long
ago.

Yu Wang Chao Jing Hongzhui raised his eyebrows jokingly and continued, "The Zhenkong
Sect is now a cancer that no one dares to touch. The court officials are trying their best to
clear themselves of it. The Wei family is no exception. They submitted two memorials. One
reiterated that 'the greater good should be done to kill relatives in order to rectify the national
law', and the other said that 'although there is no intention of condoning, there is a reality of
nepotism', and requested to reduce their salary by one level to serve as a warning to others."

Su Yan sneered: "Three cups of wine as punishment."

"The Queen Mother also spoke for the Wei family, saying that if any family does not have
one or two dependent relatives, whoever breaks the law will be punished. If there is a
conspiracy, it will involve a lot."

Su Yan thought that the Queen Mother meant to remind the emperor that she was also related
to the Wei family by marriage and should not do anything about it.

"Wan Xin is still in prison writing the materials I want. He can't be killed now. Moreover, I
promised him that his merits will not be punished... Has the emperor made a statement?"

“Words don’t mean it, actions show it.”

"--How to say?"

Prince Yu leaned forward and leaned over to speak in a deliberately low voice, the bass
cannon making Su Yan's chest tremble: "It is rumored in the palace that Concubine Wei has
regained her favor. The emperor has stayed in Yongning Palace for three consecutive nights.
This is an unprecedented favor!"

Su Yan suddenly turned from trembling to feeling cold.

Chapter 213 I am jealous of my brother
2023-8-21 11:32 Category: Reincarnated Powerful MinisterTurn off the lights

At this moment, Su Yan's mind was full of distracting thoughts. If he had to capture it among
the flying fragments, he might catch some messy words, such as "You clearly said you
admired me, but you turned around to find someone else." "He is a man after all. He is still an
emperor, and the harem is his responsibility." "I may not be able to live forever"...

From King Yu's point of view, Su Yan was just slightly startled, then showed an
unpredictable expression and calmly uttered four words: "Intriguing."

--that's all? King Yu asked with a hint of disappointment, half-smiling but not smiling: "What
do Qinghe mean by this?"

Su Yan said: "Don't you think that the timing of Concubine Wei's return to favor is a bit
delicate? The Emperor is not unaware of the misdeeds of the Wei family. Now that he is
involved in the Vacuum Sect case, he is at the forefront of public opinion. The Prince also
said, There are all kinds of wind blowing in the court, and I guess it can be divided into
several categories. "

"What categories?"

"Understand the holy will, obey the decree, be united in the party and oppose differences, act
according to the wind, be independent in one's own conduct, and be fair to people's hearts."

Prince Yu thought for a moment: Isn't it! There are the clinging emperor faction, the clinging
empress dowager faction, the group faction, the fence-sitting faction, the self-protection
faction, and the last one is the most rare, that is, it truly puts morality, law and national
interests first.

The more he thought about it, the more he felt that the summary was exquisite. Qinghe
seemed to have a pair of discerning eyes at such a young age, and could see everything in the
court thoroughly.

Even Jing Hongzhui, who had no interest in court affairs, stood by the window with a sword
in his arms, seemingly expressionless, but was actually listening to Su Yan's words with his
ears perked up.

Su Yan continued: "The more chaotic the situation and the different opinions, the more
important the emperor's attitude becomes. It can be said to be the weathervane for most
ministers."
Prince Yu nodded: "My brother may seem gentle and tolerant, but in fact he is stubborn and
self-willed—"

"I have my own opinion." Su Yan interrupted.

King Yu choked for a moment and curled his lips slightly: "In fact, he is strong. But what is
interesting is that when it comes to the struggle between various forces, his attitude is often
ambiguous, making his ministers unpredictable; With his checks and balances, he sometimes
lifts and sometimes suppresses."

Su Yan heard the derogatory meaning and asked, "You don't agree?"

King Yu leaned back on his chair and smiled lazily: "What qualifications do I have to 'agree'
or 'disapprove'? I am not in my position, and I do not seek to govern."

Su Yan vaguely realized that King Yu had taken off the mask of romanticism and the rich
clothes, but in his heart he was a man of temperament and a warrior who did not disdain to
play with power. But he is not completely upright and upright, otherwise he would not be
invincible on the battlefield of "soldiers' deceitful ways". It's just that this kind of "deceit" is
based on strategy, not people's hearts.

What kind of brilliance will such a person bring if he returns to the battlefield?

Su Yan fell into a brief daze. It was not until King Yu scratched his chin with his fingers like
a cat, and Jing Hongzhui put the scabbard between the two of them with an angry look on his
face that he came back to his senses.

"My lord, please respect yourself! Ah Zhui, go get a chair and sit on it. Are your legs not sore
from standing all the time?"

Su Yan dismissed the two people perfunctorily, and his thoughts returned to the emperor:
"Concubine Wei's return to favor at this critical moment is a signal sent by the emperor to the
courtiers and the queen mother - that he intends to continue to promote the Wei
family. .Why?"

"Because Concubine Wei is good at her job?" Prince Yu sneered, "It's hard for a hero to be a
beauty."

Su Yan laughed at him: "Do you think everyone is like you and only sticks to things like
bed?"
"That's right. Speaking of beauties, Concubine Wei is not even a fraction as good as you.
We've both slept together, but my brother hasn't thought of elevating you. You're still a
fourth-rank official."

Su Yan angrily picked up a hard pillow and threw it at him: "What the hell, who slept before?
Nonsense, get out of here!"

Prince Yu caught the pillow with one hand and the swept sword scabbard with the other, and
said with a smile: "Yes, I made a mistake. Master Su, please continue talking about
business."

Su Yanyu was still angry, but at the same time she felt that Zhu Xu was actually a very kind
person: when they first met, he was full of sweet words without any intention, just to trick
him into going to bed. Later, I suffered a lot at Fuyin's hands and was scolded by him. I saw
that I was more depressed, more restrained, and even looked a little dignified. Now if he
looks good, his tail will be raised, he will tease and tease him at every turn, and he doesn't
know what medicine he took wrong.

Prince Yu was glared at by Su Yan. Instead of feeling annoying, he felt a certain sense of
intimacy from it - not the lingering love of a man and a concubine, but the carefree love of a
fellow comrade.

He has been immersed in the former for ten years and is so familiar with it that he becomes
tired of it; while the latter, he thinks, only belongs to the past and the battlefield, and he does
not want to pick up a hidden gem here.

He finally realized clearly that this way of getting along with others was the most genuine,
relaxed and agreeable.

Su Yanhan said angrily: "You can't spit out ivory from your dog's mouth. I won't say
anything anymore, so get out of here."

"Let me tell you, it was you who mocked me first."

"You were the first to speak in a pornographic tone! You also speak in a weird manner."

King Yu laughed and said bluntly: "I'm jealous of my brother, and I think you treat him better
than you treat me. How about you level a bowl of water, which will make me feel better and
what you say will be acceptable."

Su Yan choked on his throat, impressed by Prince Yu's magnanimity and shamelessness!

"You, you..."
"I'm actually very easy to get along with." King Yu patted his quilt, "You didn't meet me ten
years ago, but you will know me in the future."

Su Yan felt a headache and decided not to chat with the other party, but to talk about
business. As long as they don't go off topic, everyone is cute, but once they go to weird
(yellow) and weird (colorful) places, everyone is like a dog.

"...What did I just say?" he asked with a slumped head.

"Signal." Jing Hongzhui replied immediately, staring at Prince Yu with cold eyes. When Mr.
Su told the other party to get lost, he was playing into his heart and even pulled out his sword.
In the end, due to the magnanimity of the adults, the other party did not get out of the way, so
he had to continue to endure it.

"Yes, what is the emperor thinking?" Should I submit the evidence I got from Wan Xin at this
time? Su Yan was a little undecided for a while.

Prince Yu thought for a while and said, "Maybe it's for the sake of the second prince. That
child is indeed smart and cute. I saw that he speaks fluently than He Lin did when he was a
child."

Su Yan said alertly: "What the prince means is that the emperor thinks that the second prince
is a promising talent, so he doesn't want to hold his mother's family too responsible, so as not
to cut off the second prince's future support in the court?"

As the emperor's younger brother, King Yu is not only the biological uncle of the prince, but
also the biological uncle of the second prince. In recent years, the conflict between the prince
and the Wei family has become more and more obvious, but he has never been involved or
cared about it. This attitude also caused the subordinates on both sides to be wary and not to
argue easily, so as not to expose their positions.

But at this moment, Su Yan said it without hesitation.

Qinghe is not a person who has deep friendships. After asking this question, he has
subconsciously placed himself in his camp. He is really a "fellow"! Prince Yu suppressed the
joy and excitement in his heart and said: "It's hard to say, the emperor is very thoughtful. But
at present, it seems that whether Concubine Wei is really back in favor or not, the emperor
wants to let the courtiers understand through this matter—— The Wei family will not
collapse because of the Vacuum Sect, and the second prince has great hope."

Su Yan took a long breath and was silent for a moment before asking: "What is the prince's
attitude towards this?"
Originally, Zhu Helin had insisted on sending Su Yan back home yesterday, but someone
from the palace came with an imperial decree urging disaster relief efforts. He had no choice
but to give some instructions reluctantly and hurried back to the palace to report.

Since then, King Yu has stayed in Su Mansion and has not seen him yet.

So King Yu replied: "We don't know yet."

Su Yan slowly pondered this matter in his heart, always feeling a little inconsistent.

After the tunnel explosion, when he was resting at home due to concussion, the emperor
visited him incognito. In this dormitory at that time, because the emperor gave him a private
seal that represented trust and commitment, he did not hesitate to violate the taboos of
emperors and ministers, pointed out that the Wei family had ambitions to compete for the heir
apparent, and involved himself in a dangerous war.

What did the emperor say to him at that time?

——Let the Wei family continue to be a chess player in the hands of the "player". The more
moves he makes, the faster he will be exposed.

——Only when the disaster is grown strong enough will you know how deep its root system
is and how vast its up, down, left, and right connections are. Only then can we uproot the evil
and completely eradicate the evil master and his party members.

The emperor rarely spoke words from the bottom of his heart to others, and no matter how
close his ministers were, they would habitually weigh the other person's weight on the scale
before deciding how much to let the other person know and in which direction to go. For
some reason, Su Yan always felt that what the emperor said to him was not out of power, but
sincere.

So with this current situation, what is the emperor's plan? Is he going to continue to take a
long-term approach to fishing for big fish, or does he have new ideas...

Was the favor shown to the Crown Prince in the first fifteen years more because he was the
only one and there was no other choice? And now that there is a Second Prince, is the
intention to let them compete for the position?

The biggest support behind the Wei family is the Queen Mother. The Emperor and the Queen
Mother have been loving mothers and filial piety for many years. It is said that when he first
ascended the throne, he was suppressed by a group of veteran ministers, but he joined forces
with the Queen Mother to seize the right to speak in the court. From this point of view, the
Queen Mother should be on the same front as her eldest son. Did the emperor change his
mind and want to let the Wei family go because of his feelings for the Queen Mother and his
desire to repay her?

Two speculations were entangled and fighting in Su Yan's mind, and he couldn't make up his
mind.

If he just asked the emperor directly, he might get a relatively clear answer, and even if it
didn't work, there would be a hint. But his instinct told him that this was a foolish move.

Su Yan knew that the emperor had deep expectations for him, not only in terms of love and
desire, but also in state affairs. If the emperor only wanted him to be a favored lover, he
would have taken possession of him during the crowning ceremony, not to mention taking
pains to teach him, sharpen him, and guide him to grow up step by step in the court with
kindness and power.

When playing chess, the emperor never gives up, and he himself has to work hard to catch
the opponent's moves, not to mention a complete victory, but at least an equal score.

Su Yan let out a long breath, followed his heart, made a decision between the two
speculations, and planned what he would do next.

Jing Hong caught up with him and saw him frowning in silence for a long time, and asked:
"Your Majesty, your illness has not yet healed. Do you feel tired? You should rest more." He
helped him lie back on the pillow.

Su Yan also felt weak and dizzy from thinking too much, so he lay down. King Yu stood up
knowingly: "You have a good rest. I will come see you in the evening."

Evening? It was already afternoon. Su Yan said, "Please go back to your house and rest. I
dare not trouble you to run back and forth, and I really cannot bear such kindness."

Prince Yu chuckled and said, "Don't bother. It's just the distance of an alley. It's not a long
journey."

What's the meaning? Even if there are two neighboring houses, the distance between his
house and Prince Yu's Mansion is far more than an alley, right? How can we measure it?

Su Yan opened his eyes in confusion. Prince Yu thought he looked cute and said with a
smile: "The situation in the capital is currently in turmoil, and the remnants of the Vacuum
Sect have not been eliminated. Your safety is important. I bought the empty house opposite
the back door of your house and will live there for a while. From now on, we will be
neighbors. I hope Qinghe will take care of me."
Su Yan: "..."

Is it great to be rich? You can do whatever you want?

"If Qinghe is still worried, I can buy the house next door for a high price and let the guards
move in. Otherwise, I can change your residence. Your small courtyard is too cramped. I
think there is a vacant large house near the palace. Why don't you move there?"

…Well, having money means you can do whatever you want. Su Yan said helplessly: "I
accepted it, I still make money to buy a house by myself, and I feel at ease."

After King Yu left, Jing Hong squatted down in front of the bed and said to Su Yan seriously:
"With just your salary, I will probably have to save for twenty years to buy a big house.
Unless you become a corrupt official, how much will it cost?" I have a house. But my
subordinates know that you cannot be a corrupt official, so... I will work hard to make money
and buy a house for you."

Su Yan wanted to laugh again, but was also a little moved. He reached out and stroked the
bodyguard's dog head: "Don't forget that you have washed your hands and no longer accept
murder orders. So are you going to work hard to earn the monthly money I pay?"

Jing Hongzhui was stunned, his cheeks quickly flushed, and he whispered, "I don't need you
to support me. I can also support you in return."

Su Yan smiled and said, "Okay, if I lose my job one day, I'll rely on you to support me."

Jing Hongzhui felt that his master had a bright future and was determined not to lose his
career, but even if he just said this casually, it still filled him with joy. He licked Mr. Su's
finger and said, "Then it's settled."

Su Yan let him lick his fingers until they were wet. His misty mind began to wander again,
and he even had an idea more shameless than Prince Yu's: I wonder if Ah Zhui would be
willing to let Qilang come and live with him when they move to a bigger mansion in the
future?
Chapter 214 I miss you so much
2023-8-21 11:33 Category: Reincarnated Powerful MinisterTurn off the lights

It was not known whether it was because of the iron-clad guards that made people retreat, or
because the Zhenkong Sect was already overwhelmed with its own affairs and was powerless
to seek revenge on the culprit, but there was an eerie calm inside and outside the Su Mansion.

Su Yan lay there like a parasite for two days, but couldn't lie there any longer.

"It must be twelve today, right?" he asked.

Jing Hongzhui corrected: "Thirteen."

"Tomorrow is February 14th, the Wanshou Festival!" Su Yan frowned, "According to

convention, within one month after the Wanshou Festival, no blood can be seen in prisons, so
it is a common practice in various places to rush the death row prisoners to execution before
the festival. ”

A fugitive who was a convicted felon who assassinated a relative of his own country replied
indifferently: "Oh."

"Oh what!" Su Yan knocked on the table in dissatisfaction, "Do you know what I'm thinking
about?"

"I know. Yesterday, my subordinates handed a note to Shen Qi's two thousand households,
asking them to find an excuse to save Wan Xin's life until after tomorrow. This will give you
another month of operation time."

Su Yan nodded: "And the evidence provided by Wan Xin, how is the Jinyiwei collecting and
checking it?"

"That's almost it. Your Excellency, you still decide to submit? When?"

Su Yan walked up to Jing Hongchui and looked straight into his dark and cold eyes: "Ah
Zhui, aren't you happy? You want to cut Wei Jun into pieces, but I have been suppressing
your desire for revenge, and I still treat you I promised that Wei Jun's crimes would be
announced to the world, so that he would be punished and despised by everyone, and receive
the punishment he deserved. I even boasted to you that I would not only eradicate Wei Jun,
but also bring down the Wei family. A family.

"Now, it's time for me to fulfill my promise. But you don't show any relief. What are you
thinking?"
Jing Hongzhui's slender fingers clenched the hilt of the sword.

In his dreams, he wanted to skin and bones Old Thief Wei with his own hands, to avenge the
tragic death of his sister, and to calm down the poison and hatred that burned in his body day
and night. If this blood debt is not repaid, the crying in his ears will not disappear.

——In that case, why is he worried now?

"Sir..." Jing Hongzhui was silent for a long time and finally spoke, his voice a little dry, "Can
you hand over the evidence to your subordinate, and I will go to Shuntian Mansion to file a
complaint."

Su Yan shook his head: "Not right. You still have two wanted warrants on your back.
Besides, if the prefect asks you where you got the evidence, how will you answer?"

Jing Hongzhui could not answer, and after a moment he said, "Then let the Northern
Pacification Office do it, and say that Wan Xin wanted to file a petition to expose Wei Jun's
evil deeds."

"Wan Xin doesn't have the guts. Besides, this would be tantamount to passing on the
responsibility that should be borne by me to the chief officer of Fusi in Beizhen. Qi Lang is
still seriously injured in bed. Do we need him to confront me in court?"

Su Yan smiled and put his hand on Jing Hongchui's shoulder: "Ah Zhui, I know what you are
worried about. You have also heard what Prince Yu and I discussed. You are worried that the
emperor has to defend the family for the sake of the second prince. , and if I go to Shangshu
for impeachment now, I will not only offend the emperor and the queen mother at the same
time, but I may also be punished as a first-timer. "

Jing Hong pursued: "Is my subordinate's worry unnecessary? It would be fine if your Majesty
submitted the evidence of crime to the Ministry of Justice in private, but also plans to
impeach him in public. What if the dog... the emperor is determined to protect the Wei
family, will your Majesty's move be unreasonable?" It’s not like using your body to block the
mouth of a cannon.”

"But if we don't impeach them now, we'll miss a good opportunity to bring them down. If we
can find evidence of collusion with the Vacuum Cult in the two marquis' mansions, it will be
a crime of treason, and even the Queen Mother can't save them." Su Yan analyzed patiently,
"Wan Xin once heard the steward of the marquis' mansion say something after drinking,
saying 'The marquis has the most powerful military advisor in the world' and 'The second
prince is blessed by the Unchanging Vacuum, and has the blessing of the emperor'. These are
all written in the testimony. If the emperor still has the intention to punish the Wei family, he
will not turn a blind eye."
Jing Hongzhui asked, "Are you gambling with your life on the emperor's thoughts?"

Su Yan said: "I am doing what I think I should do."

Jing Hongchui's hand clenched on the hilt of the sword until the joints turned white, and he
gritted his teeth and said, "I will kill Wei Jun and Wei Yan tonight."

Su Yan shook his head and laughed: "Even if you succeed, I will still do this. This is no
longer your personal grudge, Ah Zhui. To put it more seriously, the Wei family is the
obstacle that I must defeat in my official career; Speaking more broadly, if this cancer is not
cured, the prince will be in danger of losing his eggs and the country will be in danger of
rebellion."

Jing Hongzhui understood the truth, but why did he have to be the one to take the risk? It's
like this every time. He is only seventeen or eighteen years old, and he has more things to
worry about than an old minister in his seventies or eighties. His wounds have not fully
healed yet, and he has to go to court where his lips are used as spears and his pens are used as
swords. The danger is no less dangerous than the real battlefield!

Jing Hongzhui suddenly had a momentary delusion, and wanted to take his master away at all
costs, away from the dangerous winds and waves, away from the struggle for power, and live
a peaceful and stable life that only belonged to the two of them.

But after all, the delusion was just a cold arrow that could not see the light of day. Apart from
stabbing him in the heart and causing unbearable pain, he did not dare to expose it in front of
the adults, for fear of being misunderstood that he would end his career for his own selfish
purposes.

He slowly loosened his grip on the sword, half-knelt down, and said swornly: "Whatever you
want, sir, you can do it. Even if there is a mountain of swords and a sea of fire ahead, I will
protect you with all my strength."

"You don't take your own life for granted." Su Yan showed a look of disapproval and bent
down to help him stand up. "If it really is a mountain of fire, you will die together with me.
It's better to live one by one."

Jing Hongzhui put an arm around Su Yan's waist and pressed her into his arms: "That's what
my subordinate said to you. Now it's Ah Zhui who is talking to... Qinghe." He seemed to
have overcome the feeling of shame and offense before he could Spit out this word that never
belonged to him.

Su Yan was stunned for a moment, then chuckled: "Then what does 'Ah Zhui' want to say to
'Qing He'?"
The tips of their noses touched and their breaths blended together. Jing Hong's ears turned
red, but his expression became even more determined. He said solemnly: "I am your man. It
is my right to fight for you, and no one can take it away——"

Su Yan was stunned.

Jing Hongzhui was worried and said, "Not even you can do it."

Su Yan didn't say anything.

Jing Hongzhui started to panic and changed his words stumblingly: "S-Sure, sir...anything is
fine..."

"Shut up." Su Yan sighed, "Don't shut up so tightly, otherwise how can I kiss you?" -

Su Yan went out and got on the carriage, preparing to go to Duanben Palace.

Duanben Palace is on the east side of the outer court. With the waist badge given by the
prince, you can enter directly through Donghua Gate, which is much closer than through
Meridian Gate.

Zhu Helin had not returned from attending classes at the Cultural Hall, so Su Yan sat in the
hall waiting for him, drinking tea and chatting with Fu Bao.

Fu Bao said, "Master Su hasn't come to the East Palace for a long time. I used to nag about
him all the time. But recently I haven't been nagging him much. Sometimes I just stare at the
couch where Master slept and the tea sets he used. I don't know what he's thinking. His eyes
are scary."

"Scary?" Su Yan couldn't help laughing, "Sorry, I can't imagine it."

Fu Bao scratched the back of his head in embarrassment and changed his words: "It's not that
scary, it's... Well, I don't know how to describe it accurately. I just feel that I am older and
have too many thoughts. Sometimes even the slave doesn't know that he is there. What are
you thinking about? That look looks a bit like an emperor."

"The appearance is normal. After all, they are father and son."

Su Yan drank a sip of tea and asked, "How have you been feeling these past two days, young
master?"
Fu Bao replied: "I don't laugh very much, but I didn't lose my temper and smash things.
It's...ok." His tone was not very sure about the last three words.

While talking, the prince returned to the palace. Outside the hall, I heard the chamberlain say
that Mr. Su was here. He walked in excitedly and said in front of others: "Qinghe! Where is
Qinghe!"

Seeing Su Yan, he lowered his face again and showed a look of dissatisfaction: "You had a
high fever the past two days. Why don't you rest at home and rest at home? Why are you
running around? If something happens, let someone know and I will go find you."

Su Yan imitated the dog-like behavior of the personal bodyguard and said expressionlessly,
"Oh." Then he stood up and left.

Zhu Helin quickly grabbed his wrist: "You're already here, don't leave!" Seeing that Su Yan
was unmoved, he put his mouth to his ear again and whispered: "With so many palace people
watching, why don't you leave?" Save some face."

Su Yan chuckled, raised his hands and saluted: "Your Majesty, Su Yan, pays homage to His
Highness, the Crown Prince, and wishes His Majesty the best."

Zhu Helin also smiled and waved his hand to dismiss the palace people around him: "Go on,
stay away from the palace gate, you don't have any sharp eyesight!"

The palace servants hurriedly left the palace, leaving only Cheng Sheng and Fu Bao to guard
the palace door. Two eunuchs, one old and one young, stood facing each other on both sides
of the door, waiting with their hands hanging down. Cheng Sheng pointed to the inside of the
palace and asked, "Do you want the little chef to prepare lunch for Lord Su?"

Fu Bao thought for a while and suggested, "Have you prepared dinner as well?"

In the palace, Zhu Helin habitually pulled Su Yan to the couch, took off his boots, crossed his
legs, and no longer required any etiquette between monarch and minister.

Just when Su Yan was about to speak, Zhu Helin leaned over and pulled at his collar.

"Why are you moving your hands and feet?" Su Yan scolded in a low voice while protecting
his collar, "Stop playing around, I'm talking to you!"

Zhu Helin smiled and said, "Let's see if the gangster I played last time is still there." Relying
on his own strength, he pressed Su Yan hard and pulled open the skirt of his clothes a little.
He saw that the bright red mark above the collarbone had long since disappeared, and he
rubbed it unwillingly. Grinding his teeth, he seemed to want to take another sip.
Su Yan said angrily: "Why are you still making nonsense after this time! Do you really don't
know why I came to the East Palace?"

"So what if I know." Zhu Helin said nonchalantly, looking at him eagerly, "I miss you all the
time when I can't see you, and miss you even more when I see you. No matter what, just give
him a kiss first."

As he spoke, he pressed his lips unreasonably.

Su Yan knew that the prince was always willful and self-willed. If he was not allowed to
satisfy his addiction, he would only become more unreasonable. So he had no choice but to
give in and kissed him with a guilty feeling of poisoning a minor.

After a cup of tea, Su Yan pushed the prince hard. If he couldn't push the prince, he protested
with his elbows and knees: He agreed to kiss him, but he held it in his mouth like a dog and
kept sucking him. Where is the milk?

Zhu Helin's ribs were hurt by the impact, so he had to close his mouth and rub against Su
Yan's body while panting.

Su Yan wanted to kick him and cursed: "Isn't the mopping over yet?!"

"I asked for permission before I kissed you." Zhu Helin felt aggrieved. "It was Uncle Four
who was secretly taking advantage of you. I can't beat him."

"-What? When?"

"When you passed out from a fever, he took advantage of you."

"...Zhu Xu, this bastard, can't change the way a dog eats shit!"

"That's right, he's just a dog that goes into heat everywhere. He almost ate you with the
excuse of feeding you medicine——"

Su Yan suddenly reacted: "You said I'm shit?"

Zhu Helin made a mistake and hurriedly defended: "I'm not! I didn't mean it... don't hit me... I
am the prince after all!"
Su Yan turned against the guest, pressed him on the couch and pounded him with the raised
knuckles of his fists: "What's wrong with the prince? I'll beat him if he gets angry! If you
have the ability, you can chop off my head?"

Zhu Helin took a moment to clean up, and hugged his attendant with satisfaction: "Young
master, I miss you so much."

The tune sounded familiar, and Su Yan's heart was startled - replacing "small" with "big",
isn't that the same rhetoric that clients in brothels use to talk to their favorite girls?

He twisted the tendon on Zhu Helin's arm, which was getting stronger, and asked: "The
emperor ordered you to take charge of the disaster relief work. Where did you go to wander
around in a shabby place? You learned how to speak glibly!"

Zhu Helin complained: "Really not! I worked so hard that I lost weight, and you still wronged
me!" He pinched Su Yan's waist front and back and said with a smile: "You have gained
some weight, so it won't hurt to hold the bones."

"This is not called fat, this is called abdominal muscles!" Su Yan retorted angrily.

Zhu Helin lifted up his clothes to show him what abdominal muscles were.

The young man's muscles are not clearly defined, but they are still strong and powerful, much
more obvious than his. Su Yan was a little frustrated and changed the topic: "It's nothing
more than this. Get up and talk about business."

Zhu Helin couldn't sit still properly, so he put his feet on Su Yan's thigh, reached out to the
table next to him, grabbed a plate of preserved fruit, stuffed a big piece into Su Yan's mouth,
and said, "This tastes sour and sweet. , I guess you like it. Come and chat while we eat."
Chapter 215 Endless Likes
2023-8-21 11:33 Category: Reincarnated Powerful MinisterTurn off the lights

Su Yan chewed the preserved fruit slowly, and the sweetness and sourness seeped from her
lips and teeth into her heart. Zhu Helin lowered his head and rummaged around on the plate,
looking for the kumquat flavor in the assorted preserved fruits - he didn't like it because it
was too sour, but Su Yan liked it.

Su Yan looked at Zhu Helin and thought that in ten or twenty years, even if the passionate
young man turns into a deep and cold emperor, even if he really reaches the point where
things are different and everything is different, he will still be there. I clearly remember the
scene in front of me, and the tears flashing in the other person's eyes when he knelt in front of
the Ancestral Temple tablet and swore, "I will never betray you for the rest of my life, and we
will never leave each other for the rest of my life."

Don’t ask if it’s worth it, just ask if you are willing.

There is no doubt that he is willing. He has a natural trust in Zhu Helin based on his past life
history, and also a kind of intimacy and love from the bottom of his heart.

He wanted to cut through the waves for this young man, turn the tide, and spend his entire life
pushing him to the altar of a wise king, so that he could get the honor that should belong to
him.

Zhu Helin picked up another piece of preserved fruit and handed it over. Su Yan grabbed his
finger and removed it from his mouth, saying, "I want to impeach the Wei family."

Zhu Helin didn't show any surprise, just frowned. This expression appeared on his always
carefree face, showing some maturity. However, maturity means facing more responsibilities,
choices and worries.

"When?" he asked.

Su Yan replied: "The first court meeting after the Wanshou Festival."

Zhu Helin asked again: "What is the chance of success?"

Su Yan smiled and did not answer.

Zhu Helin's brows furrowed even more tightly. The preserved fruit on his fingertips fell into
his palm. He clenched his fist tightly and said, "I don't think this is a good time."
"Why?" Su Yan asked.

Zhu Helin was silent for a while and replied with some embarrassment: "Father... his
treatment of me is not as good as before."

Su Yan also caught some clues in the conversation with Fu Bao just now. He held Zhu
Helin's hand comfortingly and said, "My young master forgot that I told you before, because
the emperor knows that young eagles cannot always be kept in the nest."

Zhu Helin shook his head: "It's different. Father and son are connected. This time I can
clearly feel that my father's heart is getting farther and farther away from me. Just... since the
fire in Kunning Palace."

A raging fire that lit up the night sky vaguely appeared in front of Su Yan's eyes. A pool of
blood spread in the square in front of the palace. The cries of the palace people and the roar
of the prince echoed in the firelight.

"Once some mistakes are made, are they irreversible and unforgivable?" Zhu Helin whispered
sadly, "I must have disappointed my father to the extreme, so in the past month, he has hardly
set foot in the East Palace. He no longer invites me to go to the Yangxin Hall to study
government affairs at night. Even when I go to greet him every day, he often excuses himself
and doesn’t show up. Even when we meet, he only asks a few questions about schoolwork
and disaster relief.”

Su Yan always felt that it was not the case. Emperor Jinglong doted on the prince for fifteen
years and tolerated his mischief and chaos. How could he sever the father-son relationship
just because the prince lost his mother's relics and killed someone in anger?

It's not that killing someone is not a serious matter, but in this feudal era and under this
cultural tradition, palace maids were just slaves in the eyes of the royal family. No emperor
would punish the prince for a palace maid who made a mistake. At most, he would be
dissatisfied with her character. Moreover, the prince knelt in the Imperial Ancestral Temple
for more than half a month, copying blood scriptures to pray for the late queen, so the
emperor should have calmed down no matter how angry he was.

Su Yan expressed his thoughts. Zhu Helin said, "Father is not angry with me, he just... lost
interest and went elsewhere."

"Second prince?" Su Yan asked.

Zhu Helin took a deep breath and tried his best to maintain a nonchalant expression, but the
corners of his mouth tightened uncontrollably: "In the past month, my father went to
Yongning Palace ten times, and the intervals became more and more frequent, and finally he
stayed here for three nights in a row. Yongning Palace. I heard people in the palace say
privately that the second child’s eyebrows have grown and he looks more and more like his
father. He is much smarter than ordinary children in both speech and walking. They say that
he is born with wisdom. "

It's Emperor Xing again, and it's Huigen again. This routine is really familiar, and Su Yan let
out a light "ha". He patted Zhu Helin's arm with his other hand: "Don't worry, even if the
second prince is born to look like Maitreya Buddha, my ancestral system of 'the first prince is
the first prince, and the first prince is the first prince' will not change."

Zhu Helin nodded and added: "I'm not thinking about whether the second child is a threat to
the throne, but when I think about my father... I feel really bad."

Just like a child who was born favored and suddenly found that his parents no longer loved
him. Su Yan could completely understand his worry about gains and losses, but he couldn't
let him stay so depressed.

"In that case, just be a filial son who fulfills your father's wishes and loves your younger
brother even more." Su Yan said coldly, "If the emperor really has a heart for Yi Chu in the
future, you will hold the position of the East Palace with both hands and do it." A laid-back
prince like your Fourth Uncle."

"——No!" Zhu Helin suddenly raised his voice and let out a sharp light from his wide eyes,
"I am the legitimate prince! I want to be a good emperor and become a prosperous king in the
future. This ambition has been established since I learned about people. "How can I just give
up? If I give up my position in the East Palace today, I may give up my life tomorrow!"

Su Yan chuckled: "You see this very clearly." Last year in Dongyuan, when the two of them
frankly agreed to work together through thick and thin, he thought that Zhu Helin had the
foresight to prepare for a rainy day, and he was not disappointed.

Zhu Helin said, "I am different from the Fourth Prince. He is the second son and has no right
to inherit the throne. He also held military power and was prone to change. Father has kept
him under control for these years and has given him everything except freedom. That is
Father's kindness.

"Behind the second son is the ambitious Wei family. If the second son is allowed to take a
high position, as long as I, the eldest son, am alive, it will be proof that he did not get the
position legitimately. It would be strange if they could tolerate me! Only if I, Zhu Helin,
succeed to the throne in the future can we avoid the tragedy of fratricide."

Su Yan asked back: "You know this truth, doesn't the emperor know it?"

Zhu Helin was stunned and murmured, "You are right... I shouldn't have doubted my father."
"You shouldn't be unkind to yourself." Su Yan said with a straight face, "Doesn't this mean
that I, Su Qinghe, am blind and don't know how to choose people?"

A trace of shame flashed across his eyes, Zhu Helin raised his eyebrows and smiled,
regaining his former heroic spirit. His eyes were bright and his tone was firm: "Whether my
father loves me or Zhu Hezhao more, I must do my duty as a prince of a country, cultivate
my character, and study government affairs diligently. When it is time to fight, I will fight
bravely and strategically; if not, When it’s time to give in, never give in!”

"Okay!" Su Yan cheered, "This is exactly what I want to say to the young master. Perhaps
this is not the most mature time to overthrow the Wei family, but it is the most promising one
that I can work hard to plan. Timing. Maybe I won't succeed at once. As long as I still have
life, I will learn from the sages who advised me.

"The treacherous prime minister of the previous dynasty was abusive and chaotic. A large
number of censors rose up to protest and submitted impeachment petitions with fierce words.
They never stopped for 20 years. Although they paid a heavy price, some were killed, some
were beaten and exiled, but the impeachment continued and finally the treacherous prime
minister got the end he deserved.

"This is the character that an official should have! Now that I wear this censor's robe with a
thick patch of hair, I must shoulder the corresponding responsibilities."

"——Qinghe!" Zhu Helin couldn't help but leaned forward to hug him, and the wet preserved
fruits rolled from his palms to the couch. "It is the greatest luck of my life to meet you. You
promise me never to leave me." Be there for me, always support me, help me, and share the
beautiful country with me.”

Su Yan smiled: "Didn't I already kneel before the late Queen's sacred card, kowtow to my
head, and swear an oath?"

"Say it again! Say it again, say it again, I want to listen!"

Su Yan was shaken dizzy by him: "Okay, let me tell you - I swear that I will never be
quarrelsome with His Majesty the Crown Prince for the rest of my life, and we will never be
apart for the rest of our lives."

"It's not His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, it's Zhu Helin."

Su Yan had no choice but to change his name and say it again.

After he finished his oath, Zhu Helin still hugged him tightly, resting his chin on his neck and
murmuring: "What should I do, what should I do..."
"What do you mean?"

"Every time, I feel that I love you so much that I can't have any more, but the next time we
meet, there will be more, more. How can a person's heart pretend to be empty? I love you so
much, won’t I burst if I continue like this... What do you think I should do?”

Su Yan was moved by this straightforward and almost pure affection, hugged Zhu Helin
back, and sighed: "Know your heart and let nature take its course."

Zhu Helin seemed to be crying. He said with a vibrato that he tried to control: "If you think
you should go, then go. I will do what I should do." -

Su Yan did not stay in the East Palace for lunch. The chef's elaborate preparations were in
vain. Fu Bao was a little disappointed, but the prince was calm and ate up the two portions of
food.

"Tomorrow is the Longevity Festival. Have you prepared all the birthday gifts for your
father?" he asked.

Cheng Sheng replied: "Go back to me, I've prepared it a few days ago. I've checked it several
times and I'm sure it's perfect."

The prince said, "One more thing - I want to make a lantern myself. Go find the old palace
servants who used to serve in Kunning Palace and ask them to tell me how to make the
Qinglian Lantern that my mother loves the most."

Su Yan still left the palace through Donghua Gate and returned home by carriage.

Jing Hong chased him outside the door. When he saw him, he said, "My subordinates are
preparing to wait for you outside the imperial city gate."

"What happened?" Su Yan asked as he walked into the house side by side.

Jing Hong chased: "The spies from Fusi in Beizhen sent news that Mr. Zuo, the doctor of the
Ministry of Punishment, has a document and wants to take Wan Xin away."

"Zuo Guangbi?" Su Yan pondered, "When I set up the task force, the Ministry of Punishment
said that in such a big case, they had to participate in the trial according to the law, so they
sent doctor Zuo Guangbi to be the deputy judge. Look at that doctor Zuo Guangbi. I may not
be very enthusiastic about the truth of the case, but I am always staring at me behind my
back, as if I want to find trouble. After the public trial, I walked away, and compared with the
glorious Yushi Chuqiu, I fell into the inferior position. ——I heard that these two are still
friends? It feels a bit strange.”
"Sir, don't you ask whether Wan Xin has been taken away?"

Su Yan laughed: "If Wan Xin is taken away by the Ministry of Punishment so easily, I will
go to Qilang to settle the score and ask him whether the Jin Yiwei in Beizhen Fusi has been
useless."

Seeing the Lord trusting Shen Qi so much, Jing Hongzhui couldn't help but feel disgusted,
but he still restrained himself and answered solemnly: "It's all as expected by the Lord.
Beizhen Fusi held the person tightly, saying that Jin Yiwei only According to the emperor's
order, the Ministry of Punishment came with the imperial edict to impeach the person. Zuo
Guangbi couldn't fight, so he left in anger, and even told Shen Qi, the Secretary of the
Ministry of Punishment, to wait for the impeachment memorial from the Minister of
Punishment, Mr. Wang."

"His Majesty Wang Tirui, Minister of the Ministry of Punishments...is actually a man of
integrity and strong suit."

Su Yan remembered that in the case of Dongyuan and Ye Donglou, he was framed as a
suspect by Feng Que. When Wang Shangshu interrogated him, he showed no mercy but only
verified the evidence and did not sell anyone's face. He also treated King Yu as a suspect and
tried him. This is called a strict law enforcement.

A person like this is unlikely to make the knife in the Wei family's hands. Maybe there was
something behind it that he didn't know about.

"No matter what, Wan Xin must not be handed over to others. Even if the Queen Mother
comes, I will use the imperial decree that the emperor gave to the task force before and argue
with reason."

Su Yan still felt a little worried after thinking about it, and then said, "I want to see Qilang."

Jing Hongzhui stopped him: "It's almost noon. Your Excellency, please have your meal first.
Then I will escort you over."

After hearing what he said, Su Yan felt hungry and hurriedly invited Xiaobei and Xiaojing to
come to the hall to eat together.

Seeing that the master was worried, the two servants did not dare to play around as usual, and
they ate and worked honestly. After the meal, Su Yan returned to the room, changed into a
light yisa, and got on the carriage to the Shen Mansion.

The journey was quite long and Su Yan felt sleepy after a full lunch, so he dozed off in the
swaying carriage.
Jing Hongzhui asked him to take a nap on her lap, thinking that she was sending her beloved
to meet another lover, so unwilling and angry! But if you don't see it, you will miss important
events, which will affect your career and even your life. For a moment, you feel that some
things in life are both ridiculous and helpless.

The only thing that comforted him was that Shen Qi was still seriously injured. Even if he
wanted to get up and do something, Mr. Su wouldn't let him. Just sitting on the edge of the
bed, holding hands and talking.

After the two talked about business matters, they wanted to talk about private matters. Jing
Hongzhui deliberately did not avoid it, holding a sword and pestle beside the bed, acting as
what Shen Qi called a "clothes hanger".

Master Su was so thin-skinned that he was embarrassed to say some outrageous things in
front of the two lovers. After sitting there for more than half an hour, he was ready to get up
and leave.

Shen Qi glared at Jing Hongchui with murderous intent in his eyes.

Jing Hong recalled that she seemed to have formed an alliance with him a few days ago to
fight against the imperial power together, so she said to Shen Qi with a dead face without any
psychological burden: "In the world, whoever has a strong fist is justified. Do you think
Reason with me? Wait until you stop lying."

Shen Qi was never a reasonable person, and she didn't want to reason with him at all. After
watching the two people leave while holding back his anger, he immediately ordered the
steward to buy expensive medicinal materials, such as ginseng, Ganoderma lucidum, meat
Tai Sui, the more the better. He also asked Gao Shuo to pick out a secret book on Qi
movement and healing techniques from the vast archives of Jin Yiwei and send it to him.

In this way, by taking supplements and practicing at the same time, the one-month recovery
period was shortened to half a month, and he was able to help at the critical moment - of
course, this is a story later.

Su Yan made all the preparations he felt he could do. He returned to his bedroom at home
and took out the birthday gift that he would present to the emperor the next day and looked
through it.

Emperor Jinglong had an oral edict in his early years, forbidding his ministers to buy
wantonly and waste financial and material resources to pay tribute to him. If you must
celebrate your birthday, then present some elegant things such as paintings, calligraphy
books, and music scores. It doesn’t have to be famous products handed down from generation
to generation, as self-made ones will show your sincerity.
Su Yan thought about it a few days ago and felt that her calligraphy and painting were not
good enough yet, so it would not be difficult to get a copy of the music score——

There are so many classic folk music in later generations. He can pick a melodious tune, such
as "Spring River Moon Night" or "Fisherman's Song at Dusk", and hum it by himself. Let the
musicians mark the music score with Gong, Shang, Jiao, Zheng and Yu, and then let the
women sing it in harmony. It is elegant and novel, how wonderful.

After working on the case for seven or eight days, I basically took shape. Finally, I came up
with a pipa and dongxiao ensemble version of the score of "Moonlight Night on the Spring
River" as a birthday gift for the emperor.

Putting the box containing the music scores on the desk, he took out a cylindrical suet jade
seal from the drawer, which was the private seal given to him by Emperor Jinglong.

After touching the word "槿隚" on the head of the seal, Su Yan used a strong red rope to
string the Luanlong carving at the end of the seal, which could be hung around his neck.

With cultural relics worth hundreds of millions hanging around his neck, Su Yan, who had
been a commoner for half his life in his previous life, suddenly felt like "Oh my God, I am a
rich man too".

He looked in the mirror and saw the mutton-fat jade mark hanging down on his chest. He
couldn't tell whether the jade was whiter or the skin was whiter. He thought it looked
suitable, so he closed his clothes and went to bed.
Chapter 216 I like your gift
2023-8-21 11:34 Category: Reincarnation of the powerful ministerTurn off the lights

February 14th, the birthday of the emperor, the sun is shining after the rain. Auspicious gods
are suitable: Sui De, Tian En, Tian Gui, and Da Ming.

The emperor came to the Fengtian Hall. The court officials came to the palace to congratulate
him, performed thirty-three bows, and held up cups to wish the emperor a long life. The
emperor gave tea to all officials.

The birthday celebration was solemn but not lengthy, mainly because Emperor Jinglong did
not pay much attention to red tape and simplified the ceremonies of the previous dynasty.

After the main ceremony, it was time for everyone to present gifts. The officials were
obviously much more relaxed and presented their birthday gifts one after another.

Ever since a few years ago, when a foreign official flattered the emperor so much that he
ended up flattering him that he presented a ten-foot-tall red coral tree from the East China Sea
as a tribute, and was questioned by the emperor, "How many seafarers were killed or injured
for picking this tree?", and then the governor and the censor found out that he had committed
the crime of plundering the people and he was fired, no one dared to offer rare treasures and
bring disaster upon themselves anymore.

The emperor liked elegance and refinement, so the birthday gifts presented by the officials
were mostly poems, songs, calligraphy and paintings. The eunuchs collected them in different
categories.

Su Yan's birthday gift was also among them, and was placed in the "music" column. Apart
from playing tricks on others in a planned way and fighting back crazily when attacked, he
was essentially a person who didn't like to show off. After handing over the music sheet, he
quietly returned to the queue.

Bian Yue, the Junior Official of the Imperial Ministry of Rites, also presented a piece of sheet
music. When he saw the poem " Spring River Moonlit Night " on the plate, he said to Su
Yan, "Shaoqing Su, is this a sheet music? It's not a copy of Zhang Ruoxu's poem? You must
have put it in the wrong category."

Su Yan replied: "It is indeed a piece of music. The original name was "Xunyang Moon
Night", but it was renamed because it was adapted to better fit the mood of " Spring River
Moon Night "."

Several officials nearby listened and praised in a low voice: "We usually think that Lord Su
has a talent for speaking and poetry, but we didn't know that he also has a talent for music."
Su Yan quickly said modestly: "I don't deserve it. I just happened to hear an old man playing
this song by the river and thought it was beautiful. I forced myself to remember it and just
copied what he said."

Bian Yue was even more upset after hearing this. The Taichang Temple was in charge of
ritual music, and the subordinate Taiyue Bureau was in charge of tuning bells and melodies.
As the Shaoqing of the Taichang Temple, he had heard all kinds of music, and this "Xunyang
Moonlit Night" was completely unheard of. It was probably a country slang, and it was
deliberately named in order to imitate a famous poem, and it dared to present it to the
emperor as a birthday gift. It was simply a joke.

He immediately became competitive and wanted to make this pretentious Su Twelve look
bad. He changed his mind, stepped out of the line and bowed to the throne, and chanted a
birthday poem: "... The joy of the emperor and his wife is as great as the sea, and the
triumphant song celebrates the same birthday. I, a humble official, also have a song to
welcome the emperor, and I would like to play it in front of the emperor's jade table."

——A flatterer. Su Yan secretly complained in his heart, what is the meaning of
"benevolence is like the sea, longevity is like the sky", is it vulgar? Why don't you shout
"Emperor Jinglong, civil and military virtues; for thousands of years, unifying the country"?
It is guaranteed to be more imposing.

The emperor asked, "Oh, Mr. Bian wants to present a song?"

Bian Yue bowed and said, "I led my subordinates in the Imperial Music Bureau to study the
ancient music day and night, and finally composed this "Yingluanqu" to celebrate the
emperor's birthday."

The emperor nodded and said, "In that case, all the ministers may as well listen together."

Bian Yue immediately called in the musicians from the Imperial Music Bureau, and arranged
all kinds of stringed instruments, pipes, and chimes, and began to play in a well-trained
manner. It was indeed magnificent, elegant, and solemn, and the officials stroked their beards
and nodded their heads, with expressions of approval on their faces.

Su Yan actually didn't like Ya Yue very much. Ya Yue was all about being "correct". In order
to avoid being out of line, it rarely used changes of tune, and the playing techniques were also
simple, so the melody seemed bland and tedious. In the words of later generations, it was
called the main melody and false and empty.

Although in the ceremonial activities of the upper class, Yayue was the best music, but the
common people could not appreciate it, and felt that the songs in the brothels were more
interesting. Many nobles could not stand the dullness of Yayue and secretly listened to the
decadent music. That is why Confucius lamented that "rituals have collapsed and music has
been ruined".

But if anyone says that classical music is not pleasant to listen to in a formal occasion, he will
be accused by the moralists of having vulgar tastes and even ignorance of ethics.

Su Yan had no interest in pretending to be a jerk. Saying that folk music was vulgar? "The
people love it, and if you don't like it, who do you think you are?"

After the song "Welcome to the Emperor" was played, Emperor Bian Yue praised him and
said "Not bad". He looked at Su Yan with a proud look and said, "I wonder what kind of rural
tune is that song that Lord Su heard from 'An Old Man by the River'? Maybe you wrote it
yourself and are too embarrassed to sign your name so you pretend to have heard it and bring
it to the emperor to make up the number?"

Su Yan knew that Bian Yue was deliberately provoking him because he felt that his
professional field was being invaded. If he had just entertained himself and found a few
musicians to play at home, he might have just laughed it off. But presenting a gift to the
emperor was invisibly a sign of his influence, so he took the opportunity to cause trouble,
which was essentially a bid for favor.

Su Yan was too lazy to waste words with such a person, and smiled perfunctorily: "Lord
Bian, you offer your classical music, and I offer my folk music. Isn't it good for us to go our
separate ways? Why do you have to worry about selecting the best and eliminating the worst
for the emperor? Besides, you can't afford it."

Bian Yue was furious when she heard the implication in his words. She bowed to the emperor
and said, "Your Majesty is wise and wise. I have no intention of overstepping my authority. I
am in charge of rituals and music and would like to listen to the music presented by Lord Su.
If it is good, it can be included in the music score overview of the Imperial Music Bureau."

Several officials who were on good terms with him echoed, "Lord Bian is an expert in music
theory. Even he has never heard of this piece of music, so it must be a new piece that has
never appeared before. Why not let Lord Su perform the piece in front of the emperor to
make him smile, and also let us all see Lord Su's talent."

What he said seemed to make sense, but how could Su Yan not hear that this was a subtle
mockery of him for showing off his skills before an expert? Once his amateur level was
revealed, he would become a laughing stock among the court officials.

Emperor Jinglong glanced at Su Yan, intending to cover for him, and said, "The new piece
has just been completed, and the musicians are not yet familiar with it. It may be difficult to
play it in a hurry."
Bian Yue hurriedly replied, "Your Majesty, if Lord Su is not good at playing instruments and
does not want to play in person, the musicians in the Imperial Music Bureau are all good at
playing drums and instruments, and have superb skills. Even if it is a new score, they can get
the hang of it after reading it twice."

Emperor Jinglong was silent for a moment, then said: "Since it is a birthday gift, I accept it,
but I don't necessarily have to listen to it now--"

"Your Majesty!" Su Yan suddenly raised his voice, "I am indeed not good at instrumental
music. Since Lord Bian has such confidence in the musicians of the Imperial Music Bureau,
it is fine for me to play the music I have presented on the spot. There is no need for a whole
band, a pipa and a dongxiao will be enough."

He said this, presumably he had an idea in mind. The emperor smiled and nodded, "Okay."

Bian Yue called out two musicians and said to Su Yan, "These are the best pipa and flute
players in our Imperial Music Bureau. Don't blame them for not being good enough in their
skills later."

Su Yan smiled indifferently and handed the music score brought by the eunuch to the two
men.

Because the music score was an ensemble version, it was divided into two volumes, one for
pipa and one for flute. The two of them took one and read it carefully. Their faces gradually
turned red, their brows furrowed, and their lips pursed, their eyes almost shining.

Bian Yue glanced at the two musicians and said, "The better you play, the more you can't
stand poor music scores. I'm sorry to have wronged you."

The two of them answered in quick succession: "Not wronged! Not wronged at all! Let's
begin now."

Su Yan asked: "Do you two masters want to watch it a few more times, or practice it a little?"

Bian Yue sneered: "It doesn't matter if we wait a little longer, but we can't waste your
Majesty's time. Lord Su, no matter how much you delay, you still have to be shown to the
public in the end."

Su Yan ignored him, turned around and bowed to the throne, saying: "I am an incompetent
official, sorry for my poor performance."

The hall suddenly became quiet, and the officials were ready to listen with great interest to
see what this song, which Bian Yue described as "country slang", was like.
There were two musicians, one sitting with a pipa, the other standing with a dongxiao, their
eyes fixed on the music score, unexpectedly showing a little nervousness.

After a few light strokes, the sound of the pipa began, gentle and calm, seemingly nothing
outstanding.

Bian Yue raised her chin and narrowed her eyes, with a look of disdain on her face.

The mellow and low sound of the bamboo flute joined in, blending with the sound of the
pipa, like the afterglow of the sun shining on the river surface and the gentle breeze blowing
the ripples. Su Yan looked around, grabbed a drumstick, and rolled it softly on the drum
surface for a few bars.

It was like the evening drum and morning bell of a distant mountain temple, revolving in the
sky, with a profound artistic conception. The extremely beautiful theme sounded, and the first
section "Jianglou Bell and Drum" immediately brought the audience into the rich Jiangnan
water village atmosphere.

People who understand music can understand the elegant meaning of music by listening to it.
Bian Yue's narrowed eyes gradually opened and she looked at the musician in surprise.

The second and third paragraphs, "The moon rises over the eastern hill" and "The wind blows
back over the winding water", are like the sunset, a silver moon hangs in the empty hill, the
river breeze gently rolls up the reeds and orchids on the bank, and the faint fragrance blends
with the moonlight.

Reflected on the water surface, the waves sway and the layers are hazy.

The audience around couldn't help but hold their breath, fearing that breathing too heavily
would blow away the subtle fragrance and shatter the moonlight.

"The river and the sky are one color without a speck of dust, and the bright moon is alone in
the sky." The vast and distant scenery emerges spontaneously in the fifth paragraph "The
water is deep and the clouds are bounded." The sound of the pipa gradually becomes faster,
like white sails on the river; the sound of the dongxiao is long, coming from far away, and is
the increasingly clear fisherman's song coming with the waves.

Then the pipa is played, just like a fishing boat breaking through the water, oars and sculls,
splashing waves, and thousands of snowflakes hitting the shore, which is exciting. The
melody progresses layer by layer, and in the ninth section "Ai Nai Gui Zhou", the whole song
reaches its climax.
After reaching the peak of emotion, the music stops abruptly, and returns to the soft and
delicate artistic conception. The branches of flowers play with shadows, the moon sways in
the waves, the boat gradually disappears at the junction of water and sky, and the night sky of
the spring river is quiet and peaceful. The ethereal and long ending makes the audience
become tourists who linger and forget to leave, intoxicated in this night of spring river
flowers and moon and unwilling to wake up...

At the end of the song, the musician let out a long sigh and wiped the sweat from his forehead
with his sleeve.

Seeing that no one responded, the female musician playing the pipa stammered, "This piece
has a varied melody, with shifting registers, changing beginnings and endings, and
onomatopoeias such as water waves and oars. I was afraid that if I played it poorly, I would
ruin such a wonderful score, so I was a little nervous and my fingers became a little awkward.
I hope you gentlemen will not blame me."

"...What a great song!" A heartfelt exclamation of admiration broke out from the crowd.

"It's a really good piece of music! It's like a long scroll of beautiful and elegant landscapes,
with a profound artistic conception that is fascinating."

"The ensemble of the pipa and the dongxiao alone is a little thin. If other instruments were
added, it would be more elegant. If this piece is a little richer, it will be worthy of being
passed down to future generations!"

“If we incorporate the lyrics into it, it will surely be a new scene.”

"Master Bian, so this kind of music is called popular music in your Taichang Temple?"

"If this is vulgar music, then aren't we, who are so mesmerized by it, even more vulgar than
it?"

Bian Yue blushed with shame. She didn't dare to look at Su Yan any more, let alone face the
emperor. She knelt on the throne and said, "It is my ignorance that made me speak rashly
about Lord Su's masterpiece. I have made a fool of myself..."

"Lord Bian is wrong. ' Spring River Moon Night ' was not written by me. I just wrote it down
because I heard it by chance." Su Yan emphasized again.

Bian Yue turned around and asked, "Then who is the composer?"

Su Yan was at a loss for words and thought: This is a classic among classics. It has been
processed and evolved over the past two hundred years. The title alone has changed several
times. How would I know who the author is... It can be regarded as the crystallization of the
people's wisdom, right?

Bian Yue sighed: "The more modest Lord Su is, the more it highlights my previous
arrogance... I have learned my lesson, and I will remember from now on that there are always
people better than you."

Su Yan defended himself: "It really wasn't me! I'm just a porter of history..."

No one believed him, and the second half of his sentence was drowned out by a tide of
admiration.

The emperor stood up and walked down from the throne. All the officials immediately fell
silent and returned to the ranks. The emperor walked up to the musician, picked up the music
score book himself, and said to Su Yan with a smile: "My dear, this birthday gift is very
much appreciated by me. I will give it to you. After the court is dismissed, come to the
Yangxin Palace to receive the reward."

Su Yan was quite interested in the reward, but for some reason, the smile on the emperor's
lips made him feel a little uneasy. He could only bow his head and say, "I accept your order
and thank you."

The emperor put the music score into his sleeve, turned around and walked back to the jade
steps, and asked: "Have you delivered all the birthday gifts? After that, we can go home.
According to the custom, we will take a three-day break for the birthday celebration. We will
go to court again on February 17th."

Lan Xi was reminded by these words. After looking around, he walked to the emperor in
small steps and whispered, "His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has not arrived yet."

The emperor looked at the sky and said, "It's almost noon, and he hasn't come yet. It seems he
doesn't plan to come."

Su Yan's heart skipped a beat, and he felt something was wrong - why didn't Zhu Helin show
up on such an important day? Not to mention that he was the crown prince, it was impossible
for him as a son not to wish his father a happy birthday! Something must have happened, and
it tripped him up...

If someone could catch hold of this action and accuse him of being disrespectful to his king
and father and being unfilial, then he would be in trouble!

Su Yan was very anxious, and wanted to end the event early so that he could go to the East
Palace to find the prince. If the prince was not in the palace, he would go to the market
outside the palace to find him. He must make him come back before nightfall to celebrate his
birthday, even if it was just to kowtow to him in private.

At this moment, a eunuch hurried into the hall, not even paying attention to etiquette, and
knelt down in front of the emperor, panting and reporting: "Your Majesty, Your Majesty,
something happened to me... No, something happened to the victims..."

Emperor Jinglong frowned and said in a deep voice: "Tell me clearly who is in trouble and
what happened!"

Chapter 217: The Sword Edge of the World

2023-8-21 11:35 Category: Reincarnation of the powerful ministerTurn off the lights

The eunuch knelt down trembling with fear and told the whole story.

It turned out that just this morning, within half an hour after the charity bureau distributed
porridge, the victims began to vomit, have diarrhea, and even have fever and convulsions.
Some of them were seriously ill and were in a coma and close to death. The charity bureau
was temporarily established by the prince, the Ministry of Revenue and the Military
Department for disaster relief. When the prince heard about this, he immediately left the
palace and went to the scene.

Hundreds of victims fell ill, and the doctors did not have enough staff to treat them. There
was a lot of crying and groaning. When the prince arrived with his guards, someone shouted,
"He is the Prime Minister of Disaster Relief," and the victims rushed forward, clinging to his
horse and begging him to save their lives.

The guards of the Eastern Palace were afraid that the prince would be hurt in the chaos, so
they accidentally injured several people while trying to stop the isolation, which made the
victims even more agitated. After hearing the news, the victims from other resettlement sites
also rushed over to demand an explanation. The prince was surrounded by the panicked and
angry crowd, like being trapped in a boiling pot.

One of the guards hurried back to the palace to report. The eunuch on duty knew the situation
was urgent and had to go into the palace to report, thus disrupting the emperor's birthday
congratulations.

Emperor Jinglong stood up suddenly, thought for a moment, then slowly sat back on the
throne, frowned and said with displeasure: "The prince is no longer a child. If he can't even
do this, what else can we expect from him?"

It seems that he doesn't want to deal with this matter anymore and wants to see how the
prince handles it.
The civil and military officials looked at each other, whispering with complicated
expressions. Yang Ting, the cabinet minister, was the first to stand up and persuade the
emperor to put the safety of the crown prince first and send troops to quell the rioters. The
emperor remained silent.

Seeing this, several court officials stepped forward and praised the emperor for his training
and testing of the prince, saying it was a jade-polishing act and was very wise. They also
advised Yang Ting not to delay the prince's training because of his womanly kindness.

Yang Ting retorted that jade carving also requires the use of appropriate tools and the force
must be controlled, otherwise the jade will be broken. He insisted on asking the emperor to
issue an order.

Emperor Jinglong said coldly: "On the birthday of the emperor, the whole country celebrates
and all officials present gifts, but the birthday gift presented to me by the crown prince is a
civil riot. Why, do you want me to lead the troops to receive it personally?"

Yang Ting was speechless when asked the question. He could only apologize to the emperor
on behalf of the crown prince in his capacity as the crown prince's tutor, and at the same time,
he begged the emperor again to put the father-son relationship first.

The court officials said one thing after another. Some said that the prince acted rashly and
provoked the people to revolt. Some said that the prince was smart and they believed he
could handle it well. Some said that the incident was strange and some of the victims took the
opportunity to cause chaos, so they had to send troops to suppress it. Some said that the
people got sick after the disaster, which was like adding insult to injury, and they had to
urgently summon doctors to treat them...

Su Yan watched silently and found that no matter what the opinions of the ministers were,
they were vaguely divided into two factions based on their positions.

It is said that the prince had been scolded by civil servants and censors in the past because he
was playful and disliked studying, but the situation in the past was different from the current
signs - especially those officials who were close to the Wei family on weekdays. Now they
seemed to draw strength from the emperor's current performance. Each of them said
something with hidden meaning. Their attitude towards the prince was more like "attack"
than "remonstration".

Finally, Prime Minister Li Chengfeng, who had returned to Wenyuan Pavilion to rest early
due to illness, rushed over upon hearing the news and asked the emperor directly in the hall:
"If His Royal Highness the Crown Prince gets into trouble, will Your Majesty regret it after
you calm down?"
Emperor Jinglong's face slightly changed as he relaxed. He sent the Jinyiwei to rescue the
situation and named Su Yan: "Since you are the head of the special task force for the
Baizhifang explosion case, you should also pay more attention to the follow-up settlement of
the victims. Go with the Jinyiwei to see what the situation is and then report back to me."

Su Yan had originally wanted to find an opportunity to sneak away and see the prince, and
this oral order was exactly what he wanted, so he immediately obeyed the order and left
Fengtian Palace.

After leaving the Meridian Gate, he did not even take the carriage, but rode his horse at full
speed to the Yishan Bureau.

The charity bureau was located in the west of the city, adjacent to several disaster relief sites.
When Su Yan arrived, he saw a huge crowd of people in the yard, some standing, some
sitting, and some lying on the ground, with painful groans and sobs everywhere, and many
people gathered in three layers outside the yard.

The prince was surrounded in the center of the crowd, speaking something to several
kneeling officials. His scarlet gold-woven dragon-shaped robe was particularly eye-catching.

Su Yan saw that although there were many people at the scene, it was not chaotic to the point
of being out of control, and the situation seemed to be under control. He couldn't help but
breathe a sigh of relief and pushed his way in.

"Master!" he called out loudly across the wall of people.

Zhu Helin turned around when he heard the voice, and when he saw him clearly, his whole
face seemed to light up, and the corners of his mouth couldn't help but rise, and he responded:
"Qinghe! Come here, come to my side, be careful of the crowd."

The guards made way for Su Yan to walk over and first looked at the prince: "I'm glad that
you're okay." Then he asked, "The news reached Fengtian Palace. The emperor ordered me to
check the situation. The Jinyiwei will be here soon. What exactly is going on?"

"Ask him!" Zhu Helin raised his leg and kicked the man kneeling in front of him, knocking
him backwards. Su Yan saw that the man was dressed as an assistant official, his face was
covered with sweat and tears, and his face turned pale with fear. After being kicked, he knelt
down quickly, trembling like a sieve, and couldn't speak clearly. There were two petty
officials behind him, who were also panicked.

The surrounding victims shouted angrily: "Kill him! Kill this bastard official!"
"Who would have thought that my husband survived the explosion but couldn't escape the
corrupt officials who committed malfeasance!"

"These people should all be cut into pieces. Your Highness, please stand up for the people
like us!"

Zhu Helin nodded to the people, then turned to Su Yan and explained, "I suspected the
problem was in the porridge. I asked the doctor to check it, but he couldn't find any poison."

Su Yan knew that the so-called poison test in this era could only detect sulfur-containing
substances such as arsenic, and other toxins were basically undetectable.

Zhu Helin continued, "So I went to the warehouse to check the stored grain and found that it
was all moldy old rice, all black and smelly. I washed it with alum water and cooked it into
multi-grain porridge for disaster relief. It would be strange if the victims didn't get sick if they
ate this stuff! I checked and found that the rice allocated by the Ministry of Revenue for
disaster relief was fine, but it became moldy when it arrived at the Yishan Bureau. Someone
must have resold the rice and passed off inferior rice as good ones."

As he spoke, his face was full of anger, and even Su Yan felt indignant: It seems that this
kind of behavior of making money from national disasters has existed in all dynasties, both
ancient and modern.

"This man is just an assistant officer. He doesn't have the ability or courage to do this alone.
There must be someone behind him. I just interrogated him for a long time, and he was
crying and shaking, but he just refused to confess. It seems that I have to give him some
tough treatment."

As he was talking, the Jinyiwei team arrived at the scene and surrounded the entire courtyard.
Seeing this, Zhu Helin changed his mind and said to the officials of the Yishan Bureau: "If
you don't tell the truth, I will send you to the Northern Pacification Office and let you taste
the punishment of the imperial prison!"

The official seemed to be extremely frightened. Suddenly he stopped shaking and looked up
at the prince.

His face was pale, which made his eyes look extremely dark. There was an indescribable
deep meaning in his eyes, which frightened Su Yan. At this moment, the man suddenly
kowtowed heavily to the prince and stood up suddenly.

The guards thought he was going to attack suddenly, so they quickly formed a circle to
protect the prince. However, unexpectedly, he rushed out from the side and jumped into a
well in the yard without hesitation.
"…Jumped into the well!" A cry of surprise broke out from the crowd.

Su Yan shouted: "Quick! Save them!"

The guards reacted quickly. Two of them who were good at swimming immediately found a
thick hemp rope, tied it around their waists, and lowered themselves into the well to rescue
the man, but they searched for a long time but couldn't find anything.

"That person probably can't swim at all and sank. I'll dive down and look for him again." The
two guards took turns diving down to the bottom of the well to look for him.

After a while, one of the guards came up, wiped his wet face, and shouted, "Young Master, I
didn't touch anyone, but I touched a strange thing. Do you want to pull it up and take a look?"

Zhu Helin leaned over the well mouth and asked: "What's that weird thing?"

"I'm not sure. It feels like a pillar, standing upright, half buried in the mud."

"Pillar?" Zhu Helin turned to look at Su Yan, who gave him a puzzled look. So the prince
ordered, "Pull it up and let's take a look."

The guards dived again and tied a thick hemp rope tightly around the thing. A team of people
outside the well pulled hard and after quite a bit of effort they finally managed to pull the
thing out of the water and out of the well bit by bit.

It turned out to be a stone pillar more than one meter tall and as thick as a soup basin. It was
unknown how long it had been at the bottom of the well. The surface was covered with scale
and there were vaguely visible messy dents on it.

The guards continued to rescue the man. The prince walked around the strange stone pillar
lying on the ground and studied it. He felt that the dents had a meaning, so he ordered his
men, "Use a knife to scrape off the dirt on it."

After a while, the scale and algae were mostly scraped off, and the carvings on the stone
pillars were revealed, like some ancient words.

Zhu Helin had a pillar erected, and connected the scattered words together, reading: "The
sword will destroy the world... What does it mean?"

Su Yan always felt that something was wrong with this strange incident, a familiar feeling.
He was still trying to find this feeling, and the people around him started talking about it:
"Which day is 'Knife-edge day'? Is there such a day in the daily zodiac?"

"What's 'the end of the world'? It sounds unlucky."

"Where do you think this pillar came from? This well has been used for decades, but I never
knew there was something buried underneath it."

"Who knows, maybe it was arranged by God."

Su Yan shuddered and knew what this feeling was - the prophecies commonly used by
professional rebel charlatans, one way is nursery rhymes, the other way is to rely on foreign
objects.

The discussion reached a breakthrough point. An East Palace guard suddenly had an idea and
shouted, "'Daokairi' combined with 'Zhao', doesn't it? 'Zhaowangtianxia', doesn't it mean that
people with the surname Zhao will destroy the world--"

He suddenly fell silent.

Zhu Helin frowned and glared at him: "What do you mean? Explain it to me clearly!"

The guard shook his head desperately and didn't dare to say another word.

Someone among the people pondered: "What the soldier said makes sense... In addition to the
surname Zhao, there may also be people with the name 'Zhao'..."

The name contains "Zhao"? Zhu Helin didn't know what he was thinking of, and his face
changed.

"What are you thinking about?" Su Yan asked him.

Zhu Helin shook his head repeatedly and ordered the guards to grab a piece of cloth to wrap
the stone pillar, tie it up, put it on the carriage and take it back to the palace.

The official's body was fished out from the bottom of the well. The dead cannot testify, and
the petty officials under him are clueless. The black hands who sold inferior relief rice as
good ones can only be investigated. The most urgent task is to treat the sick victims.

Fortunately, the Jinyiwei had a large number of people, and they went in batches to invite
doctors, buy medicinal materials, and set up a large pot to boil medicine. Licorice
detoxification soup was distributed bowl by bowl, and the condition of most of the poisoned
victims was controlled, the symptoms began to alleviate, and their lives were no longer in
danger.

Zhu Helin breathed a sigh of relief and tried his best to appease the people. He said that he
would ask the Ministry of Revenue to send a new batch of rice. He also promised to
investigate the matter thoroughly and bring all criminals, including officials, to justice. Only
then did he leave the Yishan Bureau amid the gratitude of the victims.

Su Yan rode side by side with the prince, lost in thought all the way.

Now it was Zhu Helin's turn to ask him: "What are you thinking about?"

Su Yan shook his head: "I can't explain it for now, but it's not a good feeling anyway. What
happened today is very strange. I'm afraid there's not only something going on within the
matter, but also something going on within the bureau."

Zhu Helin said, "I also feel something is wrong. Let's not talk about the relief rice, just look at
this inexplicable stone pillar and the even more inexplicable words on it, 'Dao Yi Ri's
demise'... 'Zhao's demise', do you know who I'm thinking of? Second brother, Zhu Hezhao."

Su Yan suddenly reined in his horse and looked at Zhu Helin with an indescribable
expression.

Zhu Helin felt uneasy when he looked at him, and asked, "What's wrong? I really can't help
but think of it this way."

Su Yan's lips moved a few times, and finally he whispered, "Young Master, listen to my
advice. Destroy this pillar, and never mention this matter again, especially in front of the
Emperor."

Zhu Helin was stunned for a moment, and asked, "Why? Besides, everyone present saw this,
and everyone has their own opinions. If I don't say anything, won't others say anything?"

"... It's not worth it, young master. Really." Su Yan held his arm tightly. "I'm telling you from
the bottom of my heart. This is not fighting poison with poison. It's a fatal and stupid move!
If you asked me for my opinion in advance, I would firmly oppose it. This method can only
work for a while, but not for a lifetime; it can deceive the world, but not the emperor."

Zhu Helin finally came to his senses and flew into a rage: "Do you think I planned this?"

Without waiting for Su Yan's reaction, he angrily whipped the horse's buttocks hard and rode
away in a cloud of dust.
Su Yan was disappointed. He covered his face with his sleeves and muttered to himself,
"Xiao Zhu doesn't seem like the kind of person who would set up such a scheme. Could it be
that it really wasn't him? Then who else could it be..."
Chapter 218: He Who Wears the Crown Must Accept
2023-8-21 11:35 Category: Reincarnation of the powerful ministerTurn off the lights

Su Yan's face was covered with dust from the prince's horse hooves. He wiped his face with a
bashful look and did not want to chase after him. He just walked forward leisurely.

Not long after, a horse was seen coming from the front, and it turned out to be Zhu Helin who
had returned.

Zhu Helin pulled the reins beside him, still with a puffy face. Su Yan laughed dryly: "Young
master, are you still angry with me? I was rude and offended you. I apologize to you."

Zhu Helin whipped Su Yan's thigh with a whip, neither too hard nor too soft. As he cried out
in pain, his expression softened a little, and he said in a muffled voice, "You weren't being
rude, you were testing me. When something like this happened, I was the first person you
suspected, and I know why."

He has always been quick-witted. After he flew out in anger, he was calmed down by the
wind. He felt that he should have something clear with Su Yan, so he turned back without
hesitation.

Su Yan also stopped smiling and said seriously, "Because if this kind of thing gets out, it can
easily be made into a prophecy that points the finger at the Second Prince. People are
superstitious, and even those who are not superstitious hold the attitude of 'it is better to
believe it than not to believe it'. If it is allowed to develop, it will be a big blow to the Second
Prince's reputation, and may even cause unrest in the court and the country. The Crown
Prince must be aware of this."

Zhu Helin nodded, and added unwillingly: "It really wasn't arranged by me."

Su Yan said, "But who would listen to my explanation? After all, you are the first
beneficiary. When an event or a case happens, the beneficiary will be the first suspect,
because he has a motive, which is human nature. Even I, who is very close to my master, had
the same first reaction, 'Could it be that my master has been neglected by the emperor
recently and is feeling depressed, and was inspired by the Red Lotus nursery rhyme and
learned some methods that he shouldn't have learned'?"

"——I am indeed depressed, and I absolutely do not want to be humble with the second
brother." Zhu Helin said decisively, "But even if this method works, I don't want to use it!"

Su Yan asked: "Why?"

Zhu Helin's mind was full of thoughts but he couldn't figure out how to express them. In the
end, he managed to say, "This trick of pretending to be a ghost is like a cold and slimy snake.
It's disgusting."

Since he was a child, he has liked all kinds of fur animals, especially the tigers and leopards
raised in the Western Garden of the Imperial City, and hunting dogs, but he dislikes reptiles
such as snakes and lizards. The fact that he uses this metaphor shows how much he hates
them.

Su Yan laughed out loud, and finally bowed and saluted properly: "I apologize to His Royal
Highness the Crown Prince for my doubts and temptations."

Zhu Helin had let it go in his heart, but he still had a stern face and threatened: "This will not
happen again. If you doubt me again in the future - even just a little bit, I will use this -" He
raised the whip in his hand, "to give you a good beating. Remember?"

Su Yan was not afraid of him at all, and said with a smile: "Remember, remember."

Zhu Helin finally calmed down and laughed. He turned his horse around and continued to
walk side by side with Su Yan.

Su Yan did not seem to let this go, and was still pondering: Since the stone pillar prophecy
was not caused by the prince, there were two other possibilities. First, it was the political
enemies of the Wei family and the prince's supporters who were inspired by the Zhenkong
Sect and used their own methods to return the favor. Second... it was the Zhenkong Sect
themselves who did it, with the purpose of framing the prince and framing him in an unjust
situation. If this was true, it seemed that the second prince was just a tool that could be
sacrificed at any time in their eyes.

No matter which one it is, the most important thing is that the emperor must believe that the
prince has nothing to do with this matter.

If this had happened before the fire in Kunning Palace, Su Yan believed that the emperor
would definitely protect the prince, but now there seemed to be a rift between the father and
son. How the emperor would react to this... even he couldn't say for sure at the moment.

Su Yan sighed silently.

Zhu Helin seemed to have guessed what he was thinking, and comforted him: "Don't worry, I
will report this matter to the emperor truthfully. The innocent will be innocent, and the
emperor will believe me."
The two men returned to the palace, and at the prince's orders, the guards parked the carriage
loaded with the stone pillars in the outer court and went to the imperial study to meet the
emperor.

While walking on the palace road, they met a leader of the Embroidered Uniform Guards
head-on. The man immediately stepped aside and saluted: "Long live His Royal Highness the
Crown Prince." Zhu Helin asked: "Come out of the Imperial Study?" The man said: "Yes."
Zhu Helin nodded and continued walking forward.

"I'm sure Father knows everything about today's events, and he knows the details almost as
well as the people at the scene." Zhu Helin stopped when the Jinyiwei walked away and
turned to look at Su Yan. "Do you think Father will believe me?"

Su Yan said, "Your Majesty knows my character better than I do. If you ask me later, I don't
need to hide anything to avoid suspicion. But remember to only tell me what you have seen
and heard, and don't mention any speculations or conjectures."

"Why?"

"How should I put it...if words are also a form of war, then revealing one's intentions or cards
first is equivalent to revealing one's own position first."

Zhu Helin smiled bitterly: "Recently, I have been unable to speak in front of my father. In the
past, I just thought we were father and son, but now I suddenly realize that before 'father and
son', there is 'king and minister'. Alas, why can't the imperial family be like the common
people's family?"

Su Yan thought about it and finally answered with one sentence: "There is a proverb in the
Western Yi - 'If you want to wear the crown, you must bear its weight.'"

Zhu Helin thought about it for a moment and nodded slowly.

When they arrived at the imperial study, Emperor Jinglong did not summon them
immediately, so the two of them waited outside the palace gate.

Not long after, several Jinyiwei carried the stone pillar together and stood on the open space
below the steps. They lifted the cloth covering the pillar and then lined up outside the venue.

The two walked over and carefully examined the stone pillar again in the bright light. They
saw that the Kuiniu thunder patterns on both ends of the pillar were covered with mottled
algae marks, and the writing marks in the middle that had been cleared appeared to be very
old.
"The technique of making it look old is quite sophisticated." Su Yan muttered.

"So who do you think is behind this?" A voice suddenly sounded from behind.

Su Yan was startled and turned around to see that Emperor Jinglong had left the hall at some
point and was standing behind them. He quickly saluted.

"I was just speaking casually. I am also confused right now." He answered cautiously.

The emperor asked again: "If it is not man-made, then it is God's will?"

Zhu Helin suddenly spoke up and said resolutely: "I don't think it is God's will!"

The emperor turned his gaze towards him: "Oh, what do you think, Prince?"

Su Yan hid his hand in his sleeve and quietly pulled the corner of the prince's robe, signaling
him to practice Tai Chi first and not to express his opinion. But the prince continued, "Father,
do you still remember that the Zhenkong Sect used nursery rhymes to spread rumors of
rebellion? I think that this pillar today is similar to that, and it is very likely that it was made
by the same person."

Su Yan sighed secretly, took a step forward and was about to speak, but the emperor said to
him, "Qinghe, go to the study and wait for me."

But the prince was still a little worried. He hesitated and tried to find an excuse to stay. The
emperor's voice became deeper: "—— Su Shaoqing."

Su Yan knew that the emperor had made up his mind, so he had to bow and say, "I obey your
order." He looked at Zhu Helin deeply, walked up the steps and entered the imperial study.

The emperor said to the prince, "Go on."

The prince turned his eyes away from Su Yan's back and said, "Today's incident started with
the substitution of relief rice. The official involved has already jumped into a well and died.
There is no evidence, but I think we have to continue investigating. How many checkpoints
did the rice allocated by the Ministry of Revenue pass through? Who were the people who
took over? Which checkpoint may have omissions or made unusual movements? What is the
background of that official, and who does he usually interact with? If we investigate one by
one, we will definitely find something."

The emperor nodded: "Well said, you have indeed made progress. Continue."
"The person who switched the relief rice must also be related to this stone pillar. Otherwise,
why would the official commit suicide in public? Why did he choose to jump into the well?
It's as if... he wanted to use his life to lure out this stone pillar."

The emperor sighed and said, "Yes. Why did he choose to jump into the well? He knew he
would die. Why did he kowtow to you before jumping into the well?"

Zhu Helin was stunned. Kneeling in panic and begging for mercy was not abrupt, so he did
not pay attention to it at the time. Now that he heard the emperor mention it, he vaguely
remembered it. It was indeed the case. If the official was determined to die, why did he
kowtow?

"Is he expressing his resolve or leaving his last words?" the emperor asked.

The prince answered blankly: "I... I don't know. I really don't know..."

The emperor pressed on, "What were his last words? Was he begging, 'The king's order has
been carried out, please do not bring disaster to my relatives and clansmen'?"

The prince took a step back abruptly, his face turning pale: "Father, are you - are you
interrogating me?!"

"If we really want to interrogate you, we should hand you over to the Criminal Department,
the Temple Department, and the Court Department according to the law. If they don't dare to
interrogate you, there is still the Jinyiwei Northern Pacification Department. Why do I have
to come here in person to ask?" Emperor Jinglong took a deep breath, as if he was
suppressing his anger, his voice was low and majestic, "I come here to ask you, do I still treat
you as my son! But you come here to ask me back, do you not treat me as your king and
father?"

In public, the young master received an unprecedented severe reprimand from the emperor.
All the eunuchs present held their breath and lowered their heads, arching their waists
backward in fear. Even the Jinyiwei had looks of surprise and suspicion.

At this point, the prince had no choice but to kneel down and apologize, begging his father to
calm down.

The emperor sighed, "He Lin, He Lin, your tutors have taught you the way of the sage since
you were little, but you have no interest in studying. Even when you pick up a book, it's
either a storybook or a military book. Now the consequences of your evil deeds are finally
apparent. You didn't learn 'Don't do to others what you don't want others to do to you', but
you learned 'Do unto others as you would have them do unto you'."
"…Father, what you meant by that is that you already knew where the rumors about your
son's cruelty and inhumanity came from? Otherwise, how can you say 'treat others as they
would be treated'?" The prince's eyes widened as he asked in shock and anger, "Father, you
knew the truth, but you didn't uphold justice for your son and punish the rumormonger
according to the law. Instead, you let him shoot arrows at your son overtly and covertly?"

The emperor leaned over and stretched out his hand to pinch the prince's jaw: "Who is the 'he'
you are talking about? Your brother? He is less than two years old, and you are so intolerant
of him? 'The world will fall on the edge of a knife', good, the book is not completely read in
vain, at least you know how the previous dynasty fell--"

The previous dynasty ruled tyrannically, and the people suffered from natural and man-made
disasters. The court forced the people to repair the breach of the Yellow River. As a result,
when the workers were digging the river, they dug up a one-eyed stone man with a sentence
engraved on his body: "Don't say the stone man has only one eye, it will stir up the Yellow
River and cause the whole world to rebel." As soon as this prophecy came out, it spread all
over the country, and the people responded one after another. Several uprising teams emerged
and raised the banner of resistance against the court.

Afterwards, some people conducted research and believed that the one-eyed stone man was
planted by the two leaders of the first uprising army. They believed that "the strange
phenomenon from heaven and the justification for the uprising" were the key, and the people
of the world believed it. Although the uprising led by these two people did not succeed, they
became the whistleblower for the change of dynasties. Emperor Taizu of Daming rose from
humble beginnings, pacified the chaotic world, and finally unified the world.

Countless precedents in history made emperors extremely sensitive to prophecies and visions.
Many emperors were keen on commending and creating "auspicious signs" in order to prove
that they were orthodox and in line with the will of heaven and followed the way of heaven.

Similarly, they hated the forces that used prophecies and visions to stir up public opinion -
this was one of the reasons why the Zhenkong Sect was banned by Emperor Taizu in the
early years of the founding of the country and its leader was killed by the court.

The prince heard the seriousness of the matter from the words "the previous dynasty was
destroyed" and knew that this matter touched the point that the emperor hated the most. He
cried out in tears: "I didn't! They used such a devilish trick to deal with me. Even if I was
indignant, I never thought of retaliating, because I also hate and despise such tricks. Why
doesn't your father believe me?"

At the end, the stubborn tear in his eyes finally fell and dripped on the emperor's fingers. The
emperor frowned as if he was burned, withdrew his hand, and softened his tone: "Since you
said so, I will give you a chance to clear yourself up - you said that this matter was done by
the Zhenkong Sect, then tie up the culprit and bring him before me, and I will know the truth
after asking him."
Arresting the leader of the Vacuum Sect? The world is so big, and there are so many people,
where are they? After a very brief moment of surprise, the prince's eyes shone with a firm
and sharp light, and he said in a sonorous voice: "I am willing to take on this important task,
and I will not let my father down!"

"Don't talk as if I have entrusted you with an important task. You have not yet cleared your
suspicion in my eyes." The emperor poured cold water on him. "As for Zhao'er, you should
not meet him again to avoid suspicion. After today's incident spreads, there will be rumors
unfavorable to him inside and outside the court. You must find a way to stop it. If you let the
rumors spread, I will assume that it is your instruction--"

The prince felt extremely upset, but he had to accept these harsh conditions.

Before turning around, the emperor said, "Also, don't drag Su Qinghe into everything. He's
already busy with his own affairs, let alone cleaning up the mess for you."

The emperor returned to the imperial study, and the prince was still kneeling at the foot of the
stairs. Fu Bao ran over from the corner of the corridor where he was hiding, and hurriedly
helped him up: "My young master has been busy since dawn, and he hasn't had a single sip of
food or water. I asked the kitchen to make some nourishing soup, or should we go back to the
palace now?"

The prince seemed not to have heard clearly what he said and looked a little confused.

Fu Bao finished dusting off his knees and asked worriedly, "My young master doesn't look
well. Is he okay?"

"It's okay." The prince looked at the tightly closed palace door, "Qinghe is still inside..."

"Hey, young master, please take care of yourself first." Fu Bao advised, "Master Su will
come out soon after he finishes his reply to the emperor. I will have someone guard outside
the palace gate. When Master Su comes out, please invite him to the East Palace."

The prince thought for a moment and shook his head, "No need for that. Father's last words
clearly warned me not to drag Qinghe into this. Father is right. This matter might cause a big
uproar in the city, and I can't let him get involved."

He glanced at the palace door again, turned around and walked a few steps, muttering to
himself: "I haven't sent my birthday gift yet, and my father can't remember it at all?"

Fu Bao's eyes suddenly became moist, and he tried hard to suppress the soreness in his nose
and said, "The Emperor may be too busy right now. I will go to the Yangxin Palace to pay
my respects and give gifts after nightfall."
The prince closed his eyes for a moment, then quickly opened them again, straightened his
back, and walked towards the East Palace with a manner that even the most nagging old
minister of the Ministry of Rites could not find fault with.

In the imperial study, Su Yan peeked out of the window with a crack open to see what was
happening in the courtyard, and pricked up his ears to eavesdrop. This was very rude, but he
didn't care about the eyes of the palace people in the palace.

Seeing the emperor coming up the stairs, he hurried back to his seat, sat up straight, picked up
the teacup, and pretended to be calm.

When the emperor entered the palace, Su Yan immediately put down his teacup and stood up
to salute. The emperor told him to sit down, "Continue to drink your tea." He then ordered the
palace servants, "Bring me a cup of pine needles with olives."

The palace servants hurriedly replaced the prepared Pu'er tea with freshly brewed Songluo
tea, and the emperor waved his sleeves, signaling them to leave.

"Peeping at the window?" asked the emperor.

Su Yan smiled embarrassedly: "Nothing can be hidden from the emperor."

"I guessed. With your personality, you care about this and that, and you can't let go of
anyone. How can you let go of the prince?"

Just now, they were far away, so they couldn't hear clearly. They only saw the prince
kneeling down, thinking that the emperor was angry. Now, they couldn't tell from the
emperor's expression, so Su Yan replied hesitantly: "I still have the position of the East
Palace tutor, so of course I have to fulfill my duties to the young master. However, whether I
am a tutor or a junior official, I am first and foremost a subject of the emperor, so of course I
will focus on the emperor's errands first."

"Sly guy!" The emperor sneered and changed the subject, "How is your shoulder injury? I
heard that you had a fever after returning home and stayed in bed for two days."
Chapter 219 Who is my true love?
2023-8-21 11:36 Category: Reincarnation of the powerful ministerTurn off the lights

"It's scabbed over. The emperor saw it with his own eyes. It's just a flesh wound, nothing
serious. The fever is because you caught a cold after falling into the water. You'll be fine after
drinking some medicine." As Su Yan spoke, he recalled the day when the emperor applied
medicine to him in the carriage. His ears felt hot. He wondered if he asked him if I was
hungry again, how should he answer?

The emperor then asked, "You came to the palace to celebrate the birthday so early in the
morning, and then you were busy outside the palace for most of the day. Are you hungry?"

Su Yan was choked by his saliva and coughed violently. The emperor smiled, walked over
and patted his back to calm him down, then took a plate of snacks from the table next to him
and asked him to eat with hot tea. Su Yan knew that he had made a mistake and blushed more
and more embarrassedly. He drank the tea and ate the snacks obediently.

After taking a few bites of the tea-scented Longjing pastry, he looked up at the emperor
standing in front of him, feeling a little embarrassed. "Your Majesty, you're just watching..."
He picked up one and handed it over, "How about you take one too?"

The emperor smiled and shook his head, then returned to the dragon throne behind the
imperial desk and sat down. He picked up a memorial and flipped through it, then wrote his
comments with his pen.

This considerate gesture greatly eased Su Yan's embarrassment. He quickly finished a plate
of snacks to appease his hunger, wiped the crumbs from his hands with a handkerchief, and
pointed to another plate of snacks and said, "His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has also
been busy for most of the day. Why don't the Emperor give him a plate as well?"

The emperor replied without raising his eyelids: "Don't worry, the East Palace has everything.
How can a prince starve?"

The prince would certainly not go hungry, but after being reprimanded, it would be a comfort
if he could receive something from his father, even if it was just a trivial plate of snacks.

Obviously, the emperor had no intention of appeasing the prince. Su Yan did not give up and
continued, "When I arrived at the Yishan Bureau earlier, I saw that the turmoil had been
quelled. His Royal Highness personally appeased the people and did not even blame the few
people who had offended him in person. This magnanimity must have been inherited from
the emperor."

"Not necessarily. Maybe he inherited his mother's name." The emperor said calmly, "I
emphasize rewarding the good and punishing the evil, but I am not always lenient."
All his attempts to plead in a roundabout way failed, as the emperor seemed determined to
punish the prince. Su Yan had no choice but to give up for the time being.

The emperor was not ready to give up, and put the memorial aside: "You are really doing
your job as the prince's tutor, and you always keep him in mind. Why don't you tell me, what
do you think of my eldest son?"

——It feels like another life-threatening question! If you say how good the prince is, the
emperor may not be happy to hear it, but if you say that the prince is not good, it will make
the father lose face. Similarly, if you say he is brave, he may be militaristic; if you say he is
smart, he may be scheming; if you say he is kind... Isn't this a satire on the emperor who just
scolded the prince?

My job as an official is so difficult...

Su Yan thought for a while, put the handkerchief in his arms, and replied calmly: "Your
Highness the Crown Prince is an honest child."

Although the tone was sincere, it sounded more like an elder praising a younger person.
Considering the age of seventeen or eighteen in this body and Su Yan's status as a minister, it
was considered an act of disrespect. The emperor was secretly pleased when he heard it, and
nodded, "The prince does not treat himself as a child. He always wants to prove to me that he
is already an adult who can compete with me."

The word "confrontation" was used in a subtle way. Su Yan said hurriedly, "The prince is no
different from any other son in the world who wants to prove himself to his parents. No
matter how hard he tries, it's just to get a word of approval from his parents."

The emperor smiled and said, "After all, you are still on his side. No wonder, we are close in
age, so we can talk more easily."

Su Yan answered flatteringly, "We are about the same age, but our personalities are quite
different. The Crown Prince is straightforward, and I often don't know how to appreciate
things, so it's common for me to anger the Crown Prince. Fortunately, the Crown Prince is
generous and doesn't care, and he let it go after he calms down. If you have to say who I
support in my heart, it's of course my country of Daming. I dare not forget my country at any
time."

The answer was flawless, but... it didn't sound good, especially the last sentence. Others said
it to show their loyalty, but for him, it became a desire to survive. The emperor looked at Su
Yan with a slight mockery and said, "I am the country."

Su Yan could only follow the emperor's lead: "If that's the case, then I am truly loyal to His
Majesty. Long live the emperor."
How many times do I have to hear "Long live" every day? Why does it sound so awkward
when it comes out of his mouth? The emperor looked at Su Yan with an indescribable
expression and waved his hand: "Come here."

Su Yan put down the teacup and walked to the imperial desk a little nervously.

"Closer."

Su Yan moved closer, until his belly was almost touching the edge of the table.

The emperor leaned forward and used the end of the pen to push at his collar. "Where is 'a
piece of loyalty'? I am very interested. I am waiting for Su Qing to present it to me."

Su Yan covered his clothes with his hands and said with embarrassment, "My heart is with
you. I have already presented the birthday gift. Your Majesty, please don't take away the
foundation of my life."

He knew that the other party was joking at the moment, which was quite rare for Emperor
Jinglong's deep and introverted character, so he did not seriously block it. The collar of his
clothes opened a little, and the jade seal tied to a red rope slipped out from the collar.

The emperor was startled at first, then stopped smiling, his expression became a little serious,
but his eyes became more passionate. He suddenly stood up, hooked his fingers around the
red rope, and pulled Su Yan's body towards him.

Su Yan was pulled forward and leaned forward. He subconsciously supported himself on the
edge of the table to keep his balance. The jade seal was hanging above a blank imperial edict,
swaying back and forth. The end of the mutton-fat jade seal was engraved with "Jin Yin", and
on the five-color silk brocade was "Emperor Feng Tian Cheng Yun", the two were one and
the same, complementing each other.

They were so close that they could hear each other's breath. Su Yan supported himself on the
edge of the coffee table with his hands and swallowed nervously. His Adam's apple slid up
and down on his jade-colored neck. The emperor's voice was light and low: "My private seal,
why don't you keep it well?"

To achieve small goals in life, you have to start with the 100 million hanging around your
neck. Of course, Su Yan couldn't say that, so he replied: "I'm afraid I'll lose it."

Emperor: "If you hang it close to your body, you are not afraid of losing it, but you are not
afraid of being seen by others?"

Su Yan: "Others - no one else, really no one -"

The emperor said: "Now that it is hanging, you are not allowed to take it down. If anyone
wants to see it, you should first ask him if he dares to touch the private collection with the
imperial seal."

Su Yan blushed and said in annoyance, "This is not a private collection of mine, and there is
no special seal on it!"

The emperor smiled and said, "Then build one. Where do you want to build it?"

Su Yan felt panic inexplicably, and wanted to escape as soon as he felt panic: "Your Majesty
is very busy, I dare not disturb you any more. If you have nothing else to tell me, I will take
my leave first--"

Not only did the emperor not allow him to leave, but he stood up, picked him up and placed
him on the imperial desk.

"The imperial edict... and the memorial are hidden!" Su Yan shouted softly and tried to climb
down from the table using his hands and feet.
Chapter 220 Where to build
2023-8-21 11:36 Category: Reincarnation of the powerful ministerTurn off the lights

Su Yan felt panic inexplicably, and wanted to escape as soon as he felt panic: "Your Majesty
is very busy, I dare not disturb you any more. If you have nothing else to tell me, I will take
my leave first--"

Not only did the emperor not allow him to leave, but he stood up, picked him up and placed
him on the imperial desk.

"The imperial edict... and the memorial are hidden!" Su Yan shouted softly and tried to climb
down from the table using his hands and feet.

"Just suppress it." The emperor laid his upper body down on the wide imperial desk. The
sleeves of his ochre-yellow robe embroidered with dragon patterns swept across, and the pen
holder, inkstone, and paperweight fell to the ground with a clatter.

Su Yan's tailbone hit the hard edge of the golden nanmu table, and his legs were hanging in
the air, which was very uncomfortable. The emperor held his knees and put them on both
sides of his waist, and ordered: "Hold your legs tight."

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty! This is really not possible. I cannot..." Su Yan grabbed around
with his hands in panic, and found that what he was holding was a memorial presented by the
cabinet, so he quickly let go.

He dared to hit Prince Yu with the chessboard, but he didn't dare to hit the emperor with the
things on the table. Even if he dared, he couldn't bear to do it. In the end, he could only hold
the emperor's arm tightly and plead softly, "In broad daylight, and in the imperial study of the
outer court, if someone sees me, my reputation will be ruined, but it will hurt Your Majesty's
face. Your Majesty, let me down first. I have official business to make a suggestion."

The emperor rested his arms on the table on both sides of his shoulders, leaning forward and
staring. Their faces were close together, and the emperor's heavy and warm breath brushed
Su Yan's cheeks and neck. He couldn't help but shudder, and the pores all over his body
seemed to explode as if they were electrified, bursting out tiny sparks that were both crisp
and numb.

"Without my order, who dares to approach the imperial study? If you want to discuss official
business, we can do so this way." The emperor picked up a memorial from the corner of the
table and put it into Su Yan's hand, "Read this memorial to me."

Su Yan opened the memorial dazedly and scanned it. He felt the emperor unbuckling his belt,
and quickly reached out to hold it down, saying in a trembling voice, "Your Majesty, don't—"
"read."

Su Yan was helpless. He gathered his clothes in vain with one hand and held the memorial
with the other. He read a few lines intermittently and said in surprise, "Is it to impeach me? It
says that I have connections with the Hidden Sword Sect, that I wrote and performed the
prophecy of the Vacuum Sect's treason, and that I fabricated achievements to seek credit...
Bullshit!"

The emperor slapped him on the buttocks as a punishment. Su Yan trembled slightly in the
slight pain and numbness, and said hurriedly: "I made a mistake and shouldn't have said dirty
words in front of the king."

The emperor took out three or four more memorials and threw them into his hands: "They are
all impeachments against you."

Su Yan quickly browsed through them one by one and found that the charges of
impeachment were varied, ranging from flattery to factionalism. There was even a book that
accused him of deliberately living in a small house and not hiring servants, pretending to be
honest to gain reputation.

Su Yan was furious at first, but the more he read, the more ridiculous it seemed to him. In the
end, he almost laughed: "What the hell are these?" He curled his lips in disdain, "I'm sorry,
Your Majesty, I couldn't help but swear, which offended Your Majesty."

The emperor said, "In fact, I sometimes want to curse people like this, but I can't do it out
loud because of the emperor's etiquette."

Su Yan asked: "Your Majesty, you showed these memorials to me. Do you hope that I can
correct my mistakes and improve myself?"

The emperor pointed to the other corner of the table and said, "Look over there."

Su Yan turned around and saw a thick stack of memorials, more than a dozen in total. He was
a little shocked: "All of them are scolding me? No way... am I that annoying?"

The emperor laughed and said, "No, those are impeachments against the ministers. Especially
the Prime Minister Li Chengfeng, who alone accounted for more than half of them."

"The elder was also scolded?"

"I am scolded, so how can you not be scolded? Since the founding of our dynasty, no matter
how many achievements or what kind of people we have, all the Prime Ministers have been
scolded."
"…So, Your Majesty wants to tell me that I should not panic if I am impeached. If someone
insults me, I will insult them back. And the insults I make must be more brutal than theirs,
and the charges I fabricate must be more serious?"

"Nonsense!" The emperor pretended to be angry and slapped him on the buttocks again, but
there was a smile in his eyes, "I want to tell you that you should do what you should do.
There is no need to panic or be afraid to act because of being impeached. These memorials
will only be memorials if I approve them. Otherwise, they are just a pile of waste paper."

Su Yan was stunned, looking at the emperor who was propped up above him like the sky, his
cheeks flushed, and his breathing became a little rapid. He threw the memorial in his hand out
of the table, hugged the emperor's neck with both hands, raised his head slightly, and asked in
a low voice like a murmur: "What about my memorial? Is it waste paper?"

The emperor held the back of his head with his palm, opened the drawer with his other hand,
took out a thick memorial, and placed it on his chest: "Why don't you read it yourself?"

Su Yan picked up the memorial and looked at his handwriting on the cover. He immediately
recognized it. This was the one he had sent to the emperor via the post station when he was
the governor and censor in Shaanxi. There was also a hidden letter in it that he had secretly
written, hoping that the emperor would notice it with some subtle feelings.

The edges of the memorial cover were frayed, obviously due to frequent rubbing. Su Yan saw
the words "My body is thousands of miles away, my heart is in the Purple Palace, I pray for
the health of the Holy Saint" scattered on the white paper. The ink color was blurred by the
rubbing, and suddenly a warm feeling of emotion surged in his heart.

"You have been in Shaanxi for half a year. Whenever I think of you, I will take out this
memorial and flip through it. I can see how you write under the lamp, how you carefully
calculate the position of the hidden characters, how you crumple up the wrong pages in
frustration, and how you rub your wrists with a look of pride and anticipation after you have
finished. "

Su Yan's eyes were filled with moist mist: "Your Majesty's care is so deep, I am not as good
as you, I feel... ashamed..."

The emperor smiled bitterly and said, "I don't want to hear you say the word 'shame' again.
The so-called 'shame' is mostly due to a sense of indebtedness. In a matter of love, both
giving and responding should be voluntary. I don't want you to feel that you owe anyone."

Su Yan felt even more guilty, and choked up, "Your Majesty..."

The emperor said, "Keep turning."

Su Yan sniffed and turned to the last page. Suddenly, a palm-sized green jade pendant fell out
from the fold and landed on his half-open chest, causing a chill.

He picked it up and looked at it carefully - isn't this the lotus leaf jade pendant he had lost
earlier? When he first entered the palace, he accidentally overheard the conversation between
Emperor Jinglong and Lan Xi in the Imperial Garden and learned the truth about the farce in
the palace examination. He accidentally lost the jade pendant when he fled in a hurry. He
went back to look for it, but couldn't find it. It turned out to be in the emperor's hand... Then
didn't the emperor know about his eavesdropping?

Su Yan was extremely embarrassed: "The Emperor had already... When I first entered the
palace, I was reckless, but the Emperor was so kind that he not only did not punish me, but
also..."

The emperor smiled faintly, holding his hand along with the jade pendant, and gently sliding
his fingertips on the back of his hand: "I still want to catch the big white cat that dared to
eavesdrop on the corner, and hold it on my knees and caress it."

Lan Xi was covering up for his nephew at the time, lying that it was a big white cat that ran
away. The emperor did not punish him afterwards, and even did not mention the incident to
anyone.

Su Yan's face flushed, and he subconsciously stuffed the jade pendant into his arms, but he
found that his belt had been untied and hung on the corner of the table. The lapels of his outer
robe and middle clothes had been pulled down to his shoulders and arms, leaving his body
wide open. He cried out softly, "Hey."

"Last time when you asked me for your private seal, didn't I tell you that I had already
accepted the gift in return? Do you want to go back on your word now?" The emperor took
the jade pendant from his hand, put it into his dragon robe, and took off the red rope that
hung the jade seal from around his neck.

Su Yan grabbed it without hesitation, holding the jade seal and said, "Your Majesty, you can't
go back on your word, it's already been given to you——"

“I didn’t want to take it back.”

"Then Your Majesty..."

The emperor leaned over to Su Yan's ear, his breathing becoming heavier, his voice tinged
with lust and hoarseness: "I said I would stamp your seal, and I'm serious. Where do you
think it would be most appropriate to stamp it?"
Su Yan let go of the jade seal and grabbed the emperor's shoulders instead. The dragon-
patterned gold thread on the robe rubbed his palms slightly, and he felt unbearable anxiety
and a sense of emptiness, longing to be filled with something warm, deep, lingering, and
gentle.

"I... don't know..." he said almost in a wailing tone.

The emperor felt down from his collarbone: "How is it here?"

"Ah!" Su Yan took a short breath, "Your Majesty, don't..."

"Inappropriate?" The emperor removed his fingertips with regret and continued exploring
downwards.

The skin on her chest and abdomen was as smooth as jade, and the newly grown muscles
were thin and strong, with clean lines, giving her a freshness and flexibility between youth
and adolescence. The emperor couldn't help but caressing them, as if he were playing with a
very rare jade artifact, feeling every slight tremor under his fingertips caused by the impact of
the passion.

Su Yan felt like a ball of candle wax, about to be crushed or melted. This feeling was hard to
describe. It was a panic of being completely controlled, mixed with the urge to give himself
up. When the emperor caressed the two shallow waist dimples, he made a sobbing sound of
begging for mercy.

"Is this not suitable here?" The emperor panted and tried to untie his belt. Su Yan suddenly
grabbed the emperor's hand and raised his head as high as he could. His wet eyes looked at
the hunter who was about to catch him like a deer caught in a trap.

The emperor was almost softened by his look, but the stronger desire that followed swept
over everything. Its power was so strong that even the emperor who ruled the world could not
resist it.

His trousers were pulled down below his knees, hanging halfway around his ankles. Su Yan
clamped his legs together in shame.

When he touched the root of the thigh, the emperor panted and said, "I think this is a good
place. What do you think, my dear?"

Su Yan had his official robe padding his back, with only his arms and calves covered with
cloth. He was so embarrassed and lustful that he couldn't answer a word.
The emperor took it as his tacit consent, and used his jade seal to dip some cinnabar used for
marking memorials from the inkstone that had overturned on the corner of the table, and
printed the two words "瑾隚" in bright red.

Su Yan only felt a little cold at the base of his legs and whispered, "Your Majesty!"

The emperor pressed his hand on his thigh to prevent the newly stamped mark from being
rubbed off. His movements were gentle, but his intention was strong: "I will only give you
my name. If anyone else sees it, it will be a capital crime of disrespect."

Su Yan suddenly became more sober and frowned, "What does the emperor mean by this?"

"My dear minister, you are very smart, so I don't need to say more. Be careful when you
bathe, and don't wash off the marks. I will check again in a few days. If the two words are
gone, I will punish you."

This... is more than just a collection seal, this is the toad's blood! Su Yan became angry and
struggled to get down from the imperial desk.

He turned over and lay face down while struggling. The emperor grasped both his wrists with
one hand and pressed them against his lower back, his fingers leaving red marks on his flesh.

Su Yan pressed her face against the imperial desk, aggrieved and wanting to cry: "How could
the emperor treat me like this... I am not the painting you collected!"

The emperor knew that he was uncomfortable, but he also thought that if he didn't ruthlessly
trap him, he would be cuckolded many times, so he lowered his voice and said, "If you are
really Hua'er, I will lock you up in the palace. I have given you enough freedom, and I only
need you to return a little loyalty. Can't you do it?"

Su Yan asked angrily, "Then can the emperor also be loyal to me? There are so many
beauties in the harem, have I ever asked the emperor not to visit the concubines? No, because
I know that it is my responsibility as an emperor. Even when the emperor stayed in Yongning
Palace every night recently, I didn't say a word of dissatisfaction. The emperor himself can't
be loyal, but he has the nerve to ask me to do it."

The emperor was stunned for a moment, then chuckled: "Is Qinghe jealous?"

"I didn't!" Su Yan answered stiffly.

The emperor could not help but lean over and kiss his exposed neck and shoulders, which
were as soft and dense as the drizzle in the spring forest. Su Yan twisted his body unwillingly
for a few times, but finally did not resist strongly. The emperor held his earlobe and sucked it
gently, whispering, "I did not touch Wei."

"…What did the Emperor say?"

"I said, it is true that I stayed in Yongning Palace, but I did not touch Wei."

He didn't visit the emperor, but he deliberately pretended that Concubine Wei had regained
her favor. It seemed that the emperor had other intentions... Just as Su Yan was trying to
figure out the deep meaning behind this, he was slapped on the butt a few more times, turning
the two snow-capped hills into white and rosy peaches. He bit the back of his hand and
hummed, not knowing whether it was painful or pleasurable.

"My dear minister, you are so distracted, it seems that you think my seal is not in the right
place?"

Su Yan felt as if the jade seal was a group of elite cavalry that was about to break in. He was
so scared that he cried out, "Focus! I promise not to be distracted again. Your Majesty, please
forgive me..."

The emperor thought he was extremely cute when he saw him so scared.

“Okay, okay, I won’t scare you anymore.” The emperor rubbed the red mark on Su Yan’s
wrist, picked him up, let him sit on his thighs, and fell backwards into the wide imperial
chair.

Su Yan wanted to get up, but the emperor held his waist and pressed him down.

The two of them competed without saying a word, and after a while they kissed deeply while
panting. The crimson gold-woven dragon robe and the scarlet official uniform with cloud
swallow patches were intertwined together. From time to time, a part of the thigh or arm was
exposed between the clothes, like snow under heavy flames.

There was a faint sound coming from outside the hall, as if someone was shouting something,
but no one in the hall was distracted enough to listen.

Another clearer voice came through the palace door. It was the shrill voice of Eunuch Lan Xi:
"Your Majesty! The Queen Mother is here. The imperial carriage has arrived at the courtyard
—"

——————
【small theater】

Xiaobei Xiaojing: The hot water is ready, but the adults have taken off half of their clothes
and haven’t washed them yet. They are rummaging around the house looking for something.

Su Yan: Find tape - uh, there's none these days, then use greaseproof paper - it won't stick to
the surface either, ahhhh, what on earth can cover it and prevent leakage? I'm driving myself
crazy!

Jing Hongzhui: To wrap it, to prevent leakage... Did you find it for me? (Blushing)

Shen Qi: It’s okay, just give birth if you get pregnant, I’ll take responsibility.

Prince Yu: Ask me, I know these things best. Use sheep intestines to make it. Let me measure
it for you.

Prince: What are they talking about?

Su Yan: Don’t ask too many questions to children. They have a lot of nonsense in their heads,
so don’t learn from them.

N years later, the rubber tributed by Jiaozhi was processed by Su Yan and the new emperor
found many new uses for it.
Chapter 221 The Living Son
2023-8-21 11:37 Category: Reincarnation of the powerful ministerTurn off the lights

Queen Mother? The two disheveled people sitting on the throne were both startled.

The Empress Dowager liked quietness and usually lived in the Cining Palace. She didn't go
out very often. At most, she would summon some monks and Taoists to the palace to preach.
She would occasionally go to the Yangxin Palace, but this was her first time to the Imperial
Study in the Outer Court. Moreover, she came so hastily without even saying hello. I guess
she had a purpose.

Emperor Jinglong kissed Su Yan's forehead with an apologetic look, then stood up and
straightened his clothes and crown, whispering, "I will go out to deal with it. You should get
dressed and stay away. There is still a long way to go."

Su Yan emerged from the cooling tide of emotion, too embarrassed to utter a word. With a
flushed face, he jumped off the dragon chair, picked up the trousers on the floor and quickly
put them on, then hurriedly tried to put on his mid-length clothes.

Outside the palace, the Queen Mother's voice could be heard through the door: "...You left
the Emperor alone in the palace while you servants are lazing around outside. What's the
reason?"

Amid the unclear explanations given by the palace servants, the empress dowager raised her
voice unhappily: "No matter how important the political affairs are, the emperor cannot be
left without someone to serve him. Open the palace door, I have something to ask the
emperor... Who dares to stop me?"

Lan Xi wanted to delay further, but was "invited" to the side by two palace servants behind
the Queen Mother. Before the palace door opened, he only had time to shout loudly: "The
Queen Mother has arrived——"

The door opened, and a figure walked in against the light, and the palace servants behind him
immediately closed the door.

Poor Su Yan had just put on his middle robe and didn't even have time to tie the belt, let
alone hide in the back hall. In a hurry, he wrapped his official robe and black gauze hat in a
mess, held it in his arms, and crawled under the imperial desk.

The space below the imperial desk is quite spacious, more than enough to accommodate one
person, and the three outward sides are covered with floor-length table curtains with
embroidered gold dragon patterns. This is to prevent the emperor's legs from being seen by
his ministers after he takes his seat, so as to maintain his royal demeanor.
After Su Yan got in, he suddenly found that his belt was still hanging on the corner of the
table. He quickly reached out to grab the hanging end and pulled it in like peeling a snake's
skin.

Emperor Jinglong leaned over to look at him, his expression was hard to describe. Su Yan
mouthed: It's too late to avoid it, help me block it.

The emperor smiled faintly and moved forward as far as he could. He shook the wide hem of
his dragon robe to cover his head, making it difficult to be seen from the outside.

At this moment, the Empress Dowager walked to the screen at the door of the study. Seeing
the mess on the floor and no time to clean it up, the Emperor picked up the overturned
cinnabar inkstone beside the desk and threw it to the ground, pretending to be angry: "I told
you not to bother me and let me be alone, but you are making all kinds of noise outside. Are
you trying to disobey my order?"

"It's me." The Queen Mother appeared from behind the screen, followed by two personal
maids.

Emperor Jinglong showed a look of surprise, stood up, saluted and said, "It turns out that it is
my mother who has come. May you be well and safe."

The empress dowager looked at the mess near the imperial desk, with memorials, pens and
inkstones scattered all over the floor. On the one hand, she doubted that the emperor would
lose his temper so much based on his temperament; on the other hand, thinking of the stone
pillar in the courtyard, she felt that the emperor's anger was within her expectations.

"Emperor, no matter how difficult the political situation is, it is not worth getting angry
about. Take care of your health."

"Thank you for your teachings, mother. I understand now."

The Queen Mother nodded and asked him to sit down. She also picked up the armchair under
the imperial table and sat down. She winked at the two senior palace maids. The palace maids
understood and quietly withdrew, pretending to make tea to check whether there were people
hiding in the corners of the palace.

Lan Xi also quietly opened the palace door and slipped in. After receiving the emperor's eye
signal, he hurried to the imperial desk to clean up the things on the floor. He glanced at the
study room with the corner of his eye, but Su Yan was not there. He was wondering in his
heart, and suddenly found that the sole of his shoe was stepping on a corner of crimson cloth,
which was different in color from the emperor's crimson dragon robe. His eyes could not help
but follow the cloth to the bottom of the imperial desk -
The emperor cleared his throat and shook the hem of his dragon robe twice. Lan Xi hurriedly
took a half step back, and the corner of crimson cloth shrank under the table with a "whoosh".

The Queen Mother took a sip of tea and put down the cup. The Emperor said, "If your mother
has something to tell me, just send someone to tell me. Why bother yourself?"

"It's not really an order, I just heard some rumors and wanted to verify them with the
emperor. I just saw the stone pillar standing up in the court, it seems the evidence is solid."

The emperor lowered his eyelids, and played with the Qinghe jade pendant in his sleeves.
"Could it be that the rumor that my mother was referring to was about the Yishan Bureau
incident that happened this morning, and it was spread to the Cining Palace so quickly?"

Of course, the Queen Mother couldn't tell her directly that Concubine Wei came to her crying
with her child in her arms to seek justice. But even if this hadn't happened, she would never
ignore it after knowing it, and Concubine Wei pointed to the prince as the mastermind behind
the scenes. The Queen Mother was particularly fond of her little grandson, and now she
suspected that the prince was narrow-minded and could not tolerate others, so she used such a
trick to destroy the foundation of others, without considering the brotherhood at all.

The Queen Mother had two sons of her own, and they did not get along very well, which
made her attach particular importance to brotherhood. If the incident of the stone pillar was
really done by the prince, then it would have violated her taboo.

"Don't worry about how I know this. First, tell me, how are you going to deal with this
matter?"

The emperor replied: "Don't worry, mother. I will handle this matter properly."

The empress dowager did not get a satisfactory answer, so she stood up abruptly and walked
step by step to the throne where the emperor was sitting.

Su Yan huddled under the imperial desk, and when he heard the empress dowager's footsteps
approaching, he became more and more nervous. He didn't even have time to put on his outer
robe, and half of his body was still under the emperor's robe. If the empress dowager found
him in such an unbecoming state, how would he explain himself? I'm afraid she wouldn't
even give him a chance to explain, and would just ask someone to drag him out and show
him to the public.

In his nervousness, he could not help but squeeze deeper into the emperor's robe. In the
darkness, his nose seemed to touch something half-soft and half-hard. At the same time, he
smelled a familiar masculine scent from the royal fragrance of lavender.
He was stunned for a moment, and as the hot breath sprayed out, the thing quickly swelled up
again and pressed against his lips through the clothes.

Su Yan suddenly reacted and lowered his head as much as possible in embarrassment, hoping
that the empress dowager would leave quickly after showing off her power.

The emperor tightly grasped the jade pendant in his sleeve, breathing rapidly, with a faint
blush on his cheeks.

The Queen Mother was preoccupied with her own thoughts and did not notice his subtle
changes in expression. She walked to the throne and stopped, saying angrily, "The Emperor
has doted on the Crown Prince for fifteen years. Do you plan to continue doing so? He is so
young, yet he is already so tyrannical that he cannot tolerate his younger brother. When he
holds power in the future, won't he cause trouble within his family?"

The emperor's breathing was a little disordered, and he managed to speak smoothly: "My
mother is... a little too worried. He Lin... is not that serious."

The Queen Mother said, "He is not like you! I have always felt that he is not like you, both in
appearance and temperament. He looks a bit like his mother, but his temperament is unique.
How you treat your brother, I have seen it all these years. No matter how dissatisfied
Cheng'er was, I stood by you and never said a word. Because I know you will never harm
him."

As she spoke, the emperor gradually calmed down and sighed, "But my fourth brother doesn't
believe me. I have imprisoned him for ten years, destroying his most important freedom and
ambition to fight on the battlefield. It is understandable that he resents me."

"——You are the one who bears the blame for me. Your mother knows it." The Queen
Mother's tone softened, and she reached out to touch the Emperor's fist on the imperial desk.
The Emperor clenched his fist, as if he wanted to retract it, but then relaxed again. The Queen
Mother continued, "Back then, Datong almost had a mutiny. I was afraid that Cheng'er would
be held hostage by the army and do something stupid. I was also worried that you would
suspect him, be on guard against him, or even punish him. That's why I pretended to be sick
and asked you to call him back to take care of him."

The emperor was silent for a moment, then said, "I still remember what my mother said at
that time. I have remembered it for more than ten years."

The Queen Mother nodded: "Yes, I said it - I don't want a dead prince or general who is
famous in history, I just want a living son.

"Cheng'er followed the late emperor to the northern desert when he was twelve years old. In
the past six years, he has experienced countless battles, both large and small, and survived
several near-death experiences. Every scar on his body is like a knife cutting a deep wound in
my heart. A good swimmer drowns in water. From ancient times to the present, there has
never been a general who has always won. A general dies in a hundred battles and returns
wrapped in his horse's hide. How many times have I woken up from nightmares with cold
sweats, as if every time I see him is the last time. I really can't stand this torture, so I took the
opportunity of the mutiny in the army to ask you to call him back."

The emperor shook his head slightly: "If I hadn't been worried about the military power in his
hands, I wouldn't have been so forceful to keep him in the capital, so I can't say that I took the
blame for my mother, but it's what I deserve."

The Queen Mother patted the back of his hand with relief and said, "Although Cheng'er has
resentment in his heart, he is still a person who understands the overall situation and takes the
overall situation into consideration. It is what the Queen Mother is most pleased to see that
you two are living in peace. But what about the Crown Prince? He can't wait to get rid of his
little brother when he is still a toddler. He is so cruel and narrow-minded, which is not the
virtue of a monarch. Emperor, please think about this carefully."

What was she considering? Was it how to teach the crown prince or to reconsider the
foundation of the country? The queen mother did not say clearly.

But the emperor understood the underlying meaning and fell silent again.

Su Yan, who was sitting at the imperial desk, also understood that the Queen Mother's
dissatisfaction with the Crown Prince had accumulated to a considerable extent. Even though
the Second Prince was just a young child whose talents and temperament were still unknown,
it could not affect the shift in the balance in her heart.

Besides this, there was another thing that surprised him - the reason why she kept Prince Yu
under control and refused to let him lead the troops, apart from the emperor's inevitable
vigilance, was more because of the empress dowager's love for her son!

Prince Yu therefore always resented his brother, but he was unaware that there was someone
else who had the final say behind the scenes.

As for the empress dowager, during the past ten years, she witnessed Prince Yu's many
criticisms and provocations against the emperor, and her dissolute life of seeking pleasure
from women, but she never uttered a word of explanation. Was it because she wanted to
fulfill the human happiness of a loving mother and a filial son? Or did she think that since he
was a son, it was only natural for him to take responsibility for his mother and help her get
what she wanted?
When drinking with Prince Yu, Su Yan once heard him casually mention that he had always
felt that the Queen Mother favored his brother, but for some reason, his brother felt that the
Queen Mother favored him. The two brothers had argued over this when they were young.

But judging from the current situation, even Su Yan was a little confused - who did the
Queen Mother truly love?

Perhaps this kind of "love" is the greatest power a mother can have to control her children.

Su Yan remained silent and motionless, his mood suddenly became depressed, and he didn't
know for whom.

The emperor finally spoke: "I will consider it carefully. Mother, you have worked hard,
please return to the palace and rest early."

The Queen Mother knew that her son was calm and never made promises without thinking,
so she was relieved. Before leaving, she said, "That stone pillar outside the palace looks evil.
It's not a good thing. I'll have someone smash it and throw it into the river. Then I'll ask two
masters to perform a ritual to eliminate the evil miasma in the palace."

Su Yan laughed at himself: In the Queen Mother's mind, those who are "evil" and "not a good
thing" probably include him, besides the Crown Prince, because he insisted on fighting with
the Wei family.

Finally, when the Queen Mother left, Su Yan heard Lan Xigong escorting her out of the
palace. She took the opportunity to get out from under the imperial desk, took a few deep
breaths, and whispered to the emperor, "I am extremely rude and ashamed. I have no face to
see you, Your Majesty. I will go back and reflect on myself."

The emperor stood up, took the official uniform from his hand, shook out the wrinkles, and
draped it over his shoulders: "I lost control and almost got you into trouble. If the empress
dowager had really found out and made a fuss, I would be fine, but your reputation would be
ruined. I'm afraid you will be branded as a seducer from now on, and your career in the
government will be hopeless."

Su Yan quickly put on his clothes and tied his belt. His shame gradually faded away as he
was wrapped in cloth. He said earnestly, "Your Majesty, I appreciate your care. My personal
affairs are not worth mentioning. The pillar outside, along with a series of follow-ups and
inside stories involved, is the thorny matter - I wonder if Your Majesty has any idea about
it?"

The emperor stared at him and asked, "Do you believe me?"
Su Yan thought about it and answered seriously: "Yes."

The emperor smiled and said, "Then continue to believe."

He reached out and gathered up a few strands of Su Yan's hair, carefully stuffed them into his
hat, and hung the jade seal back on Su Yan's neck, placing it close to his skin, and then
whispered in his ear: "I like the music you presented me very much. I wanted to reward you
with a red jade flute, but unfortunately the Queen Mother came at the wrong time. Well, we'll
talk about it next time."

Su Yan suspected that the emperor had some hidden meaning in his words, and was also
worried that he had misunderstood, so he answered with a smile: "I can't play the flute, and it
would be a waste of God's gift for the emperor to give me such a precious instrument."

"You can learn if you don't know. I can teach you." The emperor sniffed his temples, as if
sniffing the subtle fragrance that disturbed people's hearts in the evening breeze. Before he
left, he reminded him again, "Remember, don't erase my name."

Su Yan thought of the cinnabar mark on his leg and felt very embarrassed: "You can't ask me
to carefully cover it every time I take a bath, right?"

The emperor smiled and said, "Don't worry, it won't be long before I wipe it off myself."

Personally... rub it off? Su Yan shuddered, not daring to think too much, and bowed and left.

After leaving the Imperial Study, he hesitated whether to go to the East Palace to visit Zhu
Helin who had been reprimanded. Moreover, the matter of the Stone Pillar Prophecy must be
properly resolved. He also wanted to ask the prince what plan he had in mind, but he was
worried that he was in the vortex now and would bring trouble to the other party if he went.
The prince must also need time to digest what happened today, so he should go home first,
find Fu Bao to pass on a message, and then arrange the time and place to meet.

Today is February 14th, the birthday festival full of twists and turns.

After three days of rest, at the court meeting on February 17, he was ready to take the
initiative to attack the part of the enemy that had revealed itself.
Chapter 222 It’s a pity that he is on the wrong side
2023-8-21 11:37 Category: Reincarnation of the powerful ministerTurn off the lights

Xian'an Marquis Mansion.

Mr. He walked out from the corridor and saw a maid from the marquis's mansion waiting
outside his door.

In addition, there is a woman wearing a white silk jacket and a blue satin skirt standing by the
railing, seemingly admiring the big cherry tree in the courtyard. Her dark hair is piled with
pearls and jade, and her phoenix hairpin is half removed. Her graceful back alone is enough
to make countless men have wild thoughts.

But Mr. He's eyes only swept across her, his gaze as indifferent as if he was looking at a
stone.

The maid bowed and said, "How are you, sir? This is Aunt Ruan from Yongning Palace. She
is here to discuss matters with you, sir, in compliance with the order of the queen."

Mr. He nodded and replied gently, "I understand. Thank you for waiting for me. You can go
now."

The maid's cheeks turned slightly red and she bowed and left.

"I wonder what the Imperial Concubine sent Aunt Ruan to discuss with me?" Mr. He called
to the woman with her back to him.

The woman turned around slowly and looked at him with a smile. She had eyebrows like
willow leaves, lips like cherries, almond eyes and a face like lotus. Although she was not as
beautiful as Concubine Wei, she was more charming and graceful.

"Sir, do you want to discuss something with me in the corridor?" The woman spoke in a soft
voice with a slight tremor at the end of the tone, like a seductive glissando.

Mr. He lowered his eyes and thought for a moment, then opened the door and gestured for
you to come in: "Aunt, please."

Ruan Hongjiao came in, and after he and she sat down as host and guest, she started talking
about the main topic: "I am here to see you on the orders of the queen. This is the queen's
phoenix necklace. Please take a look at it."
Mr. He took it and looked at it carefully. It was indeed the necklace that Concubine Wei often
hung on the palace belt around her waist to hold down the width of her skirt. She had worn it
during the several times she met him.

He returned the necklace to Ruan Hongjiao, but Ruan Hongjiao deliberately refused to take it
and continued, "My lady, I want to ask you, sir, do you know about the stone pillar that was
found in the well at Yishan Bureau yesterday?"

Mr. He placed the phoenix necklace on the coffee table, lit the sandalwood in the small stove,
and calmly answered in the rising white smoke: "This matter spread throughout the capital
overnight. Many rumors in the market called it a strange sign from the sky, implying that the
second prince is an ominous person who will bring disaster to Daming in the future. I'm sure
your Majesty will be uneasy after hearing this."

"That's right. Your Majesty was so worried that she didn't sleep well all night." Ruan
Hongjiao said, "Although the stone pillar has been smashed and sunk into the river at the
instruction of the Queen Mother, the rumors are hard to stop, and I'm afraid it will greatly
damage the reputation of the Second Prince. The Second Prince is just a child, why should he
bear such a bad reputation? Your Majesty can't figure it out, so she asked me to find you and
ask if this was man-made? What is the solution?"

Mr. He personally brewed tea for Ruan Hongjiao. After she took a sip from the cup and
looked satisfied, he said, "Your Majesty, if you believe it is God's will, then it is God's will; if
you believe it is man-made, then it is man-made."

Ruan Hongjiao smiled and said, "I am a layman. Sir, your witty remarks to me are like
playing the lute to a cow. Sir, can I understand your words this way - rather than saying that
God is using human hands to express His will, it is better to say that human beings are using
God's will to act?"

"Auntie is really born with wisdom."

"The Queen said that you are wise, do you know who did this?"

Mr. He said, "I think the Majesty has already suspected someone, so there is no need to ask
me again."

Ruan Hongjiao sighed softly, "Sir, you really have everything in mind. The Queen said that
the stone pillar was found in the hands of the Crown Prince, and it ruined the Second Prince's
reputation, and the Crown Prince also benefited the most. She didn't think of anyone other
than the Crown Prince as the person who set up the trap. Now that there are rumors
everywhere, may I ask if you have a plan to break the trap?"
As the incense smoked, Mr. He stood up and walked to the zither table, sitting cross-legged
on the cushion, his black hair cascading down his white robe. He plucked the strings of the
zither, making a series of crisp sounds like metal and stone: "If you just respond to the
opponent's moves, you will always be passive. In fact, I have already told the Marquis, the
Madam, and the Queen the solution. Now it's still the same four words, just adapt it to the
situation."

"I am stupid and have never heard the Majesty mention it. May I ask what the four words
are?"

"'Drain the firewood from under the cauldron.'" Mr. He said calmly while playing the zither,
"Instead of thinking hard about how to break the situation, why not just take down the person
who set up the situation? Isn't that draining the firewood from under the cauldron?"

Ruan Hongjiao frowned slightly: "The prince is still the prince, how can he be controlled?"

"First cut off his arms, causing him severe pain and making him unable to take care of
himself, then cut off his roots, once and for all."

"The prince's arms..."

Mr. He pressed the strings with one hand to stop the music, looked at Ruan Hongjiao, and
said slowly: "The Junior Officials of the Dali Temple Su Yan, Su Qinghe."

Ruan Hongjiao's heart trembled, and she almost showed a look of shock. Fortunately, she was
smart and immediately raised her sleeve to cover half of her face, and said with a sweet
smile: "I have heard of this name, and I also saw this Lord Su during the Jinshi parade. He is
such a handsome young man. What a pity."

"What a pity?"

"It's a pity that he is on the wrong side. Since he can't be used by the queen, then just do as
you said and cut him off."

The sound of the guqin sounded again. Mr. He closed his eyes slightly, and his fingertips
plucked the strings, as if he had forgotten himself and the world.

Ruan Hongjiao approached him, leaning against the piano table and sitting on the futon, her
blue skirt spreading all over the ground like waves. She leaned over and whispered, "Please
teach me how to do it specifically, sir."

Mr. He closed his eyes and remained silent. After the song "Wind in the Pines" ended, he
turned around and whispered to Ruan Hongjiao.
Ruan Hongjiao became more and more shocked as she listened, but she showed admiration
on her face. Finally, she nodded and said, "I will return to the palace and tell Her Majesty
what you said. Please wait for my reply."

She stood up and bowed. After taking two steps, she suddenly seemed to remember
something and turned back. She took out a roll of Goryeo tribute paper from her sleeve,
which was as white as silk and as tough as silk, and handed it to Mr. He: "This is the scripture
and annotations written by the queen herself. Knowing that you are proficient in Buddhism, I
specially sent it to you for your guidance. You can write down your opinions on it. I will take
it back to the palace when we meet next time."

Without waiting for Mr. He's reply, she put the paper roll into his arms and left.

Mr. He unrolled the paper and saw a picture of the King and his Consort hugging each other,
with their hands and feet folded. Below it was a line of words: "The Great Sun Sutra
Commentary 9 says: 'Furthermore, if a man and a woman have sexual intercourse, the seeds
of cause and condition are placed in the womb and do not perish, which means they support
each other.' What does this mean? I hope you can enlighten me."

This is not a scripture at all, it is clearly an expression of seeking pleasure through the method
of dual cultivation of Tantric Buddhism. Concubine Wei actually had such thoughts about
him... Mr. He raised his eyebrows and looked at the string of phoenix necklaces left by Ruan
Hongjiao on the coffee table. He smiled with an unfathomable meaning, walked to the desk,
opened the box for trophies and collections, and locked the paper scroll and the necklace in it.

After Ruan Hongjiao left the Marquis' Mansion, her legs suddenly went weak. Fortunately,
she was supported by her maid in time.

The maid took out a handkerchief, wiped the beads of sweat on her forehead, and asked with
concern: "What's wrong with you, young lady? Do you want to see a doctor?"

Ruan Hongjiao took a deep breath and said in a deep voice, "No need. Send me back to
Yanzhi Lane first. I need to think it over carefully before planning. By the way, there will be
a three-day holiday for the Wanshou Festival. I believe Lord Su will also be resting at home.
When I have thought it over, you can quietly go to the Su Mansion to pass on the message for
me. Don't let anyone find out."
Chapter 223 But He Must Have
2023-8-21 11:38 Category: Reincarnation of the powerful ministerTurn off the lights

Ruan Hongjiao sat at the round table in her boudoir, with peanut shells scattered all around
her. She stared absentmindedly at the red lacquer box on the table, and put the peeled peanuts
into her mouth with her slender fingers.

The savings box was a New Year gift from Su Yan. She cherished the peanuts, walnuts, red
dates and other fruits in it, eating a little bit every day. Now, after a month or so, there is not
much left.

She frowned as she chewed, as if she was confused, or making a very difficult and dangerous
choice.

With a slight "click" sound, she bit her fingertips and the peanut together, and tasted the
blood in her mouth. As if it was a mysterious decision, she clenched her fists and stood up
suddenly, walked to the door and called her personal maid in, whispering in her ear in detail-

Su Xiaobei was used to buying condiments from the peddler in the alley behind the Su
residence. That evening, he went to buy soybean paste, and when he came back, he didn't
even have time to put down the sauce. He went straight to the master's bedroom and
rummaged around in the jar in front of Su Yan, and took out a beeswax ball the size of a
lychee.

"The peddler is so generous that he gives away Black Chicken and White Phoenix Pills when
I buy a can of soybean paste?" Su Yan said casually while reading a book and waiting for
dinner.

Su Xiaobei did not joke with his master, and his expression seemed a little serious: "I met
Ruan Xingtou's maid, dressed like a servant of a wealthy family, and also came to the peddler
to buy sauce. Whichever jar I bought, she would take a fancy to it and insisted on exchanging
it with me."

"how about you?"

"Just change it, why would I bother with a little girl?" Su Xiaobei seemed to have forgotten
that he was only fifteen years old, and said in a mature manner, "I paid the money and left,
but the girl secretly told me, 'The girl said that there is something in the jar that concerns
human life, please make sure your master sees it.' Here, I took it out for you, it's up to you
whether you want to see it or not."

Su Yan took it, rinsed it with clean water, opened the beeswax shell, and pulled out a small
roll of paper from it.
On the note was written Ruan Hongjiao's tiny calligraphy: "Be careful of changes in Wanxin,
and pay attention to Mr. Hou Fuhe."

Su Yan was stunned. Given his relationship with Ruan Hongjiao, she would not lie to him.
But where did Ruan Hongjiao get the information? Was it true or a smokescreen? Why didn't
she explain it to him face to face?

Su Yan twisted the piece of paper in his hand and thought for a moment, then threw it into the
small stove for making tea, and it burned to ashes in the blink of an eye.

Su Xiaobei asked: "Why did you burn this note, sir? Did Ruan Xingshou write something
unpleasant?"

Su Yan shook her head. "I'm worried about Sister Ruan. She passed the information to me in
such a covert way. I guess she was afraid of being followed, so I had to burn it after reading
it. Judging from her temperament and behavior, the authenticity of the information is
relatively high, but it also shows one thing - the source and method of obtaining the
information are relatively dangerous. No matter how experienced she is, she is just a girl in
her twenties. I really don't want to see her take such a risk."

"What should we do?" Su Xiaobei's face was relatively calm, but he was inevitably a little
panicked. He asked, "Sir, are you going to make arrangements based on the information she
provided? I also went to the public trial that day and met Wan Xin. I think he has flickering
eyes and speaks smoothly. He is not an honest person and may indeed turn against us at the
last minute."

Su Yan thought for a moment and replied, "Wan Xin has handed all the written materials to
me. The Northern Pacification Office has dug up a lot of hard evidence that Wei has
committed a crime. Even if he changes his mind and denies it in court, it won't change the
overall situation."

Su Xiaobei was still worried: "What if...if he died, would the Northern Pacification Office be
suspected of torture leading to death?"

Su Yan shook his head: "If he dies, the Wei family will be more likely to kill him to silence
him than we are. Because they once petitioned to clear themselves of any involvement and
requested the execution of Wan Xin, but the Ministry of Justice was reluctant to remove him.
If Wan Xin dies, I will firmly believe that the Wei family is desperate to expose their crimes,
and their motives are completely reasonable.

"The most important point is that we did not torture Wan Xin. This can be found on the body.
He gave a testimony and was not tortured. He had to testify in court. The Northern
Pacification Office was too busy protecting him. How could he have killed someone? With
this comparison, the Wei family has no excuse."
"So what does this 'change' mean?" Su Xiaobei was puzzled. "Master Ruan is really
something. Why can't you write a few more words to make it clear?"

Su Yan said: "Maybe she doesn't know the details, she just knows that someone wants to
attack Wan Xin... In fact, compared to Wan Xin, I am more concerned about Mr. He. Who is
he? If he is just a subordinate of Marquis Feng'an, then it can be said that the entire Marquis's
mansion is my enemy. Why did Sister Ruan ask me to pay attention to him alone?"

There were two knocks on the door, and Jing Hongzhui's voice rang out from outside the
door: "Sir, it's time for lunch."

Su Yan walked over, opened the door, and said with a smile, "You've come just in time, let's
discuss something together."

What are you discussing? Jing Hongzhui was dragged into the room by him, confused. After
listening to Su Yan's previous story, Jing Hongzhui replied: "I have never heard of this
person's name, he should not be a Jianghu person."

Su Yan said, "Maybe it's a pseudonym, just like the 'nameless' you used before. Since Sister
Ruan asked me to keep an eye on him, there must be something strange about this person. Ah
Zhui, would you mind checking it out?"

Jing Hongzhui nodded: "Unless he doesn't leave the mansion, I will be able to keep an eye on
him."

"What if he really doesn't leave the house?" Su Xiaobei asked.

Jing Hongzhu glanced at him and said, "Then we have to sneak into the mansion late at night.
It will be more troublesome, but it is not impossible to find out."

Su Yan thought for a moment and said, "Then I'll ask Ah Zhui to check this person first to see
what his background is. As for Wan Xin, we'll hold off until we see the situation clearly."

"My lord, please tell me if you have anything to say. Saying 'please' doesn't seem polite." Jing
Hongzhui was obviously unhappy and had a cold face.

Su Xiaobei quickly tried to smooth things over: "The adults are used to it. When they talk to
Xiaojing and me, they often say 'please' here and 'please' here. Don't mind, Brother Zhui."

Jing Hong glanced at him and said, "How can I be the same as you two?"
Now Su Xiaobei was a little unhappy: servants and guards both obey the orders of the
masters, what is the essential difference between them?

Su Yan could hear the meaning behind it and couldn't help laughing. He patted Jing
Hongzhui's arm and said, "Shen Qi and I said the same thing. It's really a habit. Okay, I'll be
more casual next time, okay?"

Jing Hongzhui's expression suddenly improved, and he took Su Yan's hand and walked out of
the bedroom to the hall. Su Xiaobei hurriedly followed, muttering, "What a cold-faced tough
guy, what a spoiled child, evil nature!"

After lunch, Jing Hong chased out for the whole afternoon, and came back at nightfall,
reporting to Su Yan:

Mr. He came to the Marquis's residence from Qingzhou last winter. It is said that he is a well-
known military strategist in the local area, and even the Tatar Grand Master Tuo Huotai
wanted to win him over, but he was unwilling to serve the Tatars, so he came to the capital.
Because he was an old family member and was introduced by his son Wei Que, Wei Yan
treated him as a distinguished guest and treated him much better than ordinary retainers.

"According to the servants who have come into contact with him, he is a polite young
Buddhist who looks to be around 26 or 27 years old. As for what his specific responsibilities
are in the mansion, no one knows." Jing Hongzhui washed his hands and face and sat down at
the dining table. "I didn't see him leave the mansion the whole afternoon. I plan to sneak in at
midnight to see what he looks like."

Su Yan thought about it and shook his head: "You'd better not go yet. Don't forget that the
leader of the Seven Killings Camp is still in the capital. You suffered a great loss at his hands
last time. If you run into him again..." He was suddenly startled and asked on a whim, "Wait,
could this Mr. He be the leader of the camp?"

Jing Hongzhui was also a little confused by his question. After careful recollection, he was
not sure: "The camp owner is very secretive and has never revealed his true appearance and
voice. Although I have fought with him, I still don't know all his martial arts. But I have
touched the camp owner's face. I have to touch it to know whether this Mr. He is the camp
owner."

Su Xiaojing was serving dishes. Hearing this, he burst into laughter and asked jokingly,
"Have you touched it? Is the skin smooth? Is the meat tender? Does it feel good? Could it be
a woman?"

Su Yan glared at him: "What are you talking about with your brother? You have no respect
for your elder brother."
Su Xiaojing stuck out her tongue.

Jing Hongzhui answered expressionlessly, "His skin is not smooth and tender, but it is elastic.
He has no beard, and no obvious wrinkles or scars. I estimate he is between 20 and 40 years
old. But seven years ago, the camp owner already had this level of skill, so I guess he is in his
thirties."

Seeing that this man was too stubborn to be amused, and also receiving a glare from the
adults, Su Xiaojing went to get her meal in boredom.

Su Xiaobei said: "He is still a jerk who knows nothing. Sir, please ignore him and continue to
talk about business."

Su Yan turned around and asked Jing Hongzhui, "So you want to sneak into the Marquis'
Mansion tonight to have a try? What if he is really the camp owner? Can you capture him?
Don't let him be caught and brainwashed again."

Jing Hongzhui's face flashed with annoyance. He didn't know what he was thinking of, and
his face turned red again. He whispered, "I know that the skills from the Seven Killing Camp
are a hidden danger. Don't worry, sir. I will solve this problem."

Su Yan was afraid that he would blame himself, so he comforted him, "It's not that serious.
Just seal up the Nightmare Technique and stop using it. When we eliminate the Seven Killing
Camp, you won't have to worry about being affected by the mental skills or drugs and going
astray."

Jing Hongzhui said nothing.

Su Yan said: "It's better not to go there yet, so as not to alert the enemy."

"What about Wanxin?" Su Xiaobei asked.

Su Yan thought about it and made a decision: "Don't worry about it, just pretend that Sister
Ruan never sent any news. By the way, you should find a way to secretly inform her and tell
her not to leak any more information. For her own protection, tell me if there are any
difficulties. Don't do anything that will put you in danger."

Su Xiaobei was embarrassed: "Is this okay? What if you miss important information because
of this..."

"Between intelligence and her life, I choose the latter." Su Yan lowered his head and drank a
sip of the hot mushroom and black chicken soup. "Besides, if Mr. He is really related to the
Seven Killing Camp and the Vacuum Sect, it may not be so easy for her to leak intelligence.
This news may be a test against her. She will be safe only if we do nothing."

Su Xiaobei understood and nodded, "Then just pretend you don't know. My Lord, eat the
chicken leg."

While he was talking, Jing Hongzhui had already put a chicken leg into Su Yan's bowl. Su
Yan told Jing Hongzhui, "Don't go to Feng'an Marquis' Mansion at night. Do you hear me?"

Jing Hongzhui uttered an “hmm”.

Su Yan was not satisfied: "What do you mean by um? It's been very cold these past two days,
so you can sleep in my room. Remember to change the charcoal basin and hot water bottle for
me in the middle of the night."

"Okay!" Jing Hongzhu responded quickly and decisively.

"What's good about that? You sleep in the outer room, and I'll sleep in the inner room."

"...Sir." Jing Hongzhui wanted to say something but stopped himself because of the two
servants present.

Su Yan sighed, "Your Excellency, it's too difficult. Who could have imagined that the
cinnabar used to tint the memorial was specially blended by the Imperial Household
Department, and was also mixed with gold powder and spices?"

The other three people in the hall: "..."

——The adults are speaking words we don’t understand again. I’m so ashamed. I think I
need to study more.

——But it doesn’t matter. Whatever the adults say makes sense.

Ruan Hongjiao didn't sleep well that night, and she applied several layers of powder in the
morning to cover the dark circles under her eyes.

The maid finally brought Su Yan's reply, which consisted of only two lines of small words:
"Sister's safety is the most important. Please withdraw as soon as possible and do not spread
the news. If you need protection or need to leave Beijing, please inform me in time and I will
do my best to protect you."
Ruan Hongjiao was stunned for a while, moved the note closer to the candle, and when she
was about to burn it, she changed her mind and carefully put it into her purse.

She sat at the table and began to crack walnuts with a small hammer. The maid asked in
confusion: "Aren't you going to reply to the letter, young lady?"

"No need to go back."

"Do you need to continue sending them in the future?"

"Later... I don't know if there will be a 'later', but he must have one." Ruan Hongjiao put a
peeled walnut kernel into her mouth, tears glittering in her eyes.

Feng'an Marquis Mansion.

Late at night, there was a faint sound of bird wings flapping outside the window. Mr. He put
on a cloak over his long gown and walked over to open the window.

A small black-feathered bird came in silently, landed on his hand, and pecked his fingers
affectionately.

Mr. He gently stroked the blackbird's tail feathers, untied the small bamboo tube from its
claws, and took out a small bowl of grains for the bird to peck at.

He opened the small bamboo tube and pulled out a roll of paper. It read: "Wan Xin has not
been brought to trial, and the prison has not stepped up its security. Su Yan has not made any
unusual movements. Everything is the same as yesterday."

Mr. He raised his eyebrows in surprise: Didn't Ruan Hongjiao inform Su Yan? It seems that
she is really Concubine Wei's person.

On the night when the courtesans of Linhua Pavilion were combing their cages, Ruan
Hongjiao and Su Yan came in one after the other. It is said that a courtesan of Ruan
Hongjiao's level would have a wide range of contacts, and most of the officials in the court
had socialized with her, so it was reasonable for her to know Su Yan.

He was still worried, so he asked someone to investigate and found out that the two had
known each other last year. Su Yan had been very close to her before the imperial
examination, but immediately distanced himself from her after becoming an official and
almost never went to Yanzhi Lane again, probably because he was afraid of attracting
criticism and affecting his career.
From this point of view, the relationship between the two was just a fleeting one. Ruan
Hongjiao might be dissatisfied with Su Yan because of this, and it is even more impossible
for her to inform the other party.

My attempt failed, but it never hurts to be cautious.

Mr. Crane destroyed the note and tied the small bamboo tube back to the black bird's claws.
After the black bird had eaten its fill, it was still reluctant to leave. It tilted its head, turned its
black eyes, and looked around at Mr. Crane.

Mr. He smiled and said, "You are full, but my Huan'er is not."

He walked to the wardrobe, opened the door, and took out a wicker box.

As soon as the wicker box was placed on the table, the black sparrow seemed to have smelled
something terrible. Its feathers exploded, and it let out a sharp cry and flew out of the half-
open window.

"...All living things are afraid of death, and animals are the same." Mr. He smiled and closed
the window.
Chapter 224 My Heart is Still with You
2023-8-21 11:39 Category: Reincarnation of the powerful ministerTurn off the lights

Wan Xin is crazy.

Whether he was really crazy or just pretending to be crazy, he was always gesticulating and
talking incoherently, and it was impossible for him to testify against Wei in court.

When Su Yan heard the news, he was at the Shen Mansion, visiting Shen Qi who was
recuperating in bed. At that time, Shen Qi had just finished practicing the internal skills to
heal his injuries and was trying to imitate the moves. When he heard that Su Yan was
coming, he quickly lay back on the bed and told the maid to bring in the ginseng soup so that
Su Yan could feed him personally as he requested.

"This is a powerful move." Su Yan sighed as he fed him ginseng soup with a spoon, "If Wan
Xin dies, the Wei family will be suspected of murder; if he doesn't die, the Wei family is
worried that he will come forward to testify. It's better to just drive him crazy. Who would
believe the testimony of a madman? Moreover, the signs of madness are mostly imaginary.
Now the authenticity of the evidence he provided before is also in doubt."

Shen Qi also felt that this method was sinister but effective. If it were him, he would probably
be able to think of doing it. But it would be very unpleasant if it was used by the enemy.

"Fortunately, the Jinyiwei had already verified the information provided by Wan Xin, and
retained a lot of evidence. They also secretly contacted more than a dozen victims and
witnesses. These will not be invalidated because of Wan Xin's madness." Shen Qi said.

Su Yan nodded: "The loss is a bit big, but it is not unbearable."

If defenses had been deployed in advance and Wan Xin had been isolated, perhaps this would
not have happened. However, he chose to give up this intelligence and ensure Ruan
Hongjiao's safety first. Su Yan asked himself if he regretted it - the answer was "no".

You can't have your cake and eat it too, so he made the choice that best suits his heart.

"Tomorrow is February 17th." Shen Qi said.

"Yes. Now that I have the qualifications to attend the court, I don't need to beat the drum to
report anymore." Su Yan put down the empty bowl and wiped the corner of Shen Qi's mouth
with a handkerchief, "I want to let them see that Su Twelve is still Su Twelve."
Shen Qi held his wrist, exerted a little force, and pulled him into her arms: "The court is like a
battlefield. My husband can't fight side by side with you this time. I feel sad."

"What do you mean by 'senator'?" Su Yan spat, but leaned on his chest without resistance,
"You have done enough for me. The entire Northern Pacification Division is at my disposal.
Without your orders, how could I possibly command those Jinyiwei secret agents?"

"How confident are you about attending the court tomorrow morning?" Shen Qi asked.

Su Yan smiled and said, "I didn't calculate. I just thought it was something that I had to do
my best to do whether I was very sure or not. I was also nervous before, and I kept thinking
about whether there were any omissions, until the emperor showed me the memorial on the
imperial desk -

Shen Qi's arms couldn't help but tighten.

Su Yan felt a little breathless, and rubbed his back soothingly: "Eight out of ten of those
memorials are impeaching each other. My court officials are full of verbal attacks, and they
like to criticize others. In this case, I will be the number one verbal attack and see who can
scold who better. Thinking of this, I am not nervous at all."

Shen Qi laughed softly: "Lord Su is both wise and brave, and has thousands of troops on his
tongue. It seems that I can only cheer for you from behind and boost your morale."

"This flattery is too exaggerated, and it requires a huge army."

"No? Let me check it out."

"Well……"

One man stood at the pass, and Lord Su's army of thousands of horses was helpless. After
several fierce battles, Lord Su's army was defeated for 3,000 miles, and even the city wall
was almost torn down.

He covered his clothes and panted, "Qilang, your injury!"

Shen Qi wanted to fill the wound with stone slabs, and turned to pull Su Yan's belt: "I will be
careful, just touch it... It's been too long..."

Not to mention touching it, what if someone saw the mark at the base of the leg? Su Yan
grabbed the belt tightly and made an excuse: "I need to conserve my energy for tomorrow."
Shen Qi looked at his face and neck with gloomy eyes: "Did that bandit guard take advantage
of the situation these days and use all his energy and sharpness on you, so he didn't dare to be
seen by me?"

Su Yan shook his head repeatedly: "That's not the case. He has been very honest recently."

Shen Qi laughed angrily: "He is honest? He is better than anyone else at pretending to be a
big shot. Besides, he can be honest after living with you day and night, unless he is a
eunuch."

What could Su Yan do? He couldn't defend Jing Hongzhui by saying that he was not a
eunuch and that his sexual function was quite strong. He couldn't tell the truth and say that
the emperor had labeled him as a palace guard. After thinking about it, he could only bear the
blame himself. With an embarrassed look, he whispered, "I feel a little weak recently, and I
need to strengthen my body."

Shen Qi was stunned. "You are only eighteen, which is the age when your blood and qi are at
their most vigorous. How could you be weak?" He asked suspiciously, "You were clearly fine
last time."

Su Yan replied hesitantly: "My shoulder injury hasn't fully healed yet, and I've been worried
about a lot of things lately. I... I'll take some time off?"

Shen Qi was silent for a moment, then she straightened his belt and collar for him, and kissed
his lips: "When the matter between the Wei Family and the Vacuum Sect is settled, you can
apply for a long vacation, put down your burdens, and take care of your body. Don't worry,
no matter what the reason, as long as you are not happy, your husband will not touch you."

Su Yan felt more guilty and lowered his head and said, "Qilang loves me."

"——I just found out?" Shen Qi laughed, "What about you?"

Su Yan leaned close to Shen Qi's ear and whispered seven words.

Shen Qi's whole body was trembling slightly. He hugged Su Yan tightly, and let out a long
breath in the ecstasy that was almost painful.

On February 17, the first regular court session after the Emperor's Birthday was still held at
Fengtian Gate.

Su Yan, wearing an imperial censor's uniform with a xiezhi patch, stood in the team of the
Censorate.
The last time he attended court dressed like this, he unexpectedly intervened and brought
down Jia Gongji and others who had forced the emperor to issue a self-criticism edict. I don't
know which unlucky guy he will punish this time, I hope it's not me.

The way of a sage is to act without contention. He is so combative that he will capsize sooner
or later.

The court has been corrupt for too long, and needs this indomitable and sharp spirit to cleanse
it. I will work together with him.

There's another good show to watch.

——Many court officials thought so.

Su Yan stood in the queue calmly, waiting for the six heads of the six ministries to finish
their reports to the emperor one by one. When Lan Xi sang the etiquette "If there is
something to report, please stand up, if there is nothing to report, please leave the court", he
stepped out and said, "I have been ordered by the emperor to set up a special case team to
investigate the Baizhifang explosion. Now that the truth has been basically found out, I
hereby submit a memorial to report to your majesty."

Emperor Jinglong said, "Such a huge explosion has never happened before. The entire capital
was shaken. Baizhifang was reduced to ruins, and thousands of civilians were killed or
injured. It was truly a disaster for our dynasty. Many people have said that it was because of
the chaos of the times and the impending catastrophe that the heavens sent this disaster as a
warning to me. Su Qing has been ordered by me to investigate this case. If you have any
findings or conclusions, please feel free to tell us, even if it is just speculation. There is no
need to be shy."

Su Yan boldly asked, "What if it involves important ministers, nobles, or even royal
relatives?"

Emperor Jinglong said: "If you hinder us everywhere, how can the truth come out? No matter
who is involved, just tell me, and I will pardon your crime of disrespect first."

Su Yan quickly bowed to express his gratitude. After straightening his back, he stared at the
emperor's carriage on the jade steps, then looked around at the ministers in the square, and
said loudly: "If you want to find out the truth about the Baizhifang explosion, you have to
start from the assassination of the East Palace in August last year."

Last year's assassination in the East Palace? Wasn't the assassin caught long ago and found to
be the work of the Hidden Sword Sect? The Emperor even issued an order to wipe out the
Hidden Sword Sect. Now that the Hidden Sword Sect has been completely destroyed and its
remnants have been arrested one by one, why is Su Shier bringing up the old issue again?
Many court officials were whispering to each other.

Su Yan waved his hand and called two young eunuchs over. He took out a folded cloth from
his arms, unfolded it to reveal a three-foot square, and asked the eunuchs to hold it at both
ends to show it to everyone.

On the white cloth was an oval mark painted in cinnabar. The eight petals were arranged in a
fan shape, like a huge blood lotus, which was clear enough for even the most marginal
officers on duty to see clearly.

"The blood-eyed assassin who intended to kill the prince left this pattern on the wall of the
imperial prison before he went crazy and died. What does this mysterious pattern mean? Is it
some kind of communication code? Or a special identity mark? The Jinyiwei were puzzled.
Until the first month of half a year later, this pattern appeared again at the base of the wall in
a remote alley in the capital. The one who drew it was a flute player who was hiding his
identity and lurking in the palace..."

Everyone's appetite was aroused, and they pricked up their ears as if they were listening to a
wonderful story. Su Yan used the suspenseful tone commonly used in later TV programs
such as "Today's Talk" and "Approaching Science" to tell the whole story:

——The assassin was confirmed to be a member of the Hidden Sword Sect because of his
“Blood Pupil” skill, and left behind a pattern of eight-petal blood lotus before his death.

——Fuyin, a remnant of the Hidden Sword Sect, changed his name to Yin Fu and was
recruited as a guard in Prince Yu's palace. He secretly used the sound of his flute to disturb
Prince Yu's mind, intending to sow discord between the emperor and the prince. This is why
Prince Yu fell seriously ill around the Spring Festival and was unable to attend the palace
banquet on New Year's Eve.

Many of the ministers knew about Prince Yu's illness, and they all nodded: "Yes, the prince
looked very bad and had a bad temper during that period. It turned out that he was bewitched
by the sound of the flute!"

——Fuyin left a blood lotus mark at the base of the wall in the dark alley of the capital. Su
Yan's guards followed it to Linhua Pavilion and found an underground secret passage with a
hall for preaching. After Su Yan, Prince Yu and Shen Qi went down to the hall, the tunnel
exploded. They escaped death and accidentally brought out several fragments of scriptures.

The original copy of the scripture fragments and the complete version supplemented by
Prince Yu and Su Yan were first presented to the emperor for his own review and then shown
to his ministers.
"Gentlemen, please look, this is the 'treasure scroll' of the Zhenkong Sect. Both the preaching
verses and the blood lotus pattern match. Everyone, pay attention to this sentence - 'When the
great catastrophe comes, the world will be dark, and the red lotus will appear and enter the
vacuum'. How about it, does it sound familiar? Which sir still remembers what the nursery
rhyme that was circulated in the streets and alleys of the capital before the explosion of
Baizhifang was about?"

After Su Yan's reminder, a young official patted his forehead and said, "I remember now, it's
'Thunderbolt Omen'——" He suddenly shut up, glanced at the throne nervously, and wanted
to shrink back into the queue.

Emperor Jinglong said in time: "I forgive you for being innocent, speak."

The official spoke in a much lower voice: "Thunderbolt foreshadows a great catastrophe, the
sky and earth are dark, the sun and moon are without light; the vacuum saves suffering, the
red lotus appears in the world, and chaos is reopened." Then he quickly added, "This nursery
rhyme is really a lie to confuse the people, it is nonsense! I am too embarrassed to even
repeat it."

His strong desire to survive made the emperor look at him more.

This glance gave him great encouragement, so he turned to Su Yan and said, "It is obvious
that the Vacuum Sect has been digging secret passages in the capital, operating secretly, and
spreading rumors everywhere. It is a treasonous cult. I heard that Lord Su skinned the cult at
a public trial a few days ago. Now everyone in the capital area is calling for the Vacuum Sect
to be punished."

Su Yan nodded: "Then you all know Wan Xin, the bank owner who provided financial
support to the Vacuum Church, right?"

——The meat of the drama is here! Several court officials who either knew part of the inside
story or guessed that he and the Wei family would fall out sooner or later turned to look at
Wei Yan to see how he would react.

As expected, Wei Yan stepped forward and responded loudly, "Not only do you know, but
you also know that I have sacrificed my relatives for the sake of justice and have petitioned
His Majesty to punish Wan Xin according to the law to rectify the situation. What? You, a
young boy, want to follow Shang Yang's example and punish his entire clan on His Majesty's
behalf!"

How did Shang Yang die? He was torn into pieces by the monarch. This is a naked curse! Su
Yan calmly responded: "I didn't say that. Marquis Xian'an doesn't have to rush to express his
opinion for me. At your age, you should focus on keeping healthy. Be careful not to burst a
blood vessel if you are so anxious all day long. I am concerned. One of the two marquises of
the Wei family has already fallen, and the other one can't be in trouble again."

Wei Yan was not that angry at first, but after hearing his "concern", he thought of his brother
who had lost his arm and became a disabled person, and his face turned red with anger. Su
Yan pointed at the throbbing veins on Wei Yan's forehead and said in a pale face, "The blood
vessels are really going to burst, hurry up! Someone go get some ice to calm it down!"

The shout was so passionate that the officials on both sides panicked and rushed over to help
Wei Yan. Wei Yan shook his hands and shouted, "I'm fine, don't listen to that little bastard's
nonsense!" He was so angry that he didn't care about the etiquette of the court meeting, and
even his accent came out.

Seeing that the court meeting was about to turn into the usual scene of quarrels and fights,
Emperor Jinglong coughed heavily.

Everyone lowered their heads and returned to their original positions, leaving Wei Yan, who
was holding back his anger, and Su Yan, who looked innocent, standing out in the center of
the field.

Emperor Jinglong said, "Su Yan, your concern for Marquis Xian'an is over. I am still waiting
for you to continue reporting."

Su Yan bowed towards the throne and said, "I obey your order."

He continued, "After Wan Xin was arrested and imprisoned, several judges from the special
case team appealed to his emotions and reason, and finally awakened his conscience. He
decided to sacrifice his relatives for the sake of justice and report the twelve crimes
committed by the Wei family."

Twelve more? This is to prove "Su Twelve". Many court officials looked at Su Yan with
indescribable eyes. And the phrase "destroy relatives for the greater good", wasn't it used by
Xian'an Hou just now? This Su Twelve did it on purpose, really mean.

Su Yan ignored other people's opinions and spoke in one go, crackling like a string of
firecrackers: "Wan Xin exposed that Xian'an Hou and Feng'an Hou made huge profits by
petitioning for land, buying up residual salt, and opening private shops, and that they were the
biggest bosses behind Tongji Bank.

"The so-called salt subsidy is actually an infringement of the regular tax, stealing the state's
tax revenue for private wealth, and is a pest to the country. In addition, the laws of our
dynasty stipulate that officials are not allowed to engage in business and compete with the
people for profits. However, the two marquises have despised the law and acted recklessly,
inciting the harem to ask for the land from Your Majesty, and when they failed, they openly
robbed the people's property, killing and injuring dozens of civilians!"

The officials around him all took a deep breath. It was common for officials and nobles in
this dynasty to embezzle and accept bribes or abuse their power for personal gain, but it was
very rare for them to be responsible for dozens of deaths. Even if it was Feng Qu'e, who was
so arrogant at the time, he had to fabricate a crime before sending out the imperial guards to
arrest someone. If Xian'an Hou and Feng'an Hou openly beat civilians to death for robbing
land, it would be extremely arrogant!

Wei Yan immediately scolded him, "You are slandering me! When did the old man and the
Marquis of Feng'an occupy the land and harm the people? Why haven't anyone gone to the
government office to complain for so many years? It's obvious that you fabricated the crime
to frame me. What is the crime of slandering and framing the relatives of the emperor? Since
you, Su Twelve, are familiar with the Great Inscription Law, why don't you also say
something!"

Su Yan sneered: "Since I can say it, there must be evidence. If the two marquises think that
you can cover up your crimes by expelling the victim's family members to other places and
demoting them to beggars and be beaten by others, then I might as well tell you that I have
found most of these people, and they are now outside the Shuntian government office,
queuing up to sue the two marquises!"

"...That was someone you, Su Yan, found as a cover!" Wei Yan said, "Because Marquis
Feng'an once impeached you for colluding with bandits and raising assassins to assassinate
him, you held a grudge against him and not only wanted to kill him, but also wanted to drag
the entire Wei family into the water. This is your usual method of eliminating dissidents! You
seem to be righteous, but in fact, you are the most hypocritical person!"

Su Yan asked, "Then please tell me in detail, Marquis Xian'an. How did I pretend to be kind
and righteous? Am I like the two marquises? Every year, the court pays 1,200 dan of rice, but
my expenses are more than a thousand times of my salary. The house and garden under my
name are larger than the east and west gardens of the imperial palace, and I have thousands of
servants for my enjoyment? The source of this huge amount of wealth is unknown. If it was
not robbed, did it fall from the sky? Why didn't the sky also drop a manor for me, so that I
can only live in a small house bought with 200 taels of silver with a monthly salary of 24
dan?"

The mansion and the estate were obvious. Not only in the capital, but also in various places,
the Wei family had land. Wei Yan had no way to refute this and could only insist, "Those
were all passed down from my ancestors!"

Su Yan laughed: You must be kidding. Prince Yu had already revealed all the secrets of your
Wei family to me at Wutong Waterside last year!
"In the early years, Qingzhou fell to the Tatars. After the death of Mr. Wei, you two were
unable to lead the Qingzhou army. After a series of defeats, you had to flee to the capital and
beg the late emperor to take you in. Let alone such a large fortune, even if there were some
gold and silver, there would not be only a hundred people left in the whole team when you
arrived in the capital, and you couldn't even wear armor! Could it be that your ancestors'
property was mailed here with the wind?"

Wei Yan's past was exposed unexpectedly and he became so embarrassed that his face turned
red.

"For twenty years, how much of the people's blood and sweat did your Wei family plunder in
Daming to make yourselves a powerful family?" Su Yan pointed at their noses without any
hesitation. "Besides the lower beam, your Wei family's clan members obstructed trade on the
Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal and tortured innocent people in order to monopolize the
profits of the canal transportation. They are simply water bandits and bullies, causing
complaints from the people on both sides of the strait. The complaint was brought to the
government office, but you forcefully suppressed it. Now part of the complaint has come to
my hands. Marquis Xian'an, do you want to see it with your own eyes, and let the adults see
how powerful the Wei family is?"

The voices of the court officials' discussions grew louder and louder, almost drowning out
Wei Yan's hasty defense.

The big generals of the Jinyiwei standing on both sides slammed the long handles of their
golden gourds on the ground, making a unified sound, which suppressed the noise.

Su Yan struck while the iron was hot and pressed again, "And how many women has the
Marquis of Feng'an raped over the years? There are rooms in his mansion specifically for
sexual pleasure, and many women who resisted fiercely and did not obey his wishes were
secretly killed or forced to commit suicide. The entire Marquis of Feng'an mansion is filled
with the cries of wronged women's souls late at night. As a brother, did you hear it?"

The last sentence sounded eerie, as if possessed by a wronged ghost. Wei Yan involuntarily
took a half step back, still gritting his teeth and saying, "Marquis Feng'an is now ill and
unable to stand up. Even if you fabricate any charges against him, it will be difficult for him
to confront you. But no matter how old and sick he is, the Marquis is still the Marquis, and
you can't slander him with empty words!"

Su Yan sneered: "Evidence? Of course I have it too. There is a guard beside me named Jing
Hongzhui. His sister Jing Hongtao was strangled to death by a belt at the hands of Feng'an
Marquis! The victim is now outside the Shuntian government office, waiting to file a
complaint against Wei Jun!"

He raised his hand to signal a lieutenant at the sidelines, and a team of Jinyiwei carried
several wooden boxes into the square and placed them on the brick and stone floor. Su Yan
opened the lid of the box and showed the ministers the various petitions, testimonies, blood-
written letters and relics in the box.

The crowd gathered around to watch and was in an uproar.

Wei Yan felt like a thorn in his side. He wanted to see what was going on, but he felt upset
and anxious at the same time. He complained in his heart why the people who were supposed
to come had not come yet.

At this moment, a eunuch in charge of delivering messages quietly walked up to Lan Xi and
whispered a few words. Lan Xi turned to report to Emperor Jinglong: "Your Majesty,
Changning Earl Wei Que is asking for an audience outside the Meridian Gate. Because it is
past the court entry time, the imperial guards will not let him in. But he claims that he has
something extremely important to report to Your Majesty.

Wei Que is Wei Yan's son and Concubine Wei's elder brother. He must have come here
because Su Yan impeached the Wei family.

But it was not reasonable to deny him permission to speak in court, so Emperor Jinglong
nodded and said, "Announce."

Soon, Wei Que, dressed in the earl's court robes, holding a tablet and a memorial, strode to
the Fengtian Gate Square and saluted to the throne.

Compared with his father and uncle, Changning Bo Wei Que was much more low-key and
restrained, and was even nicknamed "the honest man". He rarely spoke in the court, and
occasionally participated in political discussions, and his words were humble, so the court
officials had a good impression of him.

Emperor Jinglong asked, "Didn't the Earl of Changning ask for leave from the morning court
session? Why did he rush here again?"

Wei Que said: "I have something to report."

Emperor Jinglong nodded slightly, and the eunuchs on his left and right went down to fetch
the memorial and presented it to the emperor. The emperor opened it and quickly read
through it. He only read the middle part, then closed the memorial and said, "I have received
the memorial. But today's court meeting has been delayed too long, and I feel a little tired and
need to take a break. After the court is dismissed, Earl Changning will come to the imperial
study and explain it to me in detail."

He stood up to leave the throne, but Wei Que raised his voice and shouted, "Your Highness
Wei Que - impeach the Junior Officials of the Dali Temple, Su Yan and Su Qinghe, for not
only harboring the remnants of the Hidden Sword Sect and taking them in as their trusted
assassins, but also for instructing them to collude with the Vacuum Sect. In name, they
investigated the case, but in fact, they fabricated achievements to seek credit and fooled Your
Majesty and the people of the world! Your Majesty once issued an edict that anyone who had
close contact with the Hidden Sword Sect, no matter how powerful or noble, would be treated
as a remnant. I wonder if this edict still counts?"

The author has something to say:

The source of the chapter title is "One of Six Poems to Gong Cao" written by Wu Fu in the
Song Dynasty, with the words slightly swapped:

Since ancient times, it is not easy to find a true friend. Your heart is the same as mine. Even if
I choose my own friends, who can be like you?

Chapter 225: First Come First Served

2023-8-21 11:39 Category: Reincarnation of the powerful ministerTurn off the lights

This remark shocked all the civil and military officials present.

Everyone originally thought that Changning Earl Wei Que was here to defend the Wei
family. After all, the charges Su Yan had made were very serious, and the evidence he
provided was clear and verifiable. Once this matter was exposed, even if the emperor wanted
to defend the family for the sake of Concubine Wei, it would not be so easy, and he would
have to pay the price of a great loss of his reputation.

Apart from trying his best to distance himself from the matter and asking the Emperor and the
Empress Dowager to take into consideration the relationship between relatives and Mr. Wei's
merits, there seems to be no more effective way to get out of this situation.

Unexpectedly, Wei Que not only did not make any excuses or requests to the emperor, but
instead pointed the muzzle of the cannon at Su Yan and fired at him fiercely.

I never knew that this "honest man" could have such a ruthless trick! Who was behind this?
Or was it that some high and mighty being finally couldn't stand it anymore and wanted to
use the Wei family to deal with this jumping Su Twelve?

The old hands in the court immediately thought of the empress dowager, and then looking at
the emperor on the throne with an unmoved expression and noncommittal look, they decided
to wait and see as the situation was unclear.

Those who were shrewd and good at making friends fell silent, and the remaining ones who
had clear positions suddenly showed obvious divisions.
Those who attached themselves to the Wei family came out to agree with Wei Que, saying
that Su Yan was hiding the imperial prisoner and plotting something bad, saying that he was
crying thief and colluded with the Vacuum Cult to plan the Baizhifang bombing. They had
also submitted memorials, but those memorials were all kept in the palace and not sent out.
What exactly is Your Majesty's intention? Please let me know.

There are also people saying that Wei Tu led the Qingzhou Army to sweep the northern
border for the previous emperor, and he was a meritorious official. If Your Majesty now
punishes his son for "some mistakes", it will show that the court is ungrateful, and it may
chill the hearts of meritorious officials all over the world. Moreover, Wei Yan is the father of
Concubine Wei and the grandfather of the second prince, and his legal wife is the sister of the
Queen Mother. Even for the sake of the royal family's face, it is not appropriate to blame him
harshly.

——Most of them are nobles and relatives of the royal family who are related to the Wei
family, as well as civil servants belonging to the faction of the second assistant Jiao Yang and
Wang Qianhe.

Many of them participated in the distribution of benefits. Some old officials had experienced
the dispute over the wife during the reign of the previous emperor, the King of Qin, and the
dispute over national policy during the reign of the current emperor. They had formed an
alliance with the queen mother through the years of exchange of interests and entanglements
of personal relationships, and finally chose to stand on the side of the Wei family supported
by the queen mother.

On the other hand, officials who supported Su Yan also stood up and expressed great
indignation at the Wei family's crimes of defying the law and harming the country and the
people, and asked the emperor to punish them according to the law, otherwise how could the
people of the world get justice. They said that the Wei family's accusations against Su Yan
were groundless and were clearly malicious retaliation after being impeached.

——The main force of this part is a group of censors headed by Chu Qiu, the censor of the
Censorate, and civil servants belonging to the factions of the first assistant Li Chengfeng and
the second assistant Yang Ting.

Cui Jinping, the top scholar of this year's imperial examination and the councilor of the
Ministry of Public Administration, could not hold back either. Being of the same year, school
and hometown, these three similarities were the most important bond between officials in the
court. Cui felt that he and Su Yan were of the same year and friends, and he had already
shown that he stood on the side of the crown prince in the court report, so he seized this
opportunity to show off, and regardless of his boss's desperate attempts to stop him, he rolled
up his sleeves and started firing.

As the two sides spat at each other, Su Yan and the Wei father and son looked at each other,
and saw on each other's faces the awareness and determination of "either you die or I die".
On the jade steps, Lan Xi shouted in a shrill voice: "Silence! Who dares to be disrespectful in
the presence of the emperor?" The two colliding waves in the court were finally suppressed,
and calm was temporarily restored.

All the ministers turned their eyes to the throne, as if waiting for the emperor to express his
opinion. Even a slight movement or a few simple words would cause these people who had
been in the court for a long time to speculate about the emperor's intentions.

Su Yan's heart trembled when Wei Que just opened his mouth, but he immediately realized
that this was not an unexpected crime, especially since A Zhuiyin was from Jianmen, which
was like a time bomb that would explode sooner or later.

He once thought about confessing to the Emperor, but swallowed the words back when they
came to his lips. On the one hand, he was worried that his protection of Ah Zhui would be a
waste of time, and the Emperor would have someone else to punish besides Shen Qi; on the
other hand, he also hoped that Ah Zhui would make more contributions, so that if he was
exposed in the future, he could offset the original sin of his identity.

If he had confessed the matter at that time, giving the emperor a buffer and psychological
preparation, it might have been better than being suddenly exposed in the court. I wonder
what the emperor is feeling now... This thought flashed through Su Yan's mind, but it was
useless to think too much at this point, and he could only do his best to turn the tide.

While all the ministers' attention was on the emperor, Su Yan took two steps towards a
Jinyiwei captain standing next to the evidence box and said very lightly and quickly: "Go find
Shen Qi."

...Is Lord Su asking him to go find Lord Tongzhi? What is he going to say or do? The captain
was stunned, but the official next to him had already looked over, so he couldn't ask any more
questions. He just nodded slightly to indicate that he had received the order, and quietly left
the square when he saw an opportunity.

On the throne, Emperor Jinglong's voice was unpredictable, but it was always solemn: "I
think you should learn the rules of the court before impeaching or exiling others - or do you
think that once you get used to it, there is no need for rules?"

The ministers bowed and saluted, saying, "We dare not do this. Please forgive me, Your
Majesty."

Wei Que cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, please allow me to continue my report.
The impeachment of Su Shaoqing is not groundless. I have irrefutable evidence—"

"——Lord Wei Bo!" Su Yan suddenly spoke in a clear and high-pitched voice, interrupting
Wei Que's words, "Didn't you hear what His Majesty just said?"
Wei Que was just about to enter the next step, but was a little confused by this inexplicable
blow: "Your Majesty said... I heard it."

"No." Su Yan took a few steps closer, full of vigor, "Your Majesty just said that we must
abide by the 'rules'. May I ask what the rules are for reporting to the court? When the
ministers are ordered to report to the Majesty, can others, relying on their higher official
titles, interrupt and change the subject at will, and prevent the Majesty from listening to the
reply?

"Does it mean that you have the final say on what His Majesty listens to, what he doesn't
listen to, and how much he listens to?

"Ordinary people know what 'first come, first served' means. When the father is asking the
younger son a question, it is considered impolite and uneducated for the eldest son to
interrupt casually. Don't you know? Is this the tradition of your Wei family? Is this your
loyalty to His Majesty, Wei Que? No wonder people say that the Wei family is domineering
and doesn't even take His Majesty seriously!"

The barrage of questions completely confused Wei Que: "I didn't, I didn't. I am loyal to Your
Majesty and I am known to the world..."

Seeing his son panic, Wei Yan cursed inwardly that Su Yan was very cunning. No matter
what he said, he would find fault with it and put accusations on him without hesitation. It was
indeed a natural censor.

We can't let him control the rhythm! Wei Yan took two steps forward and was about to speak
to change the direction of the wind. Unexpectedly, Su Yan ignored him and turned his face to
the throne, saying loudly: "My report to Your Majesty was interrupted casually. I was
careless. Please forgive me, Your Majesty, and let me continue to report."

Emperor Jinglong suppressed the slight arc of his mouth: "It has to be said that it comes first,
I only have two ears, and I have to listen to things one by one. Lord Changning, you wait
until Su Shaoqing finishes speaking, and then you can speak."

Wei Que felt as if there was an egg stuck in his throat and looked at his father with
frustration.

Wei Yan whispered, "Hold on. He is stalling on purpose. But no matter how long he delays,
there will be an end. It won't be too late for us to attack him after he finishes speaking."

Wei Que took a deep breath and nodded.

After Su Yan bowed towards the throne, he continued talking incessantly, as if Wei Que's
impeachment just now was nothing to him.

Seeing how calm he was, the ministers couldn't help but wonder if he was just too thick-
skinned or too mentally strong; or was he well prepared, and Wei Que's criticism of him
actually fell into his calculations?

Well, keep watching.

"The fifth crime was that during the Dragon Boat Festival last year, when the emperor and all
the officials were in the military training ground, Wei Jun raped a palace maid in the corridor
of the rear hall of Longde Palace. Afterwards, he forced the Jinyiwei who was ordered by
Feng Qu'e to protect him to kill someone for him. Fortunately, the Jinyiwei had a kind heart.
Although he did not dare to report it under the tyranny of Wei Jun and Feng Qu'e, he secretly
rescued the poor palace maid from the desperate situation of hanging herself and temporarily
sent her out of the palace to avoid disaster. Now this woman is still alive, and she has the
ribbon that Wei Jun tore off from his clothes when he was violent as evidence..."

Generally speaking, palace maids can be regarded as women of the emperor who have not yet
established a status. Once the emperor takes a fancy to them and has sex with them, they are
eligible to be promoted to concubines. Therefore, in this era, the crime of raping a palace
maid is much more serious than raping a common woman. It is like putting an invisible green
hat on the emperor's head.

It is no wonder that when Su Yan said this, all the ministers in the field were stunned. They
looked at the father and son of the Wei family as if they were covered with a layer of shit,
and if they did not avoid it in time, they would be contaminated by the stench.

Wei Yan's face flushed, partly because of Su Yan's aggressiveness, and partly because he was
angry at his brother. He knew that Wei Jun was lustful, but he didn't expect that he was so
bold as to touch a woman in the palace, and even left behind the person involved and the
evidence! How should they defend themselves and clarify this? Wei Que still had some sense
of shame, and he wanted to crawl into the cracks in the ground.

"Sixth crime..."

"The seventh crime..."

Su Yan spoke clearly and with solid evidence for every single thing, which made the listeners
believe him. What's more worth mentioning is that the details he spoke were so detailed that
he spent a full hour just talking about the three charges. He hadn't finished speaking until the
sun was at its highest point in the sky.
The court officials got up at three in the morning and gathered at the gate at noon to prepare
for the court session at four in the morning. The breakfast they had had was already digested
by now. If you walked into the crowd at this moment, you could hear the rumbling of hunger,
but due to the etiquette of the court session, you couldn't show it in your words or actions.

Many people were tired and hungry, and were looking forward to the court meeting ending
early. As for the battle between Su Twelve and the Wei family - whoever wins will win, I just
want to go home and eat!

Unfortunately, this Shaoqing Su, who was also the Censor, was full of fighting spirit and was
still talking non-stop. He hadn’t even drunk a sip of water, and his words were still clear and
articulate. He only got to the “tenth crime” when he saw the sun start to set. It seemed like he
would spend the entire day talking about it!

The frail courtier's eyes went dark for a while, and he finally had an attack of hypoglycemia.
His body swayed and he fell to the ground, causing a burst of exclamations.

Emperor Jinglong gave Lan Xi a look.

Lan Xi understood what he meant, and he swung his whisk and sang loudly: "It is past noon,
Your Majesty, the court is dismissed. Matters that have not yet been reported will continue in
the morning court tomorrow -"

Tomorrow? Would Su Twelve's impeachment be like a short play that would last for three
days straight? Who could afford that? Wei Yan and Wei Que were also feeling dizzy - not to
mention delaying it until tomorrow, as soon as the court was over, this little jerk would find a
chance to deal with the remaining guard. How could they impeach him without any
witnesses?

No, we have to inform Mr. He as soon as possible and capture Jing Hong in time! Wei Que's
fingers holding the memorial trembled slightly.

Wei Yan took a deep breath and whispered to his son, "Don't worry, Mr. He is a man of
foresight. Since he taught you to impeach like this, he must have another plan. Maybe he has
already caught the remnant of the Hidden Sword Sect."

Wei Que nodded: "I hope so. But the matter of my uncle raping the palace maid——"

Wei Yan said angrily, "He is not a good person. He has committed such a ridiculous and dirty
crime in the hands of the enemy. He has brought disaster upon himself. If we cannot save
him, we can make other arrangements. Anyway, we cannot let him drag down you, my son,
and your sister."
The emperor got off the throne and left. All officials withdrew from the court in order. Su
Yan asked several Jinyiwei to carry the evidence boxes and follow him, preparing to fight
again tomorrow.

He has an urgent problem right now that must be solved immediately.

——I hope Qilang and I can understand what I am worried about, Su Yan thought to himself.
More than three hours have passed since Weique went to court, so we must make it in time!

Chapter 226 This is your fate

2023-8-21 11:40 Category: Reincarnation of the powerful ministerTurn off the lights

Jing Hongzhui stood at the corner of the street, looking at the gate of Shuntian Prefecture
Government not far away. He held the sword in one hand and reached into his arms with the
other hand, his fingertips touching the folded petition.

The petition was written for him personally by Lord Su yesterday, accusing Wei Jun, Marquis
of Feng'an, of robbing and imprisoning a woman, and raping and killing his sister Jing
Hongtao.

"This thing is totally useless." He said, "Since ancient times, officials have protected each
other. Wei the old villain is a relative of the emperor, and the governor of Shuntian Prefecture
dare not offend him, let alone enforce the law impartially."

Lord Su replied: "Whether it works or not, you won't know until you try it. It is said that the
people are easy to abuse, but there is also a saying that water can overturn a boat. No one can
underestimate the power of the people."

Jing Hongzhui still didn't want to go.

Su Yan had no choice but to persuade him: "Just think of it as helping me. I have instigated
many victims to file petitions at the Shuntian government office. This is also part of the
impeachment plan. You can go and help take care of them, so that they will not be stopped by
the Wei family's lackeys before they even enter the government office gate."

After hearing what he said, Jing Hongzhui nodded, picked up the complaint and left without
saying a word.

Now that Lord Su had not returned from the morning court, he kept his promise and escorted
the victims who had sued the Wei family into the yamen one by one. However, when it was
his turn, he hesitated.
As a civilian who suffered from hunger in his childhood and a wandering assassin, Jing
Hongzhui had never expected or trusted the government. He even had a natural aversion to
the imperial court, and it is still the same now.

Being Lord Su's bodyguard had nothing to do with his official position, it was just to stay by
his side.

——If you stay with him, you must try to understand and agree with his ideas. Lord Su said:
It is easy to pay for a person's blood debt with blood, but using justice as a weapon to
eliminate evil forces and save countless potential victims from the fate of being abused, isn't
it more meaningful?

Jing Hongzhui stood at an empty street corner, thinking about this sentence over and over for
a long time, and finally walked towards the government office.

He had just taken a few steps when he suddenly heard a faint and eerie flute sound, floating
in the air like phosphorus, looming.

...This flute sound, like the crane bone flute from Fuyin? Jing Hongzhui was startled.

But Fuyin was already dead. Even if his body was not found, he was very sure that he had
destroyed the opponent's cultivation by stabbing his sword into his dantian. So the flute
player was not Fuyin... who was playing tricks?

Jing Hongzhu closed his eyes and listened, then suddenly drew his sword out of its sheath,
like a flash of lightning that cuts through the sky, and shot towards the roof on the side.

The flute player appeared on the roof, his face hidden by a bamboo hat, and he dodged the
attack with erratic steps, but a corner of his clothes was brushed by the sharp sword energy
and shattered into powder in an instant.

Jing Hongzhui did not ask any unnecessary questions nor did he hesitate. He just attacked,
and the sword light swept forward like raging waves. He would naturally know the
opponent's intentions after he had beaten him to the point where he had no power to fight
back.

The flute player dodged the sword energy one after another, and had several blood marks on
his body, but he continued to play.

The sound of the flute made people's blood boil, and a rage surged in their chests, causing the
internal energy to stagnate and even reverse. It was obviously a sound of bewitching and
soul-stirring that was played by the skill of the Nightmare Technique. Jing Hongzhui was
more and more certain that the other party was not Fuyin, because this skill was much more
profound than Fuyin.

It's the assassin of the Seven Killing Camp! A cold light flashed across Jing Hongzhui's eyes,
and the blade, wrapped in a strong murderous aura, drove straight in, stabbing the flute
player's throat with the swiftness of a flying swan and the momentum of a waterfall.

The sword was brilliant and sharp, like the light and shadow condensed from death itself.

The flute player had no way to avoid it. The fingers that were pressing the holes became stiff
and uncontrollable due to the amazing sword energy, and the sound of the flute suddenly
stopped. He thought he was going to die, until a man in a red robe suddenly appeared in front
of him and caught the sword light.

"Camp Master..." the flute player called out after escaping death.

Jing Hong withdrew his sword and returned to defense, staring coldly at the leader of the
Seven Killing Camp in front of him.

When he was tracking Fuyin before, the camp owner suddenly appeared, defeated and
captured him with his unfathomable martial arts, and gave him a secret medicine.

That was his first fight with the camp owner, and he only lasted a hundred rounds. After
regaining consciousness, he recalled the opponent's moves over and over again, trying his
best to find a way to break them. As a result, the sword light rising from the backyard
continued all night.

Now that he faces the camp owner again, he may not be sure of winning, but at least he has
the strength to fight.

The camp owner did not make a move immediately. Instead, an androgynous voice came
from under the mask: "Number 23, your swordsmanship has improved again... You are an
excellent candidate, but unfortunately you are too wild and have too many ideas. It seems that
only Blood Eyes is the most suitable for you."

Jing Hongzhui said coldly: "Stop talking nonsense! Make your move." Before he finished
speaking, the sword energy lifted up thousands of tiles on the roof and poured down on the
opponent like a rainstorm.

The camp owner waved the sleeves of his blood-red robe, stirring up a strong gust of wind,
and the tiles exploded before they could get close to him.
A sword beam appeared in the dust, like a bright light breaking through the fog, with the
sharpness of breaking off grudges and the momentum of sacrificing life and death, flying
towards the leader of the Seven Killings Camp. The speed, fierceness and determination of
this sword seemed to have broken away from the constraints of the blade itself, and
transformed from a tangible "tool" into an intangible "Tao", faintly glimpsing another level
above the unity of man and sword.

Even the camp leader cannot treat such a sword lightly.

It has a bit of the flavor of "No Sword, No Self" of the old Luo Gou. The moment the sword
light appeared, the camp owner couldn't help but think of the leader of the Hidden Sword
Sect. The old Luo Gou treated the thousands of disciples under his sect like picking
vegetables. He would pluck more of those that he thought were growing vigorously, and
would not even look at those that he thought were unteachable. I'm afraid he never thought
until his death that the one who finally got the essence of his swordsmanship was actually a
poor boy who was rated as the lowest aptitude when he first entered the sect and was directly
thrown into the Seven Killing Camp to fend for himself - unfortunately, he was still a long
way from being mature.

The camp owner pulled out a pair of heart-breaking hooks with twisted and sharp blades and
sinister shapes from his robe, and his fingers covered with black leather gloves grasped the
crescent-shaped handles.

When the sword's light flashed, his left-hand hook suddenly came alive like a dragon waking
up from its slumber, and it hooked and swung at a tricky angle, and the fang-like hook tip
tightly clasped the sword, making it unable to move; at the same time, the hook blade in his
right hand slashed towards the opponent's neck.

The left hook controls the enemy's weapon, and the right hook takes the enemy's life, killing
the enemy in one move, so his pair of hooks is also known as "Two Halls of Yama".

If Jing Hongzhui wanted to avoid the beheading hook, he had to draw his sword to defend
himself. But the hook blade was like a buckle or a lock, and it was very difficult to draw the
sword from it. Moreover, his sword intention was focused on the four words "forge ahead
without hesitation". Once he had the intention to retreat, his momentum and fighting spirit
would be greatly reduced, and he might even lose his heart before the battle was over.

At the critical moment of life and death, Jing Hongzhui's response caught the camp owner off
guard - he let go of the sword, and used his right palm to strike the end of the hilt. He actually
used the sword as a cannonball infused with true energy, and relied on the extremely hard
texture of Wootz steel to forcibly break through the lock and blast towards the camp owner's
heart.
While the hook blade cut off the opponent's neck, the tip of the sword would also pierce his
own chest. The camp owner had no choice but to change his tactics and knock away the
sword tip that was about to pierce his chest.

Jing Hongzhui's figure floated away from the camp owner like light smoke or a ghost. At the
same time, a willow-leaf flying knife that he usually used slipped out of his sleeve. With a
flick of his wrist, he shot it towards the flute player's throat.

The sword that was aimed at the camp owner was just a diversion; his real target was the flute
player.

With a soft "puff" sound, a small scarlet flower of blood bloomed in the flute player's throat,
and the disturbing strange sound finally stopped, and the crane bone flute fell powerlessly
from his fingers. Jing Hongzhu then shot out a second flying knife infused with true energy,
trying to smash the flute to pieces in mid-air.

A sigh of regret came from somewhere.

Jing Hongzhui's heart was filled with awe - he saw a slender white hand stretched out from
behind the flute player, and with a flick of the hand, it knocked down his flying knife like
plucking a string. This hand looked very young and thin, like an elegant musician and
scholar, but it caught the crane bone flute with an indescribable speed.

The body of the flute player in the big bamboo hat just fell to the ground, and the man hiding
behind him just turned around, leaving only the back of a man in white clothes holding a
flute.

…This person, seemingly elegant, exudes an aura more dangerous than the camp owner. Jing
Hongzhui asked hoarsely, “Who are you?”

The man in white turned his back to him, chuckled, raised the crane bone flute to his lips, and
began to play.

His chest felt like it was hit hard by a huge hammer, and the pain was like his lungs were
shattered. Jing Hongzhui suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood. The sharp and strange flute
sound flew straight into his eardrums and rushed into his head like an arrow, trying to smash
his brain and consciousness into pieces.

Jing Hongzhui couldn't bear it any longer and covered her ears tightly.

But the flute sound was not only an arrow piercing his head, but also countless steel needles
gathering in his meridians, pushing his true qi to flow backwards, activating the Nightmare
Technique that had been firmly suppressed by him again...
Scarlet mist seemed to appear in front of his eyes, making the whole world shrouded in
blood. Jing Hongzhu half-knelt on the ground, tightly covering his eyes with his palms, and
in the struggle against the chaos and pain, he let out a low and miserable roar like a trapped
beast.

The camp owner came over, put the hook blade against the back of his neck, and said in a flat
tone: "You didn't expect it, right? In addition to the secret medicine, there is also the Soul-
Stirring Sound that can force you into the Blood Eye state. But Fuyin can't do that. His skills
are low, which is simply a disgrace to the reputation of the head of the Tianyin Sect."

Floating sound...Tianyin Sect...Jing Hongzhui vaguely remembered in pain that when

investigating the case of the Wala envoy from the Honglu Temple drowning, Lord Su once
said that he asked the Northern Pacification Office to investigate the sects in the martial arts
world that used music as a means of attack. Shen Qi gave him an answer - Tianyin Sect. But
this sect was destroyed in the struggle in the martial arts world about twenty years ago.

Twenty years ago… roughly coincided with the year Fuyin was born. When he was in the
Seven Killings Camp, Fuyin occasionally told him that his parents were attacked by someone
seeking revenge on New Year's Eve, and their family was destroyed overnight, which was
why he fell into the underworld and joined the Hidden Sword Sect.

From this, it seems that Fuyin is most likely an orphan of the Tianyin School, which is why
he was able to rely on his ancestral skills to integrate the art of nightmare into music, and thus
create the bewitching sound.

But this new skill, like Fuyin himself, became a tool for the evildoers. And even after his
death, it continued to bring disaster to the world.

His eyeballs were burning, and the retrograde internal energy was like a steel knife scraping
his bones. Even more unbearable was that his sanity and consciousness were leaving him.
Jing Hongzhui gasped in pain, and his fingertips left bloody marks on the stone floor.

"Less resistance means less pain." The camp leader kicked the long sword to his hand, "Take
up the sword - Blood Eye Wuming."

Jing Hongzhui squeezed out a broken cry from the depths of his throat: "I am not...Xuetong
Wuming...I am, Jing Hongzhui!"

The camp owner ordered: "Pick up the sword! Go to the market and let everyone see your
bloodshot eyes. Blood will splatter, screams will be heard, and kill as much as you can. This
is your fate!"
A captain of the Jinyiwei turned over and dismounted, and hurriedly entered the Shen
Mansion, saying that he was sent by Lord Su to deliver a message, and immediately saw Shen
Qi.

Shen Qi asked directly: "But what happened at the court meeting?"

The captain described in detail how Changning Bo Wei Que suddenly came to impeach Su
Yan, and then said, "Lord Su only said four words to me, 'Go find Shen'...Go find Lord Shen,
and he didn't say anything else."

Shen Qi frowned and thought for a moment, then ordered: "Go back to the Meridian Gate and
guard it first, and come back to report after Lord Su leaves the court."

The captain agreed and took his leave.

Shen Qi took a deep breath, endured the pain from the wound that had not yet healed, stood
up and said: "Someone, change clothes."

Before the maids put on the yisa for him, Shen Qi put on the golden silk soft armor that Su
Yan had returned to him, which could protect him from weapons and bind his wounds so that
they would not break.

His trusted spy Gao Shuo had just heard the general situation outside the door, and came in
and asked, "Sir, what are you going to do?"

Shen Qi asked back: "What do you think?"

Gao Shuo thought for a moment and said, "The Wei family was able to find out Jing
Hongzhui's background, so there must be someone who knows the inside story behind it.
Now they are using this as a weapon to attack Lord Su, and things seem to be a bit
troublesome."

"You know what's the bigger problem?"

"…I am a fool, please explain clearly, sir."

Shen Qi fastened her belt, raised her Embroidered Spring Knife, and walked out of the house.
Gao Shuo hurriedly followed. Shen Qi said as she walked, "The origin of this bastard Jing
Hongzhui cannot be washed away. Even if Qinghe can prove that he had already betrayed his
master, turned against the Seven Killing Camp, and even made great contributions in
investigating the Vacuum Sect, it would not be able to stop him from going crazy again and
being manipulated by others to kill crazily. At that time, Qinghe will be speechless!"
Gao Shuo gasped, "What should we do? Lord Su sent someone to inform you. I think he
anticipated this. I hope you can help Jing Hong."

Shen Qi sneered: "Save him? No, I want to kill him before the Vacuum Sect takes action and
causes irreparable trouble."

Gao Shuo held his arm and helped him mount the horse. Shen Qi frowned, touched the
wound that was torn, and said ruthlessly: "Immediately mobilize the sword formation team of
the Jinyiwei, and go with me to the Shuntian government office."
Chapter 227 My Fate is My Own
2023-8-21 11:41 Category: Reincarnation of the powerful ministerTurn off the lights

The sound of the flute echoed in the remote alley, harsh and eerie.

Jing Hongzhui tried his best to resist the surging Qi in his body, and blood slowly flowed out
of his seven orifices. He was like a dying but unyielding beast, holding the hilt tightly with
his rotten fingertips, and attacked the leader of the Seven Killings Camp with sword after
sword, and each sword seemed to burn his mind and life.

The camp leader knocked down his sword easily and stepped on it: "From the first day you
stepped into the Hidden Sword Sect and practiced the Seven Killing Camp's skills, your fate
has been determined. Resist or accept, the final result is the same, why bother to struggle in
vain."

Jing Hongzhui panted, and in a blurry blood-red vision, he saw the nebula-like lines on the
sword edge - under the vast starry sky of Lingzhou, the autumn wind blew over the beacon
tower of the Great Wall with the breath of frost leaves on the grassland, lifting the broken
hair beside Lord Su's cheek. At that time, he had a sword in his hand, and there were people
he wanted to protect around him, silent and happy.

He had once lived in death and desolation, but later thought he had gotten the best of the
world, but now he found that he would eventually be dragged back to the ghost realm.

Birth, childhood, blood-stained sword, tragically dead sister and damp bridge tunnel: in the
torrent of fate, a person's resistance is so insignificant, but he has always been the desperado
who refuses to surrender.

He had handed over the vitality and power he had fought so hard for to one person without
reservation, and now he was also willing to destroy it for this person without reservation.

Shen Qi rode his horse at full speed, followed closely by a large group of Jinyiwei
cavalrymen. They swept through the streets like a gust of wind, and vendors and pedestrians
dodged in panic.

He could vaguely hear the sound of the flute, which was very similar to the one played by
Fuyin in Linhua Pavilion that night, but it was even more fierce, causing the blood and qi in
his lungs to become disordered. Shen Qi took out a piece of Coptis chinensis from his bosom
and threw it into his mouth to chew. The extremely bitter taste rushed straight to the top of
his head, relieving the feeling of irritability and dizziness.

Just being affected by the residual sound can produce such a strong impact. Jing Hongzhui,
who is targeted by the flute sound, may have a hard time passing this level. Shen Qi frowned
and looked at the tall roof of Shuntian Prefecture Yamen.
The spy hiding in the market came back to report: "In an alley not far from the government
office, we found two people fighting. There seemed to be another person on the roof. The
surroundings were filled with strong energy, so it was difficult for me to get close to
investigate."

Shen Qi ordered: "The whole team surround that alley, dismount, and form a formation!"

The Tiqi team followed him and sped up again, circling the alley like a dragon. The alley was
narrow and it was difficult for horses to enter, so the Tiqi team dismounted, drew
the embroidered spring swords at their waists , and formed a formation to approach step by
step.

But the omnipresent flute sound also affected their consciousness and the flow of their true
qi. Many people could not bear the strong stimulation and showed pain. Gao Shuo covered
his ears with his hands and shouted, "Pull your ears with cloth! It will feel better if you block
them..."

So the Ti riders tore strips of cloth from their clothes, rolled them into balls and stuffed them
into their ear holes.

Shen Qi saw Jing Hongzhui's embarrassed appearance and those scarlet eyes from afar, and
her heart sank: I'm still a step too late. This dog has been possessed by the devil and turned
into a blood-eyed assassin. Not only has his skills improved a lot, but he has also become
violent and desperate. It's hard to kill him now.

Jing Hongzhui seemed to be standing on the edge of a cliff, with countless resentful souls
behind him pushing him, trying to push him into an abyss from which there was no escape.

He staggered forward, and at the moment of falling, his hands tightly grasped the edge of the
cliff.

Everything for "human" is maintained by the tiny power at the fingertips, just like the only
ray of clarity left in his blood-red pupils at this moment.

The sole of the camp owner's boot crushed one of his hands. "The Jinyiwei are here. It's just
in time. Use them to sharpen your sword. I know you are ready, right Wuming? I will count
to three for you - one."

Jing Hongzhui let out an unwilling and painful roar, with big tears of blood streaming from
the corners of his eyes.

"two."
"I'll give it back to you..."

The camp owner looked down at him and said, "What did you say? Speak louder."

Jing Hongzhui gritted his teeth, poured all his energy into the only hand that could move, and
slapped his dantian. "I'll give it back to you! The Nightmare Charm, the God-Rush
Technique, the Seven Killing Sword Techniques - all the skills and techniques of the Hidden
Sword Sect and the Seven Killing Camp, I don't want them anymore!"

The Qi in Dantian began to vibrate violently, like a spinning cloud of Qi, becoming
increasingly loose from solid, and finally fading away until it completely disappeared...

"You—your power has dissipated?" The camp owner's face hidden under the mask was filled
with shock, and even his false voice seemed to break. "You would rather be a useless person
than return to the Seven Killing Camp... idiot! Big idiot!"

The blood color in Jing Hongzhui's eyes gradually faded, and a deeper sense of
powerlessness enveloped his whole body. This feeling was like a strong man who suddenly
became a paralyzed old man in bed; like a hawk soaring in the clouds, suddenly breaking its
wings and falling into the dust.

He knew what he had lost. It was the powerful strength he had fought for in the face of death.
It was the foundation of his existence in this world and his greatest reliance on freedom of
movement... It was also the most important role he could play beside Su Yan.

These powers are so hard to come by and so easy to lose.

Jing Hongzhui clenched his fists and laughed miserably: "Without these skills, you can no
longer control me with the flute sound and secret medicine, and you can no longer use me to
deal with Lord Su... How do you feel when your plan is suddenly frustrated at the most
critical step? Are you very annoyed and suffocated?"

The flute music stopped. The man in white on the roof lowered his crane bone flute, and a
sigh came in the wind: "The flowers have fallen, leaving only fragrance, and the clouds have
dispersed, leaving an empty sky."

His figure also drifted away with the wind.

"Give me back my skills as well as my life!" The camp owner's eyes were filled with
murderous intent, and the heart-breaking hook was like a distorted reflection of a crescent
moon on the water, slashing towards Jing Hong's neck.
Jing Hongzhui's power was gone, but his moves and skills were still there, and he drew his
sword to block. Unfortunately, the long sword lacked the blessing of true energy, and was
knocked away by the hook blade the moment it touched, but it did not break because of its
strong and tough texture.

This block bought Jing Hong a very short but crucial time to pursue.

Without the interference of the flute music, the Jinyiwei's cavalry gathered from all
directions, and the sharp blades of their Embroidered Spring Swords reflected on the walls,
and the sword light was like water.

Gao Shuo shouted, "What kind of thief are you? How dare you commit murder in the street?
Why don't you surrender?"

Jing Hongzhui wiped the blood from his eyes, mouth and nose with his sleeve and said
coldly, "He is the leader of the Seven Killings Camp, the second most wanted traitor on the
government's wanted list."

Gao Shuo was startled, then overjoyed: "Wow, this peach is really big!"

The camp leader's cold voice came from under the bronze mask: "You have to pick it." After
he finished speaking, the double hooks in his hands emitted two cold lights, and a Jinyiwei
Tiqi who tried to attack him from behind was immediately covered in blood.

Upon seeing this, the other Jinyiwei became extremely alert. They no longer fought alone,
but formed a sword formation with well-trained steps and moves to fight the enemy together.

In the alley, one could see the flashes of knives flying like mad wolves, and the hooked blade
was like a small boat shuttling across the waves, repeatedly cutting through the waves and
bringing up strings of blood.

Jing Hongzhui took a hard breath, stood up, picked up the sword that was knocked away, and
stumbled out of the battle circle.

Feeling Shen Qi's malicious gaze behind him, he stared at the stubborn moss marks on the
brick wall in front of him and asked indifferently: "What do you want?"

Shen Qi pressed the hilt of the knife and approached from behind: "Have you really lost your
power? Let me feel your pulse."

Jing Hongzhu turned his head and pointed the sword at him: "Even though you are covered in
wounds, I can still defeat you by just using sword moves without using internal energy."
Shen Qi sneered: "You are just being stubborn. Who was the one who was beaten like a dead
dog just now?"

Jing Hongzhui was silent for a long time, and suddenly threw the long sword towards Shen
Qi.

Shen Qi raised her hand to catch it, and mocked: "Abandon the sword and surrender?"

Jing Hong chased, "Take this sword back and return it to Lord Su. He spent three hundred
gold coins to buy me the sword, and now I can't use it, so I'll return it to its original owner."

Three hundred gold! He lives in such a small shabby house, and there is not even a decent
decoration in the house. How can he take out and be willing to spend three hundred gold to
buy a sword for the guard? The two jars of lamb wine he bought for me only weigh three
taels! Shen Qi felt sour and bitter in his heart, and hated him so much that his teeth itched. He
planned to kill him while he was sick, and then kill him here, and then say that it was the
leader of the Seven Killing Camp who did it.

The blade was pushed out a few inches, and Jing Hongzhui said, "If the lord knew what
happened today, he would be sad. Don't tell the truth, just say that I was gone when you
arrived at the scene."

"...You want to leave? You insisted on staying by his side, why are you leaving so easily
now?" Shen Qi said half mockingly and half suspiciously.

Jing Hongzhui had a blank expression on his face, like a stone sculpture wrapped in layers of
ice, and said stiffly: "After I leave, the safety of the master will be in your hands. You have to
protect him with your life."

"You don't even need to tell me that!" Shen Qi gritted her teeth, "Without you——and those
wolves, tigers and leopards——he and I are fine."

Jing Hongzhui was silent again. After a moment, he said, "Tell the lord that I am going to
pursue my 'Tao'. I originally thought that was him, but after this battle I realized that only the
sword is my lifelong pursuit. I am sorry that I cannot say goodbye in person. I hope he will
forgive me."

After he finished speaking, he walked forward without looking back. His steps were a little
staggering and stiff, but his spine was straight.

Shen Qi watched his lonely figure gradually disappear into the distance, with a complicated
look in his eyes.
On the other side, the camp leader saw that the Jinyiwei were numerous and their sword
formation was quite difficult to deal with. Even if he could kill them all, it would take some
time, and he was afraid that if he delayed for too long, a large number of reinforcements from
the imperial court would arrive. So he saw an opportunity to break out of the siege, and used
his Qinggong to quickly flee towards the outside of the city. The Jinyiwei were not willing to
let him get away, so they immediately mounted their horses and chased him.

Gao Shuo also wanted to mount his horse and chase after him, but suddenly he saw his chief
officer standing by the wall, holding Jing Hongzhui's sword. He hesitated for a moment, then
walked over and asked, "Sir, did you let the bandit go?"

Shen Qi leaned over to pick up the scabbard, put the black and white sword blade back into
the scabbard, and said thoughtfully: "At this time, it's better for him to leave than to die."

Gao Shuo thought for a moment and asked again: "Why would he leave? If he really loses all
his power, wouldn't it be fatal if his former enemies heard about it and came to visit? Now
Lord Su is his best support."

Shen Qi said: "Although Jing Hongzhuo is redundant and annoying, he is a real tough guy.
He feels that he has become a useless person and can no longer perform the duties of a guard.
Staying with Qinghe would only become a burden, so he simply left."

Gao Shuo just vaguely heard the last few words of Jing Hongzhui, and he was filled with
emotion: "The reason he asked you to convey on his behalf is extremely inhumane. I'm sure
you will feel resentful after hearing it. Why bother?"

Shen Qi's thumb slowly rubbed the hilt of the knife, lowered his eyes and said: "Since this is
his wish, then I will convey it word for word, and let him get what he wants."

Jing Hongzhui walked aimlessly in the streets. The people around him were either in a hurry
or pointing and talking. It was as if they were separated from him by thick curtains, vaguely
visible but meaningless.

For the first time, he felt that the world was so empty. The sword was no longer in his hand,
and it seemed that even his heart was lost. He was just a body wandering in the world.

——Where is he going?

The rest of my life - such a long and hopeless rest of my life, such torturous years, how can I
endure until the end?
Jing Hongzhui suddenly stopped and looked back in the direction of the imperial city. He
seemed to see Lord Su in court robes, walking calmly over the Jinshui Bridge. He looked at
him with a smile and said, "Ah Zhui, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting for so long."

My Lord, I am willing to wait, happy to wait, no matter how long it takes. But please don't
wait for me... You can blame me and hate me, but in the end even this hatred will be taken
away by time, and you will completely forget me.
Chapter 228 I'm not guilty, I'm panic
2023-8-21 11:41 Category: Reincarnation of the powerful ministerTurn off the lights

Su Yan, dressed in court robes, walked across the Jinshui Bridge with a dignified gait and
went out of the Wumen Gate . From afar, he saw Su Xiaobei waiting beside the carriage and
eating dry food. His eyes lit up, and he lifted up his robe and ran towards him.

"Hurry, give me two sips!" He snatched the kettle full of tea from Xiaobei's hand and gulped
down the tea.

Su Xiaobei shouted in fear: "Slow down! Drink slowly, sir, be careful not to choke--"

Su Yan drank half the pot in one breath, wiped the corners of his mouth with his sleeve, and
took a long breath: "We have been talking for two hours straight, and I almost died of thirst."

Today's court meeting was particularly long, lasting three hours before it was adjourned. In
other words, the Lord alone took up two-thirds of the court meeting time... He is really good
at talking! Su Xiaobei looked at Su Yan with admiration: "Did the Lord succeed?"

Su Yan said, "We'll talk about the situation at the court meeting later. Right now, there are
more urgent matters. Let's get in the car and go to Shuntian Prefecture Government Office
immediately."

Su Xiaobei didn't ask any more questions and immediately sat on the shaft of the cart to
drive. Su Yan got into the carriage holding a kettle.

As the carriage started, the door was suddenly opened and a figure jumped up nimbly. The
body of the carriage did not shake much, but the moment Su Yan saw the other person
clearly, he sprayed a mouthful of water on the mouth of the pot, splashing his face.

"Are you so excited to see me?" Prince Yu laughed and took out a handkerchief to wipe his
face.

Su Yan saw that the handkerchief in his hand looked familiar: "This is mine--"

Prince Yu immediately put the handkerchief back into his arms and said, "Why would you
want to take back something you gave away?"

"No, I didn't send it... Never mind." Su Yan was too lazy to argue with him, so he changed
the subject and asked, "Where did your Highness come from?" I didn't remember seeing
Prince Yu at the court today. But his style has always been to come whenever he wants, so
it's not surprising whether he attends the court or not.
Prince Yu said, "My mother summoned me to the palace today to accompany you, so I just
learned about Wei Que's impeachment of you at the court, and I came to find you. How do
you plan to resolve this matter?"

Su Yan knew that Prince Yu originally had a somewhat contemptuous attitude towards the
Wei family, but for the sake of the Queen Mother, he would not be hostile. He did not
interfere in the power struggle between the Crown Prince and the Second Prince. Ever since
Fu Yin of the Vacuum Sect lurked in the palace, provoked a dispute between Prince Yu and
the Emperor, and even intended to make him kill the emperor and rebel, and Fu Yin dragged
Han Ben to death before his death, this completely angered Prince Yu, and in his eyes, the
Wei family, who were used as pawns by the Vacuum Sect, became a worthless person.

At least in this matter, Prince Yu was indeed his ally, so Su Yan did not hide it and said
truthfully: "Someone is behind the scenes giving the Wei family advice, and this person must
be related to the Seven Killing Camp and the Vacuum Sect, otherwise how would they know
Jing Hongzhui's origin?"

This straightforwardness pleased Prince Yu, who deliberately frowned and said, "That dog-
skin plaster guard of yours is indeed a remnant of the Hidden Sword Sect. You helped him
conceal his identity, and even I was kept in the dark. Now that the incident has happened,
let's see who can save you!"

Su Yan was not afraid at all and rolled his eyes at him: "A Zhui betrayed his master eight
hundred years ago. It was thanks to his investigation and tracking of the Fuyin incident that
the underground secret passage was discovered. Most of the intelligence about the Seven
Killing Camp was also provided by him. If we talk about his merits and demerits, he has
more than half of them."

Prince Yu sneered: "If that's the case, why don't you just say this openly at the court meeting,
instead of using the tactic of procrastination?"

"Because the timing and momentum are not right. 'If you don't have the right time, location
and people, even if you win, you will suffer disaster.' What my grandson said is true." Su Yan
had been standing for a long time in the court meeting. His waist and legs ached, so he
collapsed on the cushion next to his chair, like a boneless snake.

In the eyes of those scholars who valued etiquette, this was considered a disgrace to the
culture. But Prince Yu was more free and easy than him, and believed that he would only
have this attitude when facing his own people and truly relaxed. He was very pleased with it
and said with a smile: "I would like to hear more about it."

"Wei Que used Jing Hongzhui's background as an attack point. Whether I deny it outright or
defend Ah Zhui, I will be at a disadvantage and easily be led by the other party. If I turn a
deaf ear to it, the court officials will have two interpretations - Su Twelve is guilty and dares
not respond; Su Twelve just treats him as a dog fart and is too lazy to care. This kind of half-
belief and half-doubt is much better than me arguing with him until everyone thinks it is
true."

Prince Yu thought about it and nodded: "That makes sense. Sometimes 'ignoring' is a more
powerful response."

"Not only that. I deliberately interrupted the opponent's momentum and didn't give him a
chance to make a strong move. I wanted to control the rhythm in my own hands. Today, I am
reporting to the emperor. I was the first to impeach the Wei family. As long as the emperor
doesn't stop me, you, Wei Yan and Wei Que, will have to listen even if you don't want to!"

"…So you scolded the Wei family for two hours, forcing the marquis, the earl and the entire
court to listen to it from beginning to end, and even my brother had to go hungry to
accompany him to the end?" Prince Yu laughed, "Well done!"

Su Yan sighed: "This is a last resort. This happened suddenly, I need time to think of
countermeasures, and I also need to find someone to verify Ah Zhui's situation, so as not to
fall into the trap set by the other party. I asked the Jinyiwei who carried the evidence box to
help me pass the message to Shen Qi, hoping that he can understand my meaning and make
sure that nothing happens to Ah Zhui first."

Prince Yu's laughter suddenly stopped, his expression was a little hard to describe: "You let
Shen Qi go to save Jing Hongzhui?"

Su Yan responded with a look that said "what's wrong with that?" "Shen Qi is the only one
who knows the inside story, and he and I are on the same boat, who else should I look for if
not him?"

"Aren't you afraid that the two of them will fight for your favor—" Su Yan stared at him with
a death stare, and Prince Yu immediately changed his words, "It was just a disagreement!
They fought over a disagreement, and each wanted to take the opportunity to finish off the
other?"

"What do you want to solve?" Su Yan slapped the seat of his chair. "Now that we are facing a
powerful enemy, we have to put aside our personal grudges. If you cut my steering wheel and
I burn your sails, the ship will be overturned in our hands before the enemy can fire. Then we
will all be finished! Such a simple truth, I don't believe they can't see through it."

Prince Yu was speechless, and at the same time, he felt uncomfortable: Shen Qi had rejected
his solicitation without hesitation at the beginning. If she joined forces with Jing Hongzhui
now, it would mean that the other party was not willing to fight alone, but was unwilling to
choose him as an ally. Whether it was because she looked down on him, or because of some
concerns and did not want to get involved with the royal family, only Shen Qi knew clearly.
With a subtle sense of dissatisfaction, Prince Yu asked: "So where are you going?"

Su Yan said, "Shuntian government office. I asked Ah Zhui to protect the victim who filed a
complaint before, and he also has a complaint to file. If everything goes well, he should still
be in the government office lobby. If not... he may be targeted by the Seven Killing Camp
and the Vacuum Cult."

The situation was urgent, so Su Xiaobei drove the carriage very fast and finally arrived at the
government office after half an hour.

Su Yan asked Prince Yu to wait in the carriage, and he entered the door easily in his official
uniform. Today, the chancellor was in the hall. The chancellor's surname was Mao, and he
was about forty years old, with the same official rank as him, the Junior Secretary of the Dali
Temple. The two of them saluted as equals, and Su Yan explained his purpose.

"Today, many people have indeed come to file complaints, and even beat drums outside the
government office to complain. They are all accusing..." Mao Fucheng sighed in
embarrassment, "the two marquises of the Wei family. Each of them is a bloody and serious
case. The prefect is very troubled by receiving the complaints, so he asked me to take over
the affairs of the court temporarily, and he will take care of it from the back, so as to test the
Wei family's attitude first."

Su Yan understood the situation immediately - it seems that this deputy is quietly flattering
the principal. Otherwise, why would he tell him? The implication is: Our leader is no good.
As the mayor of Jing City, he is timid and incompetent. As soon as he received a difficult
case of suing a relative of the emperor, he dragged me out to take the blame. He was afraid of
offending the Wei family, so he went to the defendant to inform him first.

As expected, Mao Fucheng asked immediately, "Lord Su has just come down from court.
May I ask which direction the wind is blowing and what the weather is like?"

This is asking him what the court officials think about this, and what the emperor means. Su
Yan thought that this gentleman really knows how to "see flowers in the fog" when speaking,
and laughed: "The wind direction is so changeable, and the sky... is neither windy nor clear."

Minister Mao was stunned and thought: How come Su Shaoqing, who looks only about
seventeen or eighteen years old, speaks more like an experienced person than me?

Su Yan leaned forward slightly and said in a very sincere tone: "Master Mao, we are both
deputies, and it's okay for us to talk to each other about some of our innermost thoughts. If
the chief officer is unwilling to take responsibility for some difficult official business, then
we deputies not only have to work, but also be ready to take the blame at any time. This is the
same in every government office."
Prime Minister Mao nodded sympathetically: "Master Su, do you have any good tricks? Can
you teach them to me?"

Su Yan put down the teacup and said, "No matter how good the tricks are, they are no match
for two words - process. As long as official business is done according to the rules and
procedures, there will be no mistakes. Even if there is a mistake in the end, it is not our fault.
When Shuntian Prefecture receives a petition, it follows the legal process, so it goes step by
step. If it encounters resistance and cannot go any further, it submits the report... uh, the
memorial to the higher-ups and asks them to point out the direction. Isn't that clearing the
responsibility? It is better than trying to please either the plaintiff or the defendant and end up
being rejected by both sides."

Mao Fucheng was suddenly enlightened: "That makes sense! Lord Su is really mature beyond
his years, very steady."

"No, no, it's all ground out." Su Yan made the motion of grinding ink, and the two of them
laughed at the same time.

Seeing that the atmosphere was good, Su Yan asked about the general situation of the
plaintiffs today. He did not find any plaintiffs who matched Jing Hongzhui's appearance or
related cases, so he stood up and said goodbye.

When Mao Fucheng saw him off, he sighed silently: Such a young man with no
impetuousness, intelligence and sense, no wonder he was favored by the emperor... Well, it's
mainly because he was born with a good appearance! Otherwise, I would have ranked
seventh in the second class of the palace examination that year, why didn't the emperor take a
fancy to me?

As soon as Su Yan walked out of the government office, his face darkened. After getting into
the carriage, he said to Prince Yu, "Jing Hongzhui got into trouble!"

"How to say?"

"He promised me to go to Shuntian Prefecture to file a complaint. He will do what he

promised me no matter what, unless..." Su Yan frowned worriedly, "I just asked the guard at
the entrance of the prefecture, and he said that he didn't see any Jinyiwei people coming or
going. I'm worried that Shen Qi didn't get through, and something went wrong in the middle."

Prince Yu didn't want to care about Jing Hongzhui and Shen Qi at all, but he couldn't bear to
see Su Yan's sad face, so he sighed and said, "Change your clothes first , I'll take you around
to see if you can find any clues."

The clue is in an alley not far from the government office.

Su Yan inhaled at the bloodstains on the ground that he hadn't had time to clean up. Prince
Yu walked around and jumped onto the roof to take a closer look. He came back to Su Yan
and said, "Two masters fought here with swords. The huge crack on the roof was caused by
the sword energy. Also around the alley, you can see there are a lot of fresh bloodstains and
scratches on the wall. It's clear that there was a fight between quite a few people."

Su Yan had a bad feeling and turned around and walked back.

Prince Yu caught up with him and asked, "Where are you going?"

"Northern Pacification Division."

As the two walked out of the alley, they ran into a group of Jinyiwei who had returned home
after failing to pursue the leader of the Seven Killings Camp. Su Yan looked up at the
Jinyiwei leader on horseback, who looked a little pale, and then moved his eyes from the
embroidered spring knife on the left side of his waist to the long sword on the right side that
was very different from the Central Plains weapons. He said in surprise: "That's Ah Zhui's
sword!"

When Shen Qi saw him and Prince Yu together, her expression turned unhappy. After
hearing these words, she couldn't help but sneer: "Nonsense, this is my sword."

Su Yan didn't know whether to laugh or cry: "Don't joke, Qilang, this is really Ah Zhui's
sword, and its name is 'Oath'."

Shen Qi's face turned green, and he said coldly: "This is my sword, the name of the sword is
'Three Hundred Gold'!"

Su Yan: “…”

Prince Yu raised his eyebrows and put his mouth close to Su Yan's ear: "Two people fighting
for a sword? I'll give it to whoever you say it to. Why are you feeling guilty?"

Su Yan said hesitantly, "I'm not guilty, I'm panicked. Ah Zhui is a swordsman, the kind who
can rely on his sword to survive."

In his mind, he put several layers of thick skin on his cheeks, and finally calmed down his
mind and asked Shen Qi: "Where is Ah Zhui?"

Shen Qi's eyes flickered, and she replied: "There are too many people here, it's inconvenient
to talk, let's go home first."
He dismounted and walked towards Su Yan's carriage.

Prince Yu held out his hand to stop him: "Your horse is fine, why are you trying to squeeze
into the carriage? The carriage is small, only big enough for two people. Go back to where
you came from."

Shen Qi looked at Su Yan, put his hand on the wound on his waist and abdomen, and said
nothing.

Su Yan thought his wound was hurting again, so he hurried forward to support him and said
to Prince Yu, "His injury has not healed yet, so he should not ride a horse. If Your Majesty
finds it too crowded, how about you two take the carriage and I ride a horse?"

"No need!" Prince Yu and Shen Qi objected at the same time.

The two men stared at each other like fighting cocks for a few seconds, and finally pulled Su
Yan's arms from the left and right at the same time and pulled him into the car.

Inside the carriage, the three people could not reach an agreement on the seating arrangement,
so they squeezed along the way with all kinds of secret moves, such as pushing and pulling.

When they returned to the gate of the Su Mansion, the carriage had not yet stopped, but Su
Yan could not even wait for the stairs. He jumped out of the carriage impatiently and took a
few deep breaths of fresh air.

He was shrouded in an ominous cloud in his heart. He was in no mood to argue with two
dogs fighting for food. He walked quickly to the living room, poured himself a cup of cold
tea, drank it in one breath, and slammed the cup on the table: "What's going on? Tell me!"
Chapter 229: Blow Your Dog Head
2023-8-21 11:42 Category: Reincarnation of the powerful ministerTurn off the lights

"Tell my lord that I am going to pursue my 'Tao'. I originally thought that was him, but after
this battle I realized that the sword is my lifelong pursuit. I am sorry that I cannot say
goodbye in person. I hope he will forgive me.

"——I have conveyed the original words word for word." Shen Qi said.

There was silence in the living room.

Whether this matter is true or not, it is not easy to judge based on Shen Qi's one-sided words.
If it is true, someone is courting death; if it is false, someone is about to be in trouble... Prince
Yu raised his eyebrows, revealing a sneer that was somewhere between gloating and
watching from the sidelines.

Su Yan's hand holding the teacup froze in front of his chest, his eyes widened in
astonishment, looking at Shen Qi: "Qi Lang, are you kidding?"

Shen Qi answered expressionlessly: "Take him? Not interested."

Su Yan shook his head in disbelief: "This is impossible! Ah Zhui will not just leave like this.
Let's not talk about him and me... Let's just say that now is the critical moment to overthrow
the Wei family, the Seven Killing Camp, and the Vacuum Sect. How could he leave like this
without taking revenge and go to pursue the 'Sword Dao'?"

"That's the truth. He left without any hesitation, and he didn't even want this sword."

Su Yan turned his gaze to the long sword on the table: it was well maintained, just like when
he first bought it. Only from the patina-like translucent luster on the spiral hilt could one see
the traces of being frequently grasped and caressed.

He still clearly remembered Ah Zhui's expression when he received the sword -

"Let's call this sword 'Oath', it's very suitable." Jing Hongzhui held the hilt of the sword,
looked up at him, and said solemnly as if he was making an oath, "The name of the sword is
like the sword heart. If I go against this heart, the sword path will not be successful, and I will
never use the sword again in my life."

"'The sword's name is like the sword's heart', the words are still ringing in my mind... Ah
Zhui is a man of determination and almost stubbornness, I don't believe he will go back on
his word." Su Yan murmured, "There must be something else behind this."
But it was Qi Lang who witnessed everything. If he said there was something else going on,
wasn't that just doubting Shen Qi? Su Yan was confused for a moment. He didn't believe that
Shen Qi, who was so affectionate and loyal, would deceive him, nor did he believe that Ah
Zhui, who had been with him through thick and thin, would leave without saying goodbye.

As expected, as soon as these words came out, Shen Qi's expression changed.

Prince Yu replied to Su Yan's question in a "just right" way: "Is this... the steering wheel cut,
or the sail burned?"

At this moment, Su Yan's mind was in a mess and aching. It took him a few seconds to react.
Prince Yu was hinting that Shen Qi and Jing Hongzhui had betrayed his previous trust. In the
face of a powerful enemy, not only did they not work together, but they also (suspectedly)
had an internal fight that caused one of them to leave?

Shen Qi also heard that it was not a good thing, but did not explain. She only sneered at
Prince Yu, which was light and chilling.

Su Yan actually felt a little guilty because of his laughter - if this matter really has nothing to
do with Qilang, wouldn't he be sad to hear me say this?

——But Shen Qi and his men were the only ones who knew about the battle between Ah
Zhui and the camp owner and the flute player before he left. Is what he told me 100% the
truth?

Su Yan had a headache and a heartache. His stomach, which had been empty for too long,
also hurt. There was an indescribable sadness and anger wrapped in the pain, which made
him restless.

Su Xiaojing, who had been watching for a long time, poked his head in from outside the door.
Probably affected by the solemn atmosphere in the living room, his voice became less
carefree: "Sir, dinner is ready... How about we eat first and then talk about things?"

Su Yan put the teacup in his hand on the table: "You guys eat first, I don't have much
appetite, we'll talk later. Xiaojing, take good care of the prince and Lord Shen." After that, he
strode out of the living room.

Shen Qi and Prince Yu saw that Su Yan was in a low mood and behaved abnormally, so they
didn't feel comfortable leaving him alone, and immediately got up and chased after him.

The two chased to the east wing and saw Su Yan enter the room where Jing Hong was
chasing. He then locked the door with a bang.
Shen Qi hesitated for a moment and knocked on the door a few times. No one opened the
door, he sighed silently and advised: "Everyone has their own aspirations, you can't force
them. That grass... If Jing Hongzhu wants to leave, let him go, Qinghe, look at it more
positively."

There was still no response from inside the door.

Prince Yu also stepped forward and said, "Why don't you come out and have a meal first?
How can you be so hungry from the fourth watch until now?"

After a long time, Su Yan's slightly tired voice came from the room: "I know. Can you let me
calm down and clear my mind?"

The two people who were both rejected looked at each other unwillingly and helplessly.

Prince Yu whispered, "Can't you suppress this matter for now, or just say that Jing Hongzhui
is hiding for a few days to avoid the limelight? The impeachment of the Wei family has not
yet been completed. Jing Hongzhui left so irresponsibly. Qinghe was emotionally hit. What if
it affects his performance at the court meeting tomorrow?"

"I wanted to hide it first, but it was such a coincidence that we bumped into each other." Shen
Qi stared at the tightly closed door, her eyes like a knife trying to pry open the crack in the
door, "Qinghe knows the priorities of things. It's just that a guard left, Qinghe may not be
used to it, will be annoyed, and even feel sad, but he is a smart and experienced person. I
believe he will figure it out in no time. "

The smart and experienced Su Qinghe he mentioned was currently in Jing Hongzhu's room,
searching around with a lot of grievances and anger in his heart.

Last time he left without saying goodbye, at least he left a handwritten letter, this time he
asked Shen Qi to relay two sentences - and they weren't even human words - what a big deal!
Damn Jing Hongzhui, this had better be a crazy joke, otherwise when you come back, I'll
twist your head off!

Su Yan searched angrily for a long time, but found nothing unusual or left behind. Jing
Hongzhui's room was just like him, hard, neat, and tidy, without any fancy or unnecessary
decorations, except for a gourd of wine left in the bedside cabinet.

Picking up the wine gourd, Su Yan sat on the edge of the bed in frustration, opened the lid
and took a big gulp.

It tastes mellow and strong, but has a bit of sour aftertaste - it is home-brewed red yeast rice
wine.
He suddenly remembered that on his birthday last year on the seventh day of the sixth lunar
month, Jing Hongzhui stopped in front of him with a gourd of wine. Leng Yi's face was
faintly nervous and expectant, as if he was about to turn around and run away, but in the end
he handed the gourd over and whispered, "I wish you good health and a long life."

"…What the hell is this? It's just a matter of breaking off and leaving at any time." Su Yan
muttered, pouring wine into his mouth one mouthful after another, drinking it quickly and
awkwardly, with the wine spilling all over his clothes. "I don't care what your reasons or
difficulties are. You're betraying me by just walking away like this! You don't believe that I
can solve the problem, you don't believe that I can accept the change, and you don't believe in
the choice I make when faced with the trade-offs, and you just want to handle the problems
yourself.

"You bastard! I thought at least you were obedient and less of a worry, but what happened?
Every one of you is a bastard..."

Su Yan cursed and muttered, swallowing the wine viciously as if it were Jing Hong chasing
him, and soon his cheeks and neck were flushed.

Outside the door, Shen Qi and Prince Yu felt more and more anxious as they waited.
Suddenly, they heard a "bang" in the room, like the sound of something hard hitting the floor.
Prince Yu couldn't help it: "No, I want to go in and take a look."

As he was talking, Shen Qi spit out palm power, broke the bolt, and pushed the door open
directly.

The two of them turned around the screen and saw Su Yan sitting on the edge of the bed with
his head down. A wet empty gourd was lying on the ground, and the whole room was filled
with the steaming smell of alcohol.

Drinking so much on an empty stomach? Shen Qi and Prince Yu hurried forward to check on
Su Yan's condition. Su Yan's alcohol tolerance was usually okay. If it wasn't very strong
alcohol, two or three pounds wouldn't be a problem if he drank slowly. But now he was
drinking quickly and slowly, so he got drunk easily.

Prince Yu lifted Su Yan's chin and saw that his face was flushed and his eyes were blurry. He
was at least 70% drunk.

"Drink to drown my sorrows." The Prince of Yu, who never gets drunk, sighed with a
mixture of bitterness and emotion, "It's good to be drunk...

"Bullshit, drinking alone is bad for your health." Shen Qi touched Su Yan's burning forehead
and palms, frowned and said, "I'll go find the servant to make some sobering soup."
Just as he was about to turn around, Su Yan grabbed his wrist. "Don't go yet..." Su Yan
begged.

Under Prince Yu's sour gaze, Shen Qi covered the back of Su Yan's hand with her other hand
and said softly, "I won't leave. I'll stay here with you. Let him get the hangover soup."

There were only three people in the room, and the "he" who was excluded was of course
Prince Yu.

Before Prince Yu could fight back, Su Yan pulled his hand back, randomly drew a human
figure in the air, and said with a big tongue: "No need... to accompany... I just want to ask,
ask, have you seen my concubine... I put it there... Where is such a big concubine?"

Shen Qi: "..."

Prince Yu: “…”

"How did it get lost? Who of you saw it? Did you hide it? Give it back to me now! Damn it, I
know you have bad intentions..."

Prince Yu looked around and saw a pot of cold tea on the table. He lifted the lid and wanted
to pour it on him.

Shen Qi stopped him: "He's drunk! Drunken words don't count."

"The truth comes out when drunk." Prince Yu gritted his teeth in anger, "He only cares about
the 'concubine' who left, but he turned a blind eye to the living person standing in front of
him, and even turned the tables on her!"

Shen Qi felt unhappy, and said with a cold face: "Whether it's a person or a thing, after it's
gone, I especially miss his good points. Isn't this human nature?"

"So you plan to let him study like this for the rest of his life?" Prince Yu sneered.

"You can't miss it forever." Shen Qi wiped the wine stains on Su Yan's hair with her sleeve.
Her tone was slow and calm, and a hint of bloody chill seeped out from the calmness. "It's
like a growth on the skin. Wait until the right time to cut it off with a knife. Maybe he will
feel pain for a while, but with me by his side, the wound will heal eventually."

Prince Yu pondered the implication of Shen Qi's words. He not only smelled the smell of
blood, but also a kind of sinister and paranoid morbidity. He felt more and more that this
person was not a good person.
Su Yan went crazy while drunk. His way of going crazy was quite special, neither a violent
madness that looked for trouble nor a literary madness that kept talking. He went crazy in a
way that made him particularly immersed in the play.

"You are a beautiful woman, why are you a thief?" He pulled Shen Qi's sleeve and asked with
great momentum.

Shen Qi was startled, and comforted him: "I'm not a thief, I'm Qi Lang. You're drunk, just
have a good sleep and you'll be fine."

Su Yan slapped the other person's hand that tried to hold him up: "The line is wrong! You
should answer 'Success makes you a king, failure makes you a thief'."

Shen Qi was helpless: "Success makes you a king, failure makes you a thief."

Su Yan showed a stern look: "A thief is a thief!"

Shen Qi: "..."

Prince Yu couldn't help laughing.

Su Yan: "Please."

Shen Qi: "...Please?"

Su Yan: "This line is correct. Go on."

What to answer? Who knows what a drunk person is thinking? Shen Qi stared at the back of
Su Yan's neck helplessly, wondering if pressing his sleeping point could end this
incomprehensible scene.

Prince Yu, in the mood to watch a good show, pulled Su Yan to his side and said, "Yes, let
him continue."

Su Yan glared at Shen Qi: "Keep talking!"

Shen Qi sighed deeply: "What did you say?"

Su Yan was very dissatisfied: "Have you done your homework? You always can't remember
these few lines! You have to say to me, 'With your majesty's insight and composure, there are
few people in the martial arts world who can match your majesty. If your majesty enters the
martial arts world, he will definitely be ranked among the top ten masters.'"

Prince Yu turned his head to look at "Your Majesty" who was clinging to his arm and barely
standing, and a thought flashed through his mind: I didn't expect that he actually had such
ambitions... Well, who in this world doesn't want to hold great power and rule the world?

Shen Qi was also a little stunned. Su Yan burped, waved his hand and said: "Forget it, since
you are still a newcomer, I will reluctantly tell you about the play... There is a sword god."

"Sword...God?" Prince Yu raised his eyebrows - why are we talking about gods again?

"Yes, the Sword God. 'God' refers to his level in the way of the sword. It has nothing to do
with immortals... Don't interrupt me, let me finish. You are so annoying!"

"Okay, okay, go ahead." Prince Yu smiled bitterly and helped him sit on the round stool
beside the table.

Shen Qi narrowed her eyes and looked at Su Yan thoughtfully.

Su Yan's blurred gaze seemed to penetrate this era and project into another mysterious world:
"The Sword God has a lofty character, like the ice and snow on distant mountains, and the
shooting stars on winter nights. The sword is not a weapon to him, but the 'Tao' to which he
devotes his life. The success and failure and fame and fortune in the world are not worth a
sneer to him. The peak that can be glimpsed at that moment during a sword duel is eternal."

The Sword God regarded the Way of Sword as his belief, so he could achieve such a realm.
Shen Qi glanced at the Embroidered Spring Knife on his waist. A knife is just a knife, a
weapon for killing, not a "way", at least not to him.

——Is there something in this world that one's obsession and love for can surpass everything,
even one's own life? Prince Yu asked himself. The old scar on his chest that had long since
healed began to itch and tingle again, with a dull pain.

"The Sword God has gone through unimaginable hard training, but he is still some distance
away from the peak he wants to reach. No matter how hard he tries, he can never make it."

"...Then what should he do?" Prince Yu asked in a deep voice.

Su Yan had an expression that said "young man, you are very motivated" and patted his
shoulder: "Good question. Even the Sword God himself didn't know the answer to this
question, otherwise he would have reached the peak long ago. Until one day, he met a woman
destined for him.
"He suddenly had an epiphany - his sword was cold. Was this the bottleneck that prevented
him from seeking the truth? Then the snow fell from the top of the mountain to the ground,
and the gods descended from the clouds to the earth. He and the woman fell in love, got
married, had children, and gradually became a worldly person. His sword also gained
temperature. For the people he wanted to protect, his sword became faster, sharper, and more
powerful - he used 'entering love' to break through that bottleneck."

Prince Yu smiled slightly and said, "Isn't that great?"

Shen Qi showed a look of disapproval instead: "If he really pursues the way of the sword, he
will never stop. All his temporary stays are just to go further."

"Young man, you are excellent! You have a deep understanding of the role!" Su Yan slapped
his thigh hard - too hard, grimacing in pain, but it did not prevent the drunk and dedicated
director from continuing to talk about the play, "One day, the Sword God received a
challenge from another Sword Immortal. The two had different understandings of the sword,
and this was a battle that gambled their lives and even their beliefs.

“Although this shocking battle could not be truly completed due to conspiracy, the Sword
God discovered something was wrong with himself - he couldn't let go of his pregnant wife,
and was worried that no one would take care of his wife and children after he died in battle.
This worry became a heavy shackle tied to his sword.

"The 'emotion' that helped him break through the bottleneck has now become another bigger
bottleneck, pushing him further and further away from the sword path he pursues..."

Prince Yu asked sympathetically, "What then? How does he choose between 'sword' and
'love'?"

"Guess?" Su Yan smiled at him.

"Maybe choose 'love'? After all, where love is, even gods cannot escape it."

Shen Qi shook her head: "He will choose 'Sword'. Although this choice is difficult, the
essence engraved in a person's bones will not change."

Su Yan laughed wildly and hiccuped: "You guessed wrong, hahahahaha... The reason why
the Sword God became the Sword God is that he is in a realm that mortals like us cannot
reach! Without inner struggles and difficult choices, he naturally realized the meaning of
'love'! So he left his wife and children, returned to the realm of the Sword God and reached
the pinnacle of swordsmanship. From then on, there was no one in the world who could fight
him. He endured and enjoyed this loneliness, and his swordsmanship was perfected.
"This thing called 'emotion', comes into being naturally, disappears naturally, and finally
becomes 'Tao'. It's simply the most amazing prop in the world - don't you think so?" Su Yan
laughed so hard that tears came out of his eyes.

Shen Qi and Prince Yu seemed to realize something, staring at him without saying a word,
their eyes filled with reluctance, heartache, sorrow, annoyance, and many other complex and
indistinguishable emotions.

Su Yan laughed enough, wiped his face with his sleeves, and began to curse incoherently:
"Bullshit, comparing him to the Sword God is simply flattering him to the sky... Damn, I
don't have this fate, I got this disease, it's just you, a bastard... Ask your own shit, first ask
yourself whether you have your next meal and where to sleep tonight!"

He suddenly raised his head and shouted to Shen Qi: "Where is the sword? Bring it here! If
you don't want it, then don't want it. What the hell, just smash it to pieces!"

Without saying a word, Shen Qi stood up and tried to get the sword to smash it.

Su Yan regretted it, and grabbed Shen Qi's clothes: "Three hundred gold! One thousand five
hundred taels of silver! Converted into RMB, it's one million when rounded up. He doesn't
want it, I feel bad! Don't smash it, I'll give it to you--" He turned his head and looked at
Prince Yu again, thinking that this man was also quite pleasing to the eye, "And you, you two
split it equally."

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for the reward." Prince Yu raised the corners of his mouth in the
murderous look cast by Shen Qi, and wiped the tears from Su Yan's face with his sleeves,
while coaxing him with patience that he had never had even when treating the young master,
"Okay, the play is over, Your Majesty is tired, I will serve you to bed."

Su Yan: "I don't want anyone to serve me... Can't I sleep by myself?"

As he spoke, he climbed onto Jing Hongzhui's bed with his hat and shoes on. Shen Qi
immediately grabbed his waist and dragged him out. His hat fell off, and his hairpin was also
lost. His black hair flowed down like a waterfall. Shen Qi picked him up and said, "We don't
want to sleep in other people's beds. We want to sleep in our own rooms."

Su Yan howled, "What the hell! I'm the master of the house. All the beds in the house belong
to me. I can sleep in any bed I want! All of you get out of here."

Prince Yu saw that his cheeks were getting redder and redder with anger, his misty eyes were
filled with water, and his whole body was emitting a sweet and fragrant smell of wine, which
was really delicious. He couldn't help but say, "Okay, whichever one you want to sleep with,
I'll warm your bed first."
The word "bed warmer" somehow angered Su Yan. He hit Shen Qi's lower back, extremely
angry: "Get lost, you are worse than a hot spring bath lady! At least a hot spring bath lady
won't run away!"

Prince Yu was implicated by the fleeing Tang Hanzi and suffered an unexpected disaster.
Shen Qi had no time to mock him because he was hurt by Su Yan's beating and gritted his
teeth to endure it.

Su Yan took the opportunity to turn over and jump to the ground - he stepped on the empty
wine gourd and fell forward, and Prince Yu hurriedly caught him.

The person in his arms stopped moving. Prince Yu looked down and found that Su Yan had
fallen asleep due to the alcohol, with a tear hanging on his eyelashes.

Prince Yu was silent for a moment, then sighed, "If one day, I was the one who left, would he
be so sad?"

Shen Qi covered the wound that was still painful and answered for Su Yan: "He also drinks,
but it's just celebratory wine."

Prince Yu glanced at Shen Qi: "The reason why Jing Hongzhui left is probably not that
mysterious, right? He is too confused to think carefully right now. I will wait for you to
investigate further in the future. I am waiting to see how you end up."

Shen Qi said coldly: "This is a private matter between him and me, Your Highness, please
don't worry about it. Since the host is asleep and it is inconvenient to entertain guests, Your
Highness, please go back." He took two steps forward, wanting to take Su Yan away from
Prince Yu's arms.

Prince Yu tightened his arms and said pointedly: "This is the Su Mansion, not the Shen
Mansion. You are also a guest. Why should I leave and you can't?"

Shen Qi's hand was like an iron clamp on Prince Yu's hand, and he didn't feel the weakness
brought by the injury at all. He uttered every word clearly and solemnly: "Because I am his
husband, because he is my wife."

Prince Yu was slightly startled, then burst into laughter: "If you say so, then so? Have you
asked me for my opinion?" He turned his arm and easily broke free from the iron clamp.
"You can still stand and talk because I think it is unfair to beat a man who has not yet
recovered from his injuries. Since you are shameless, don't blame me for being rude."

Shen Qi's eyes flashed with ferocity, but she heard Su Yan frown and mutter, "Let's all go, it's
better for me to be alone... Damn, dogs bite dogs and their mouths are full of fur."
Dog...bite dog? The two men, who were on the verge of a fight, immediately stopped fighting
and felt the same frustration - they were both dogs, so who wasn't? Jing Hongzhui? "What is
lost is always the best" is indeed the truth...

"And you, if you leave, don't come back. If you dare to come back, I'll blow your head off!"

There is no relief without comparison, and the mentality of the two people suddenly became
balanced.

As for who would take care of the drunk Su Yan... no matter which one of them it was, the
other one had deep doubts about whether he "could control himself and not take advantage of
the situation", and in the end, no one was decided.

Of course, this was also due to the fact that Lord Su still had a certain deterrent effect after
falling asleep, which made one of the two dare not bully others, and the other dare not go
crazy. And it was also due to Su Xiaobei's iron-faced impartiality and decisiveness -

He almost picked up a broom and kicked the two powerful people out of the bedroom where
his master slept.
Chapter 230 Dare Not or Cannot
2023-8-21 11:42 Category: Reincarnation of the powerful ministerTurn off the lights

At 3:30 pm, Emperor Jinglong had just finished his court session and did not return to the
Yangxin Palace, but went to the Southern Study in the outer court. The eunuchs of the
Imperial Kitchen had been waiting for a long time, and upon receiving the news, they
hurriedly brought the meal to the Southern Study, filling the table with a variety of delicacies.

Lan Xi, who was serving the emperor, was so hungry that his legs were weak, but Emperor
Jinglong was not in a hurry to pick up his chopsticks. Lan Xi suppressed his hunger and
advised: "Your Majesty, it has been nearly four hours since the fifth watch. Eat while the
meal is hot. Your health is more important."

Outside the palace, a royal guard came to ask to see the emperor. The emperor summoned
him in and asked, "Where is he?"

The guard replied, "After the court meeting, the crowd was crowded. I chased Lord Su across
the Jinshui Bridge, and he ran towards the carriage. I was about to approach him to pass on
the emperor's instructions, but was stopped by the guards of His Royal Highness Prince Yu,
who made a lot of noise. By the time I got rid of them, Lord Su's carriage had already
disappeared."

The emperor asked again: "Where is Prince Yu?"

The guard replied: "I saw from afar that His Royal Highness Prince Yu also seemed to have
boarded Lord Su's carriage."

The emperor pondered for a moment and waved his hand to signal him to leave.

Lan Xi looked at the emperor's face and said flatteringly, "Your Majesty wants to summon Su
Shaoqing. I will send someone to the Su Mansion to pass on the order."

The emperor shook his head: "Sending someone to the Su residence and summoning him to
the palace will cause too much noise."

Lan Xi was still thinking, what does it matter if there is a lot of noise? When the emperor
summons his ministers, does he have to avoid anyone's eyes and ears? But then he saw
Emperor Jinglong stand up and say, "I'm going to go out for a while, and this table of food
will be given to you to share."

Leaving the palace? Lan Xi hurriedly followed. Emperor Jinglong turned his head and
glanced at him: "You don't have to follow. Have someone prepare the carriage and select two
cautious guards to be the coachmen."
Lan Xi had no choice but to accept the order and go down to make arrangements.

Not long after, an exceptionally large carriage rolled out of Donghua Gate and headed
towards the east of the city.

The streets were relatively spacious at noon, and it only took half an hour to get to
Huanghuafang. The emperor, wearing casual clothes, ate a few snacks with tea in the
carriage, and dozed off on the low couch behind the screen for a while, which greatly relieved
the colic on both sides of his occipital bone.

Recently he seemed to have gotten used to the occasional headaches. As long as the pain was
not as severe as piercing his bones, he would remain calm and even the palace servants who
served him could not notice anything.

By the time he had tidied his appearance, the carriage had stopped and the guards had
brought a ladder and placed it under the door.

The carriage door opened, and the emperor just walked down two steps when he suddenly
held onto the door frame. The guards thought the steps were not stable, and reached out to
support him. But the emperor took a deep breath, pulled his hand back, took out a
handkerchief from his bosom, covered his mouth and nose, and said in a deep voice: "You
just wait here."

After saying that, he turned around and went back into the carriage.

The two imperial guards looked at each other. One of them sniffed the air and said
suspiciously, "I don't smell anything strange... Ah, maybe the stinky tofu stand across the
street is too smelly. I'll ask them to move to another place."

The guard went to drive away the vendors. The other guard looked at the gate of the
courtyard not far away. On the lintel were the words "Su Mansion". He knew that this was
the residence of Lord Su, the Right Junior Official of the Dali Temple. He also knew that
Emperor Taizu liked to visit the residences of his ministers in disguise, but the current
emperor rarely did so. As for why he made an exception this time, no matter how curious he
was, he would never ask.

The emperor closed the door tightly before taking off the handkerchief. He touched the
handkerchief, and his fingertips felt a little warm and wet. He couldn't help but frowned, his
expression was solemn, and his eyes seemed a little dazed.

The outlines of all things in front of him melted away, existing only in the form of light and
shadow, brightness and darkness, making his sight seem to penetrate the mortal world and
enter another world in the dark.
The emperor closed his eyes and stood quietly for a long time. When he opened his eyes
again, the shapes and colors of the mortal world emerged from the ink again. He looked down
at the several smudges of blood on the brocade handkerchief in his hand.

There was a mirror in the carriage, nailed to the back wall of the washbasin rack. The
emperor walked over and stared at himself in the mirror carefully. Finally, he used a silk
handkerchief dipped in clean water to wipe the blood under his nose.

He folded the handkerchief and put it in his arms, then turned and walked to the window,
lifted the curtain and said to the guard, "Let's go to Mingshifang, Mr. Yingxu's medical
room."

The Su residence is in front of us. We are passing by the gate but not entering. We are
changing the route? The two guards did not dare to ask any more questions. They jumped
onto the shaft of the carriage and drove the carriage towards Mingshifang in the south.

When the carriage disappeared at the end of the street, a team of Jinyiwei cavalry came from
the corner where it stopped, followed by an ordinary carriage, and stopped at the gate of Su
Mansion. Su Yan jumped out of the car first and took a few deep breaths of fresh air.

He turned to Prince Yu and Shen Qi who were glaring at each other in the carriage and said,
"Let's go to the living room to discuss in detail. Take the sword with you."

As it was getting dark, Chen Shiyu sorted out the prescription records on the consulting table
and told the pharmacist to close the door.

The doctor's room closed early today because he had promised his wife that he would go to a
relative's child's full moon celebration. The lights in the house were turned off one by one,
and Chen Shiyu was about to leave with his emergency medicine box on his back when he
heard a knock on the door.

The medicine boy said loudly: "The doctor is busy and can't see patients tonight. Please come
back tomorrow."

The knock on the door continued slowly but firmly.

The medicine boy was a little angry: "I told you that I don't treat illnesses or injuries, why
don't you understand?"

"Okay, stop shouting. Maybe he's seriously injured and it's urgent. Saving lives is like putting
out a fire. It doesn't matter if you go back a little later." Chen Shiyu patted the little medicine
boy's head and walked over to open the door himself.
The wooden door creaked open. The room was dark, casting the man standing outside the
door into shadows, with only two dim yellow lights illuminating his outline. Chen Shiyu saw
that the man was standing tall and his breathing sounded even and steady, not like a wounded
person, so he politely said, "My dear guest, I have something urgent to attend to, and the
clinic is about to close. Please come back tomorrow."

Two guards holding lanterns came out from behind the man and were about to scold him
when the man stopped them with his hand.

The man reached out and took off the hood of his cloak, and called in a low voice: "Mr.
Yingxu."

The voice sounded familiar. Chen Shiyu used the light to see the other person's face clearly.
The medicine box in his hand fell to the ground with a thud: "Emperor..."

The man nodded slightly: "Let's talk inside."

The master's doctor didn't leave, and the medicine boy couldn't leave either. He was grinding
herbs in the yard, muttering to himself. Two guards with swords stood outside the closed
door, their faces serious and their eyes alert.

The lights in the clinic were bright, and two people were sitting opposite each other.

After taking the pulse, Chen Shiyu carefully examined Emperor Jinglong's eyes, ears, mouth
and nose. Finally, he asked for a blood-stained handkerchief, identified the color, and sniffed
the odor.

He occasionally went in and out of the palace and had heard palace servants talk about the
emperor's chronic headaches, but the emperor did not order him to treat the disease, and the
Imperial Medical Service was full of experts, so he did not volunteer.

The emperor's coming to the doctor's room in disguise at night was beyond his expectation.
Chen Shiyu vaguely realized that the emperor did not want his illness to be known by anyone
in the palace, including the imperial physician.

Emperor Jinglong briefly described his recent new symptoms and asked, "Suddenly, my eyes
became dark and I couldn't see anything, but suddenly they were clear as usual. What is the
reason?"

Chen Shiyu twirled his beard and pondered for a moment before answering, "It looks like an
eye problem, but I have carefully examined your eyes and found no signs of disease. So it is
more likely to be caused by a headache."
"Then what about the unexplained bleeding in the nose? Is it also caused by a headache?"

"It's possible. It's spring now, with lots of rain and humid weather, so it's unlikely that your
nose will bleed due to dryness. And judging from your pulse, your yin and yang are balanced,
and your yang is a little bit too strong, but not to the extent of liver fire deficiency, so it's
unlikely to cause nosebleeds. I've been thinking about it, and I have a guess, but I don't know
if I can say it or not."

The emperor smiled and said, "Go ahead. I am not someone who is afraid of seeing a doctor.
I trust Mr. Yingxu's character and medical skills."

Chen Shiyu bowed his hands in thanks and said, "I would like to ask, how badly has the
emperor's headache deteriorated?"

The emperor sighed, "I have suffered from headaches for several years. The attacks started
two or three times a year and later became two or three times a month. I have tried all the
treatments proposed by the imperial physicians, including decoctions, acupuncture, and
moxibustion, but they still cannot cure it. Recently, not only have the attacks become more
frequent, but the pain has also become more severe, especially after being tired or
emotionally upset."

Chen Shiyu advised: "Your Majesty is busy with many things every day. Overwork will
damage your vitality. According to internal medicine, the human body requires harmony
between man and nature. Only when the five elements and six qi are in harmony can one be
healthy. It is not a matter of treating the symptoms instead of the cause."

The emperor asked in return: "What about surgery?"

"Surgery..." Chen Shiyu hesitated for a while, but finally decided to follow his duty as a
doctor and say what he had to say. "Surgery sees a person as a combination of bones, flesh,
marrow, tendons, blood, etc., but these parts are not isolated from each other. One move can
affect the whole body. The most subtle, complex, and difficult to detect and treat is the
brain."

"This sounds familiar. I heard Qinghe say something similar." A strange light flashed across
the emperor's eyes, but he immediately lowered his eyes and looked away. "The hot compress
and fumigation he proposed are very effective, but they can only provide temporary relief."

Chen Shiyu was even more worried after hearing this. "Lord Su has a lot of insights into
medical theory and has some miraculous folk remedies. If even his methods don't work, then
this disease will be even more difficult to treat. Let me tell you the truth - the cause of the
emperor's headache may not be the commonly said invasion of evil wind, but the skull is
separated, so the specific situation is unknown. I have no better way except to continue to use
internal medicine to regulate the body with decoctions and acupuncture."
The emperor was disappointed, but his face showed no sign of disappointment. He said
calmly, "In the past, Cao Gong had a severe headache, and the great doctor Hua Tuo offered
the technique of craniotomy in the hope of curing the disease. Cao Gong suspected that Hua
Tuo was plotting to murder him, so he imprisoned him and eventually executed him. What do
you think of this, Mr. Yingxu?"

Chen Shiyu was shocked, but he also vaguely expected that the emperor would ask this
question. He pondered for a moment and said, "The loss of the Qing Nang Jing by the great
doctor Hua is a huge loss to Chinese medicine. But even if it is passed down, others may not
dare to perform the treatments he dared to mention. Even if they dared to perform them, they
would not be able to guarantee the success of the treatment."

The emperor looked at him and said, "Mr. Yingxu is known as the 'master of the world'. Is it
that he dares not, or is it that he cannot?"

Chen Shiyu bowed his hands and apologized: "I have a reputation that is unjust, but I am far
from being able to compare with Dr. Hua. I dare not and I cannot."

The emperor was silent for a long time, his face as cloudy as the sky without rain.

Just when Chen Shiyu was worried and thought that the emperor was going to be angry, the
emperor suddenly stood up and said calmly: "Since Mr. Yingxu has said so, I will not force
you to do anything. This matter ends here and I will just pretend that I have never been here."

Seeing that the emperor was about to leave the consulting room, Chen Shiyu finally couldn't
help but speak: "Your Majesty, how about asking Lord Su to come over, and I will discuss
with him to see if we can find another way?"

"No need." The emperor paused, turned his head slightly, and said in a calm but irresistible
tone, "I hope Mr. Yingxu will keep this matter a secret for me. Don't mention it in front of Su
Yan, otherwise I will punish you."

Chen Shiyu knew the weight of these words, and immediately bowed to the ground and said,
"Whether it is out of medical ethics or in compliance with the imperial decree, I will never
disclose any information about the patient. Please rest assured, Your Majesty."

The emperor nodded and said before leaving: "If you have any new ideas, come and see me
again."

Chen Shiyu respectfully escorted the emperor out of the house. He waited until the carriage
he was riding in disappeared into the night before he wiped the sweat off his forehead with
his sleeve and said with guilt, "The only regret in my life is that I don't have a good doctor
and can't cure all the people in the world."
The medicine boy who was listening behind him said unconvincedly, "Your book, The
Original Meaning of Surgery, is cited as a classic by surgeons all over the world. If your
hands are not considered excellent, then are there any other excellent hands in the world?"

Chen Shiyu shook his head repeatedly: "Medical science is like the ocean, and I am just a
drop in the ocean."

He really wanted to study Emperor Jinglong's illness and try to find a new treatment, but he
had many concerns and was reluctant to take on too much responsibility. He originally
wanted to discuss it with Lord Su, perhaps he could gain some enlightenment, but the
emperor strictly ordered not to disclose the matter, so he had to keep his mouth shut.

The medicine boy urged, "Sir, why don't you go home quickly? Madam is getting impatient
and is going to punish you again. Last time, Madam asked you to buy some groceries on your
way home, but you forgot all about it and went to the charity cemetery to dissect the
ownerless corpses. You came back with a foul smell. Have you forgotten how Madam was
angry?"

Chen Shiyu shuddered, and suddenly an idea flashed through his mind. He remembered that a
body was left at the charity cemetery yesterday. It was said that the person died of a severe
headache and epilepsy. Why not take this opportunity to open the skull of the deceased and
see what the lesion in the brain was?

He usually performed surgeries on bones and flesh, and this was his first time to open the
skull. However, his thirst for knowledge and sincerity in medical skills pushed him forward,
and he could not wait to close the door and hurriedly boarded the carriage with his medicine
box on his back.

The medicine boy called from behind: "Sir, we are going the wrong way! Home is this way!"

Chen Shiyu said without even turning his head: "Go and apologize to the Madam for me, and
tell her that I have something urgent to deal with, and let my son accompany her to the full
moon banquet!"
Chapter 231 Today Won’t Be Long
2023-8-21 11:43 Category: Reincarnation of the powerful ministerTurn off the lights

The "surgical genius" Dr. Chen Shiyu returned home in the middle of the night with a head
full of amazement, confusion and a stench of corpse on his body. He was severely scolded by
his people in Jing for a long time.

After all, Emperor Jinglong, who was in disguise, did not go to the Su Mansion. He took a
carriage back to the palace and called several extremely capable Jinyiwei to investigate the
guard named Jing Hongzhui beside Su Yan, and from whom the Wei family knew his
identity.

Before going to bed, the eunuch from Yongning Palace came to report that the imperial
concubine wanted to go to Yanfu Temple tomorrow to pray for her sick mother, and begged
the emperor to allow it.

After Lan Xi finished delivering the message, the emperor frowned slightly and said, "Noble
Concubine Wei has been leaving the palace frequently recently. How ill is Madam Qin?"

Lan Xi replied, "I heard that she is not well. The Queen Mother has sent people to see her
several times and gave her a lot of medicinal herbs. Madam Qin only has this one biological
daughter. It is natural for the Imperial Concubine to be concerned about her mother's illness
and to pray for her and show filial piety."

The emperor nodded: "She is a thoughtful person. Let her be."

Lan Xi rolled his eyes and continued, "The Emperor has several filial sons and daughters.
Perhaps the Imperial Concubine was inspired by them. As the saying goes, if you are not
from the same family, you will not marry into the same family."

The emperor took off his outer robe with him, and said with a half-smile: "Which of my sons
and daughters gave you bribes and asked you to help speak well of me?"

Lan Xi hurriedly said, "That is absolutely not the case. I don't have the guts, let alone the
face, Your Majesty, please make fun of me."

"——What has the prince been busy with these days?" The emperor asked casually while
changing his pajamas.

Lan Xi replied, "I am in the palace and do not know what is happening outside. His Royal
Highness the Crown Prince comes to the Yangxin Palace to pay his respects around twilight
hour every day, but the Emperor is busy with government affairs and it is always
unfortunate."
The emperor sighed slightly. He had been really busy recently, with a lot of things going on
both inside and outside the company. If they couldn't be solved smoothly, they would become
a major concern, even if not now, then in the future.

"Since you are the one who received him, you must know something. Tell me about it."

"Yes. I heard from the servants of the Eastern Palace that while His Royal Highness was
investigating the case of the Yishan Bureau substituting relief grain, he suffered a lot of
hardship at the hands of the old masters in the Ministry of Revenue. At the same time, he had
to prevent the spread of the evil words on the stone pillar in the capital, and arrested many
charlatans and gangsters who took the opportunity to stir up trouble. He was so busy that he
lost a lot of weight. But he looks more energetic. Once he gets rid of that youthful air, he
really has some of the style of the emperor when he was the crown prince..."

Emperor Jinglong sneered, "Okay, stop flattering me. Tomorrow, you will tell the Crown
Prince to do his job well and not fall behind in his studies. As for paying respects every day,
please do so if possible. I don't need your filial piety that is put on the surface."

Lan Xi's heart skipped a beat when he heard this. He agreed with his mouth, but he began to
guess the emperor's intentions in his mind: the first half of the sentence seemed to be a strict
father, and the second half seemed to contain irony... Now the emperor's attitude towards the
East Palace is ambiguous, does he like it or not? The eunuch who has been serving the
emperor for many years is also a little unsure.

The only thing he could be sure of was that even he couldn't figure it out, so the officials in
the court had even more different opinions.

——Should I remind my nephew Su not to be so obsessed with the prince? Give yourself one
more choice so that you can have a way out in the future. Lan Xi thought so in his mind as he
retreated.

As soon as she walked out of the Yangxin Palace, she saw Concubine Wei getting off the
sedan chair and walking up the stairs with several palace maids and a female companion. Lan
Xi hurriedly smiled and greeted her: "This servant greets the Concubine."

Concubine Wei was quite polite to the eunuch beside the emperor and replied, "I see that the
eunuch has just come out. The emperor must not have rested yet. Can you tell him that I have
something to see him about?"

Lan Xishun took the opportunity to show off her achievements: "Your Highness, are you here
to pray at Yanfu Temple tomorrow? I have already reported this to the Emperor, and he has
agreed. I am planning to go to Yongning Palace to give you a reply."
Concubine Wei thanked him and said, "Besides this matter, I have something else to say.
Thank you for your help."

Lan Xi had no choice but to return to the palace. He saw that Emperor Jinglong had not yet
gone to bed. He was leaning against the bed with his quilt wrapped around him, reading a
thin book. He glanced at it from the corner of his eye and found that it was neither a book nor
a memorial. It seemed to be a manuscript on the reform of civil service administration. The
handwriting seemed to be written by Su Yan. He did not dare to read any more and reported
to the emperor that Concubine Wei had requested an audience.

The emperor turned a page and said calmly, "Just tell her that I'm asleep and ask her to go
back to the palace to rest as soon as possible."

Lan Xi was still thinking in her heart, the emperor had stayed in Yongning Palace every other
day recently, although he didn't visit the emperor, he gave Concubine Wei a lot of face. But
since the incident of the inscribed stone pillar, the emperor scolded the prince in public and
summoned Su Yan to the imperial study for a secret talk. When the queen mother suddenly
came, Su Yan didn't know what happened, but hid under the desk... Recalling the situation at
that time, Lan Xi held back a smile and thought, since that day, the emperor rarely went to
Yongning Palace again, could it be related to his little nephew Su?

After changing his mind, he bowed and replied, "Yes, I will pass on the message."

Concubine Wei waited anxiously in the corridor outside the palace, twisting her brocade
handkerchief with her fingers. Ruan Hongjiao, the attendant, comforted her, saying, "Don't
worry, Madam, she will be out soon." Concubine Wei touched the phoenix hairpin on her
temple and asked, "The sedan chair was shaking violently just now. Do you think my
headdress is crooked?"

Ruan Hongjiao smiled and said, "It's not crooked at all, it's all fine, and the makeup is very
delicate. The emperor will be delighted when he sees it."

As they were talking, Lan Xi left the palace. Concubine Wei hurriedly put on a calm posture,
but saw the eunuch replied very naturally: "Your Majesty, the emperor has gone to bed.
Although he was not angry about being disturbed by the servant, he was not in a good mood.
However, the emperor still thought of you and told you to return to the palace to rest as soon
as possible."

Concubine Wei was disappointed and couldn't help but ask again, "Is the emperor really not
going to see me?"

Lan Xi smiled apologetically: "Maybe it's the wrong time, how about you come back another
afternoon?"
"The time is wrong? There are twelve hours in a day, and every hour is wrong..."

Ruan Hongjiao secretly tugged at Concubine Wei's sleeve. Concubine Wei realized that she
had said something wrong, and hurriedly smiled at Lan Xi and said, "Then I will go back
first, and come back to see the emperor after I come back from praying in the temple."

She forced herself to walk down the stairs in a graceful manner, but as soon as she sat in the
sedan chair, her face fell and she almost burst into tears.

Ruan Hongjiao wiped her tears with a handkerchief (carefully avoiding her makeup powder)
and coaxed her softly. Concubine Wei sobbed, "Now you see, I am a joke in front of him...
The so-called favor from the emperor, the so-called honor, are all fake! In his eyes, I am not
as good as a pile of memorials! I have given up now... You say, are all the couples in your
folk like this?"

Ruan Hongjiao comforted her: "The emperor and his concubine are naturally different from
ordinary couples, and they have more rules to abide by. Otherwise, your majesty, try to look
at it from another perspective - the current emperor is working hard to govern the country,
diligently governing the country and loving the people, which is the welfare of the people of
the world. As a concubine, your majesty, serving the emperor and ensuring his health, isn't it
also a great contribution to the country?"

Concubine Wei held back her tears and sneered, "Haha," "The harem is not allowed to
interfere in government affairs, so what does the country have to do with me? I am a woman,
and what I seek is a loving husband. I just want a husband who loves me and accompanies
me."

If you really only want this, why did you enter the palace in the first place? You should find a
man of equal status to marry and live the life of an ordinary young couple. Knowing that
there are many concubines in the harem and the emperor cannot favor only one, you entered
the palace with the mentality of competing for favor for the blessing of your family. After
falling out of favor, you complained that you could not have the best of both worlds. Why?
Ruan Hongjiao didn't agree in her heart, but her face showed empathy.

Concubine Wei asked sensitively and pointedly, "What's that expression on your face? Are
you sympathizing with me? I am the mother of the country, do I need the sympathy of a
prostitute like you?!"

Ruan Hongjiao knew that whatever she said at this moment would be wrong - she had just
met Concubine Wei and had been rejected, and the other party couldn't save face, so she
wanted to punish her.
She reacted quickly and used another matter that the other party was concerned about to
divert his attention: "I have already completed everything about the Yanfu Temple tomorrow
according to your majesty's instructions."

As expected, Concubine Wei's eyes lit up, she wiped away her tears and asked, "Is he willing
to come and see me?"

Ruan Hongjiao said, "More than willing. He also accepted the necklace and scripture that the
queen gave him last time. It seems that the prince of Xiang is interested."

In fact, when she went to the Marquis' Mansion to convey Concubine Wei's invitation to Mr.
He, Mr. He was not enthusiastic, but showed a playful look. He did not ask any more
questions, but just clasped his hands together calmly and said, "I will obey the Queen's
order."

Having been immersed in the pleasure world for many years, Ruan Hongjiao could easily
distinguish whether the feelings between men and women were mutual or just a show. Mr.
He's reaction made her feel strange and uneasy as if a storm was coming. But she did not tell
Concubine Wei about this feeling - not to mention that their positions were opposite, even if
she reminded her, she would not listen.

Concubine Wei took a deep breath, and her bright glow returned to her face. "If you can do
the first day, I can do the fifteenth!" She reached out and pulled out the phoenix hairpin given
by the emperor from her temples and threw it on her skirt - now she no longer cared whether
it was crooked or not.

Ruan Hongjiao said with some fear: "From now on, my life will be entirely dependent on
you, Madam."

Imperial Concubine Wei said, "What are you afraid of? There have been many such incidents
throughout history. As long as you keep your mouth shut, I won't kill you."

Ruan Hongjiao thanked him and wondered whether she should tell Lord Su about their secret
meeting.

Su Yan got drunk and when he woke up with a dizzy headache, it was already dark outside
the window.

The quilt was filled with the scent of Jing Hongzhui, like freshly cut grass in summer. He
couldn't help but take a deep breath and kicked the quilt away again.

He got out of bed in his slippers, not even wearing his coat, and walked to the door in a daze,
opening it while calling out, "Xiao Bei! Xiao Jing!"
Su Xiaojing happened to come over with a copper basin filled with hot water. Seeing this, she
said, "My Lord, you're awake. It's a good time to wash your face and eat quickly. You've
been hungry all day."

Su Yan had just woken up from his drunken stupor and had no appetite at all. He looked
around and asked, "Where are those two people?"

Xiao Jing suppressed his laughter and asked, "Which two people?"

Su Yan glared at him: "Are you kidding me? Don't think I'll forget everything when I'm
drunk. Where are you?"

Unexpectedly, Xiao Jing suddenly became crazy and kept asking him the same question:
"Who is it?"

Su Yan was so angry that he threw the wet cotton towel on his face back into the basin: "Who
else could it be, Shen Qi and Prince Yu!"

Xiao Jing clapped her hands and laughed: "Haha, Lord Shen won!"

Su Yan was stunned: "What did you win?"

Xiao Jing said, "They had made a bet before, whose name would be mentioned first when
Lord Su woke up." He was embarrassed to say that he was also involved in this matter and
got red envelopes from both sides.

Su Yan: “…”

Su Yan: "It's boring! Huh? Are these two sick? They are even crazier than a drunk like me!
Get them all out!"

As a result, the two bored men who came upon hearing the noise not only did not leave, but
also forced Lord Su to eat a bowl of stomach-nourishing millet porridge.

After dinner, Lord Su collapsed in his armchair, rubbing his forehead and saying, "Whatever
the bet is, I've confiscated it."

Shen Qi reached out to Prince Yu. Prince Yu ignored him, took out a house deed from his
arms, and handed it directly to Su Yan. It turned out that he had bought the neighbor's yard in
order to protect Su Yan from the conspiracy of the Vacuum Sect.
Su Yan didn't know they were betting so much, so he said quickly, "I was just kidding. Stop
making a fuss, it's still who it belongs to."

Prince Yu sneered and stuffed the deed into his arms: "Take it. When this is over, connect the
two courtyards and expand the mansion. No fourth-rank official in the whole capital lives in
such a cramped place as you. If you don't expand your house, how will those officials with
lower ranks than you and larger houses live?"

Su Yan also knew that standing out from the crowd in officialdom was not a good thing.
Those who knew him said that he was an honest official, while those who didn't know him
slandered him for seeking fame and reputation.

He said somewhat embarrassedly: "Then I will let the official buy it on credit, and pay it back
to the prince in installments according to the market price later."

Prince Yu smiled and shook his head: "I am willing to accept the loss. Qinghe wants to ruin
my gambling character, but there is no way."

Shen Qi also said: "This is what he lost to me. It has nothing to do with him. If you want to
borrow it, you should borrow it from me."

Su Yan laughed: "I didn't know Qi Lang was such a shameless person. Come on, I'll pay half,
is that okay?"

As long as she could drive Prince Yu, the uninvited neighbor, away from the Su Mansion and
stop him from thinking about him all day long, Shen Qi would be willing to do anything
shameless.

As for whether Prince Yu wanted to take advantage of the situation to earn favors and gain
goodwill, this would only work if Qinghe was willing to accept it. Prince Yu's past bad deeds
were there, Shen Qi believed that even if Su Yan's relationship with him had eased, it was
impossible for him to have no grudges in his heart.

The gong outside the window struck the fourth watch, and Su Yan stood up and said, "It's
time for me to attend court."

Prince Yu said, "I will also go to the morning court today."

Shen Qi felt that the Wei family must have a backup plan, and wanted to go with them. Su
Yan smiled and said, "Don't worry, you should stay at home and take good care of your
injuries. Otherwise, the emperor will see that you have only been recovering for half a month
and run around. He might think that the previous serious injury was a fraud. What if he
deducts your credit?"
Shen Qi didn't care about the credit. But Su Yan finally persuaded him by saying "I'll keep
you as a reinforcement".

Prince Yu went ahead and returned to the mansion to change into court clothes. Su Yan
walked to the door of the living room and then turned back, stretching out his hand to Shen
Qi: "Give me the sword."

Shen Qi raised her eyebrows, took off the Embroidered Spring Sword from her waist and
handed it to him.

"Why are you pretending to be stupid? I'm talking about Ah Zhui's sword, not your knife." Su
Yan said.

Leaving it for you to remember? Shen Qi was very unhappy, but Su Yan insisted on asking
for it, so he had to take out the long sword he had hidden, and said sourly: "You don't know
how to use a sword, why take it back, can't you hug it and sleep with it?"

Su Yan frowned and knocked on the scabbard: "After all, I bought it for three hundred gold
coins. I use it as a family reserve. If I don't have enough money to spend one day, I will sell
it."

Shen Qi's face brightened up: "I know a lot of brokers, I'll take this and make a note. If there
are suitable buyers who ask, let them contact you?"

"...I meant 'some day'!" Su Yan hugged the sword in his arms and walked away with a cold
face, not knowing who he was angry with.

He returned to his bedroom, dragged out a wooden box from under the bed, opened the lid
and put the long sword "Oath" inside. After staring at the lid for a while, he pulled himself
together and patted his face: If it is destined, it will happen. If it is not destined, don't force it.
And there are so many important things to do right now, personal feelings must be put aside
for the time being.

Su Yan pushed the storage box back to its original place, changed into his official uniform for
court, and left the room without looking back.

The atmosphere at today's morning court session at Fengtian Gate seemed particularly
serious. Even the officials who usually spoke the most stopped whispering to each other.
Almost half of the court's attention was on Su Yan, the Shaoqing of the Dali Temple, who
had turned the impeachment into a series of dramas.

Su Yan was still wearing the robes of an imperial censor, holding a tablet in his hand, and
standing calmly in the queue of the Censorate, waiting for the court meeting to begin.
He turned a blind eye to all the looks around him, including the angry and resentful looks
from Wei Yan and Wei Que.

All the ministers came today. Even the Prime Minister Li Chengfeng came to the court
despite being ill. The emperor gave him a seat and he coughed from time to time with his
handkerchief covering his mouth.

Su Yan knew that the many court officials present, as well as the even larger number of
officials whose ranks were not high enough to attend court, were not only spectators of the
show, but also allies or betrayers of someone or some force, profit-seekers or advocates of
some greed or ideal, who would take action at any time and wrestle secretly.

Under the light, he seems to be standing in the center of the stage, but the entire official
system, the complicated officials, and the emperor who controls the will of the country are
the main subjects of this play.

Emperor Jinglong ascended the throne, and all officials performed the ceremony of three
kneelings and nine kowtows, and then the court meeting began.

Normally, the cabinet ministers and the six ministers should have reported first, but today
everyone from the emperor to the ministers knew that the impeachment war between Su Yan
and the Wei family would continue. Therefore, at the beginning, someone petitioned the
emperor to control the time each official spoke.

"The government affairs of the court are complicated and require discussion and decision. If
one or a few officials are allowed to speak eloquently and have their voices heard from
beginning to end, how long will it take for other matters to be resolved? Besides, who doesn't
know how to make long speeches? If everyone follows this practice, what will the court be
like in the future?"

This made sense, and all the ministers agreed. The proposer was a member of the Imperial
Censorate, and maintaining order in the court was within his responsibility. The emperor
could only nod his head in approval and asked all the ministers to be brief and concise in their
announcements and replies in the future.

"It's directed at you, Lord Su." An imperial censor beside him reminded Su Yan in a low
voice.

Su Yan smiled and said nothing.

Another imperial censor also came over and said, "It's okay, Lord Su, just go ahead. I ate four
big steamed buns this morning before I came here, which can last for quite a while."
Su Yan looked at his belly that could hardly be contained, and blinked a little embarrassedly:
"Don't worry, today's court session won't be too long."

As soon as he finished speaking, Wei Que, the Earl of Changning, stepped out first and
bowed to the throne: "Your Majesty is wise. This decree has stopped some people from using
redundant words and deliberately delaying time. I suffered greatly from it yesterday. I didn't
have time to say a word before the court was dismissed. Please allow me to report first today
to show your Majesty's fairness and justice."

Emperor Jinglong saw that Su Yan did not have a strong reaction, so he said, "Approved."

Su Yan listened to the first few sentences. Sure enough, Wei Que continued to impeach him
for harboring imperial prisoners, keeping assassins, colluding with evil cults, and falsifying
achievements to seek credit. He also said that yesterday near Shuntian Prefecture Yamen, the
remnant had fought with other bandits and finally escaped in the encirclement of Jinyiwei.
Many yamen runners and civilians witnessed this.

Su Yan asked back, "What the yamen runners and the common people saw was just the
soldiers besieging the bandits. As for who was who, how could they tell? Besides, the leader
of the Jinyiwei who led the team knew best which side was the enemy and which side was the
friend. Lord, you are so sure about this. Is it based on the testimony of Shen Tongzhi?"

Everyone in the court knew that Su Yan and Shen Qi were good friends. Not to mention
asking Shen Qi to testify, Wei Que didn't even dare to step into the door of the Northern
Pacification Office. Where could he get this testimony?

Because Jing Hongzhui escaped, the original plan of using his possession to massacre the
people in the streets to convict Su Yan had to be aborted. The Wei family revised the content
of the impeachment overnight, and the degree of solid evidence was reduced a lot, which led
to this awkward dilemma.

"It is an indisputable fact that Censor Su took in the imperial prisoner." Wei Que seized on
Jing Hongzhui's identity and made his point.

Since the person has already run away, Su Yan also adjusted his response strategy. There was
no need to clear Jing Hongzhui's name at this moment to avoid falling into the other party's
rhythm. He only said that when he knew and hired Jing Hongzhui, he did not know his true
identity - this was also the truth.

In the past year, Jing Hongzhui has not committed any bad deeds, but has made great efforts
for the government to solve the case. As for whether the other party is loyal or treacherous, it
is necessary to arrest the person and bring him to justice before making a judgment. How can
he throw dirty water on Su Qinghe without knowing the inside story? Is this a frame-up?
"That remnant of the Hidden Sword Sect is your trusted guard. Who would believe you if you
said you knew nothing about his identity?" Xian'an Marquis Wei Yan couldn't help but scold,
"You are making up excuses in front of His Majesty, Su Yan, you are committing the crime
of deceiving the emperor!"

Su Yan subconsciously glanced at Emperor Jinglong on the throne. He had the opportunity to
tell the truth about Jing Hongzhui's identity before, but he concealed it from the emperor for
various reasons. He felt guilty about it.

Emperor Jinglong looked calm, and just as he said, "neither windy nor rainy, nor clear and
sunny."

Su Yan then breathed a sigh of relief, and turned to look at Prince Yu who was standing in
the line of clan members - because Prince Yu was the only adult royal relative left in the
capital, his position was in front of the group of princes and relatives of the royal family, and
he usually stood by and watched, like an honorary elder who didn't care about anything.

At this moment, the honorary elder was "innocently" dragged into the water. Su Yan bowed
to him and said, "Your Highness Prince Yu, Xian'an Hou insinuated that you also committed
the crime of deceiving the emperor. What do you have to say about this?"

"My king? Bullying the emperor?" Prince Yu pointed at himself with a sneer, then turned his
gaze to Wei Yan, "Is this what Xian'an Hou meant?"

Wei Yan was furious: "Su Twelve, are you a scholar or a street hooligan? You are making
random accusations under the banner of this old man. You are clearly fooling His Majesty
and the entire court!"

Su Yan said seriously, "What did I say wrong? It was the Marquis himself who said that
taking in an unknown wanted criminal as a guard is colluding with bandits and deceiving the
emperor. Isn't this an insinuation that His Royal Highness Prince Yu also committed these
crimes by taking in Fu Yin, a remnant of the Hidden Sword Sect, as a guard in the palace?"

Wei Yan was stunned. He had not thought about the Prince of Yu at all, and said hesitantly,
"That's different. Your Majesty... Your Majesty doesn't know the other party's identity..."

"Why do I know something that His Majesty doesn't know? Does it mean that I, Su Qinghe,
am smarter and more perceptive than His Royal Highness the Prince of Yu, or that His Royal
Highness the Prince of Yu is dumber and less able to judge people than me?" Su Yan asked.

Wei Yan: "..." These two options mean the same thing, right? Who is Prince Yu? The
emperor's brother, a first-rate devil. He is trying to draw hatred from me!
Su Yan continued to be aggressive: "Lord Wei, you should not have such double standards.
Unless you impeach both me and His Royal Highness Prince Yu today, I will truly believe
that you are dedicated to the public; otherwise, you are fabricating charges and deliberately
framing me, in retaliation for my exposure of the evil deeds of the Wei family!"

Prince Yu cooperated very well and sneered at Wei Yan: "If Xian'an Hou feels that I have
done something wrong, he can just write a petition to impeach me openly. Why do you have
to make indirect accusations like this?"

Wei Yan hurriedly bowed to him and said, "I have absolutely no such intention. Your
Highness, please understand!"

Su Yan continued, "I heard that the two marquisates of the Wei family have many retainers,
and some of them came from Qingzhou. Qingzhou fell in the early years and is now under the
occupation of the Tatars. Can you guarantee that there is no Tatar spy among the retainers of
your mansion? I heard that there are spies among the retainers of the marquisate. How about
this, the marquis submits a list of retainers from Qingzhou and asks the Dali Temple to
investigate and verify them one by one, first to verify what the marquis said, and second for
the marquis' own safety. What do you think, marquis?"

Censors have the power to report rumors, and it is not outrageous for him, as an imperial
censor, to make this request.

Wei Yan's face changed slightly. He did have many staff members from Qingzhou in his
mansion, and Mr. He was the one he valued the most. Su Yan was so sharp, could it be that
he discovered something?

"Your Majesty's expression shows that you don't trust the Dali Temple!" Su Yan bowed to
the chief officer, Guan Pan, the Dali Temple official. "Under the rule of Lord Guan, the Dali
Temple has strict laws and has solved many important cases. Does your Majesty have a
different opinion on this?"

Guan Pan only wants to keep himself out of trouble and is most afraid of being involved in
these court struggles. At this moment, he is just like a puppet and clay sculpture.

Su Yan had not expected him to cooperate, so he turned to the Minister of Justice Wang Tirui
and said, "My Lord, you may trust the Ministry of Justice more. What do you think,
Minister?"

Although Wang Tirui didn't buy his trick, he still said for justice: "It all depends on your
majesty's wishes. The Ministry of Justice has no shirking its responsibility."

In the past, major cases were tried by the three courts, and the Censorate also had the right to
participate in the judgment. The chief officials, the Left and Right Censors, were also good at
talking, but they were previously overshadowed by Jia Gongji. Now that Jia Gongji was
dismissed, the presence of these two people became prominent. One was eager to join the
battle, and the other received benefits from the Wei family and tried his best to turn things
around.

As a result, the censors were more clearly divided into two factions. One faction was headed
by the Right Censor-in-Chief, who was determined to correct and rectify official discipline.
He was Lord Su's new friend, Censor Chu Qiu, who had participated in the public trial and
was his right-hand man.

One faction was led by the Left Censor-in-Chief, who was secretly on good terms with the
Wei family. Although the number of censors who supported him was not as many as the
former, the Left Censor-in-Chief was slightly higher in rank than the Right Censor-in-Chief,
and he could still suppress others with his higher rank.

So the censors started a civil war, some made suggestions, some refuted, and once again there
was a huge quarrel in the court, disrupting the order of the court meeting. The Jinyiwei had to
knock the ground with the long handle of the golden gourd to suppress the noise.

Su Yan secretly spread his hands towards Emperor Jinglong, indicating that it was none of his
business and that they had just started the quarrel among themselves.

Emperor Jinglong gave him a warning look, but there was a hint of smile in his eyes. He
cleared his throat, and the crowd immediately quieted down.

"Su Yan and Prince Yu mistakenly recruited a wanted criminal as their guard. Those who are
unaware are not guilty. Marquis Xian'an and Marquis Feng'an are important officials of the
country. It is not appropriate to search the mansion without solid evidence. There is no need
for either side to mention this matter again."

The emperor spoke, seemingly impartially, but Su Yan knew very well in his heart - the scale
was obviously on his side. After all, he had been with Jing Hongzhui for a year, and the Wei
family would be able to find a lot of evidence if they were willing to collect it. And his
accusation that there was a spy among the Wei family's retainers was more of a guess than a
"rumor".

He speculated that important figures from the Seven Killing Camp and the Vacuum Sect were
hiding among those retainers, but he had not yet obtained any concrete evidence.

This meant that the emperor used his "rumor" to make a substantive accusation against him
by the Wei family. At the same time, he also followed his words to drag Prince Yu into the
water and protect him.

Su Yan was touched and grateful, and bowed to the emperor and said, "I obey your order."
What else could Wei Yan and Wei Que do? They could only follow and say “I obey your
order.”

Su Yan brought up the old topic again: "But Your Majesty, I have not yet finished my report
yesterday. I only mentioned the tenth crime of the Wei family. Well, we should finish what
we have started. How about you let me finish talking about the remaining two?"

—Impeachment?! Wei Yan and Wei Que wanted to pounce on him and tear him apart.

Facing the unfriendly looks from the courtiers who had gone hungry because of him, Su Yan
laughed dryly: "Very soon! Very soon today. I promise that I will finish speaking within two
quarters of an hour and will never violate the new decree issued by the emperor."
Chapter 232: Too Many Unpredictable Variables
2023-8-21 11:43 Category: Reincarnation of the powerful ministerTurn off the lights

Yanfu Temple in the east of the city is an ancient temple with a long history. It is very
popular and became famous because of the blood sutra exhibition.

On this day, Yanfu Temple closed its gates and swept the mountain paths early in the
morning, not receiving ordinary pilgrims and tourists, and was focused on welcoming the
imperial concubine's carriage.

At the end of the Chen hour, the phoenix carriage passed through the mountain gate with a
large entourage. Concubine Wei changed to a sedan chair carried by six people, climbed the
steps to the main hall of the temple, and then she got off the ground with the help of the
palace maids.

The abbot of Yanfu Temple and the monks came to greet her personally. After Concubine
Wei burned incense and prayed in the Great Hall , the monks sat together in the hall and
chanted sutras and prayed for her mother.

The chanting took quite a long time, so the imperial concubine could not be left waiting there,
so the host invited her into a beautifully decorated quiet room to rest for a while. After the
chanting was finished and the purification ceremony was held, she was invited to the front
hall.

After the monk left, Concubine Wei winked at Ruan Hongjiao, who was accompanying her.

Ruan Hongjiao understood what he meant, and sent guards and palace maids to block the
passages in all directions, forbidding anyone to approach. She and her personal maid stood
guard at the door of the quiet room without leaving.

Concubine Wei nodded with satisfaction, pushed the door open, and bolted it.

She stroked her hair, and checked her clothes and skirt. She felt a sense of uneasiness in her
heart, just like the day she first entered the palace to meet the emperor.

Turning the screen, she saw the man in white meditating at the banquet through the beaded
curtain. There was a zither in front of him and incense burning beside him. Behind him, the
window paper was painted with a sacred mountain and waterfall in the mist, making him
seem like a different person.

Concubine Wei stared at him blankly for a while before she came to her senses and bit her lip
and called out, "Sir."
Mr. He opened his eyes and smiled at her: "My queen, how are you?"

Ruan Hongjiao, who was standing guard outside the door, hesitated for a moment, beckoned
the maid to come over, and whispered in her ear: "Go and tell the servant of Lord Su's family
for me, and say... 'Phoenix and Crane will meet at the East Temple'. Be natural when you go
out, and don't attract attention."

The maid nodded, recited to herself, and then reminded her worriedly: "Young lady, be
careful when you are alone. I will be back soon." Then she turned and left.

Ruan Hongjiao didn't think much of it at first, but the maid's concern made her a little
nervous. She thought to herself: I've already done it, I might as well do it to the end and find
a chance to listen to what they said.

She walked around the outer part of the quiet room and saw that the door was tightly closed.
She stuck her head against the window paper and listened, but couldn't hear the movement
inside. She could only frown and look for another solution.

At the court meeting at Fengtian Gate, Su Yan finished speaking about the last two points of
his impeachment, and it really only took him two quarters of an hour.

"…I humbly hope that Your Majesty will listen to my words, investigate the treachery of the
Wei family, and eliminate the thieves for the world. The Wei family has been harming the
country for a long time, and their power is deeply rooted and has far-reaching implications. I
request that a special task force be set up to conduct a thorough investigation. The main
culprit should be charged with heavy crimes to rectify the country's laws, and the
accomplices should be ordered to retire and have their names removed from their registers to
rectify the country's system. Once the internal thieves are gone, the government can be
cleaned up!" Su Yan prostrated himself and saluted the throne.

Su Yan knelt for a long time, unable to get up. The Xiezhi, a mythical beast embroidered on
his blue court robe, had its eyes wide open. Emperor Jinglong stared at his back in silence.

There was complete silence in the room for a moment. The officials seemed to be watching
and waiting, and it seemed that a storm sweeping across the government and the country was
brewing.

"Your Majesty, I have something to say." Zuo Guangbi, a doctor in the Ministry of Justice,
stood up and said, "The source of the crimes that Su Shaoqing impeached the Wei family is
not reliable!"

Hearing this, everyone looked at him in surprise.

Zuo Guangbi continued, "Everyone should know about the public trial held by Su Shaoqing.
The most important witness was Wan Xin, the brother-in-law of Feng'an Hou. This person
not only exposed the conspiracy of the Zhenkong Sect, but also reported the Wei family and
provided a lot of testimony and information to Su Shaoqing.

"——Lord Su, am I right?"

Su Yan stood up and said calmly, "Not bad."

Zuo Guangbi sneered and raised his voice: "You all know that Wan Xin has gone crazy!"

"crazy?"

"Is this true? Why are you crazy?"

Censor Chu Qiu immediately stepped forward and said, "On the day of the public trial, you
and I were present at the same place. Wan Xin was conscious and spoke clearly. He was not a
madman. Why do you say that, Lord Zuo?"

Zuo Guangbi looked at his old friend. From now on, we are political enemies. He sighed with
regret in his heart.

"Wan Xin has been detained in the imperial prison ever since he was secretly arrested by the
Northern Pacification Office. I went to take the documents from the Ministry of Justice to
pick him up, but the Northern Pacification Office made many excuses and refused to release
him. Who instructed this? I don't need to say more, right?"

Zuo Guangbi turned to look at Su Yan and said, "This Wan Xin has been manipulated by
you, so naturally he can make any confession he wants. The Northern Pacification Division
has many tricks to punish prisoners, so it is reasonable that he can't stand being driven crazy.

"Sir Su, if I am lying, please release Wan Xin so that you can see for yourself whether he is
crazy or not!"

Su Yan's face was as gloomy as water.

Wan Xin was indeed crazy, but he was crazy after submitting his testimony, and crazy
because of the trap set by the Wei family and Mr. He. Ever since he chose the latter between
the information conveyed by Ruan Hongjiao and her life, he knew that this moment would
inevitably come.
Zuo Guangbi pressed the issue: "Why didn't Lord Su answer? Did he tacitly accept that what
I said was true?"

"...I feel ashamed of Wan Xin." Su Yan said in a deep voice.

The ministers immediately began to discuss, and Su Yan raised his voice: "I promised Wan
Xin that I would guarantee his personal safety, and I also said that the Imperial Prison is the
safest place for him now. In order to allow him to testify alive, I did not let the Ministry of
Justice take him away, fearing that he would be ambushed during the transfer. But there is
always a loophole, the other party did not choose to kill him, but used another more sinister
trick.

"Wan Xin was drugged and driven insane after he gave his confession. This was a mistake
made by the task force, and as the team leader, I should be held responsible for it.

"But the evidence he provided is valid, because it is not isolated evidence. There are many
other pieces of evidence and victims that can verify and supplement each other. This is called
the 'chain of evidence', just like an iron chain with links linked together. The flaw in one link
does not negate the other links.

"In addition, who ordered the person who made Wan Xin crazy, how did he sneak into the
imperial prison, and whether there was an insider in the Northern Pacification Office? I will
continue to investigate and give Wan Xin justice!"

Chain of evidence? The judges present pondered this new term and found it quite interesting,
nodding their heads slightly.

Indeed, a single piece of evidence is not enough to prove a case. Wan Xin's confession is an
important piece of evidence, but it is not the only one.

But Zuo Guangbi still insisted on this point: "The source of the evidence is unclear, and the
most important witness is also mentally ill. In my opinion, Su Shaoqing's impeachment of the
two marquises of the Wei family is suspected of using the case to accuse others. His words
are not credible. I hope Your Majesty will be able to see clearly!"

"Honest officials and important ministers should not be allowed to be insulted and framed. I
hope Your Majesty will see clearly!" Many officials knelt down to express their support for
the Wei family.

"Your Majesty, the evil deeds of the Wei family are obvious to all. Please execute the traitor
and restore order!" Other officials also kowtowed and petitioned.

Emperor Jinglong spoke slowly: "What do the elders think about this matter?"
Prime Minister Li Chengfeng was about to speak when his throat started to itch and he started
coughing while holding his handkerchief.

The deputy assistant Jiao Yang said first: "This matter is of great importance and cannot be
hastily decided. Your Majesty should send someone to investigate it."

Emperor Jinglong asked, "Does Jiao Cifu mean to also set up a special case for
investigation?"

When Jiao Yang heard this, he was worried that Su Twelve would be made the team leader
again, so he quickly added: "Su Shaoqing and the Marquis of Wei have always had a personal
grudge, and I'm afraid he won't be able to be impartial, so he should avoid suspicion."

Emperor Jinglong hesitated for a moment, and just as he was about to speak, Lan Xi received
a message from the eunuch, and moved to the side of the throne in small steps, and reported
in a low voice: "Your Majesty, the Queen Mother wants to see you."

"Send someone to tell them that I will go to the Cining Palace after the court session ." the
emperor replied.

Lan Xi said in embarrassment: "The Queen Mother is having an acute attack. Your Majesty,
please...come over immediately without delay."

Emperor Jinglong stopped talking. Lan Xi bowed his head, not daring to look at the emperor's
face. He could only tell from his deepening breathing that the emperor was not feeling well.

After a brief silence, the emperor stood up and said, "——Dismissed!"

This impeachment lasted for two days, involved many people and was quite high-profile.
Both sides held their own opinions and attacked each other. In the end, the emperor
announced his resignation without any statement, which seemed to be a bit anticlimactic.

Su Yan mixed in with the crowd leaving the court as he crossed the Jinshui Bridge,
wondering as he walked: What exactly did Lan Xi report to the emperor that caused today's
court meeting to end so abruptly?

Prince Yu strode up from behind and whispered in his ear, "The Queen Mother has urgently
summoned me, and I also want to go to the Cining Palace to visit her. When you get on the
carriage, go straight home and don't turn around. You have guards I left behind in your house,
and there are also Jinyiwei secretly sent by my brother nearby, so it's safer."

Su Yan nodded and thanked him sincerely.

Prince Yu was worried and warned: "From today on, you must be extra careful. Animals are
most ferocious when they attack in danger."

Su Yan nodded again and said with a smile: "Don't worry, Your Majesty, I cherish my life
very much and will act with extreme caution."

Prince Yu couldn't help but raise his hand and wanted to touch his cheek, but he held back
and retracted it halfway.

"I'm leaving--" Prince Yu said, then turned around and walked against the flow of people, and
as the court officials sidestepped him, he walked towards the majestic and magnificent
palace.

His back was majestic and proud, yet lonely, like a soldier taking off his armor or a lonely
traveler. Su Yan stared at him for a moment, then realized he was distracted and quickly
looked away, returning to his carriage with mixed feelings.

The one who drove him to court today was Su Xiaojing, who was more lively and childish
than Su Xiaobei. Seeing this, he teased: "Why is the master so absent-minded? Did you lose
the verbal battle?"

Su Yan sighed softly: "There are too many variables, and it's hard to predict the outcome."

Su Xiaojing whipped the horse and said briskly, "My lord, you are capable and lucky. You
can always turn danger into safety, and this time is no exception."

"Do you trust me so much, my Lord?"

"Of course. Instead of worrying about losing the fight, you should think about what to eat
tonight. Brother Xiaobei likes steamed buns a lot recently, and I am almost turned into a bun.
Otherwise, let's eat grilled lamb chops tonight..." The boy's clear and cheerful voice faded
away with the sound of horse hooves and wheels.

As soon as I opened the door, Su Xiaobei heard the sound and came out from the gatehouse,
saying, "Sir, there is something that seems to be urgent."

"What's up?"

"The buns are steamed bad?"

Su Yan and Su Xiaojing asked at the same time.

"Go away, go to the kitchen and get some buns to eat. Don't disturb me and the adults while
we're talking about business." Su Xiaobei chased Su Xiaojing away.

He closed the door tightly first, then took Su Yan to the hall and said, "Ruan Xingtou's
personal maid, the one who insisted on exchanging soybean paste with me before, came again
this morning to pass on a message. Since the master is not here, I took the liberty of accepting
the note and will wait for the master to come back."

Su Yan said: "Last time I told Sister Ruan to be careful and stop spreading rumors, but she
didn't listen."

Su Xiaobei handed him the note and said, "Mr. Ruan has his own ideas. Even you, the adults,
cannot influence them."

Su Yan took the note, unfolded it and saw only five words on it: Fenghehuidongsi.

He thought for a moment, frowned and said, "Empress Wei is so bold! She actually did such
a ridiculous thing. Has she been blinded by lard?"

Su Xiaobei asked: "Wei Shi did something stupid and absurd, isn't it unpleasant for you, sir?
Isn't it a good opportunity for us when the enemy makes a stupid move?"

Su Yan sighed, "If it doesn't affect the emperor's reputation, I would be happy to see it."

Su Xiaobei didn't quite understand, so he asked again: "Should we seize this opportunity?"

"Of course, I can't miss this opportunity, but I have to find a more suitable entry point. Let me
think about it..."
Chapter 233: Let's Get Dipped
2023-8-21 11:44 Category: Reincarnation of the powerful ministerTurn off the lights

Cining Palace.

The figure on the couch could not be clearly seen through the gauze curtain. All that could be
heard was the empress dowager's solemn voice coming from behind the curtain: "The
emperor is here."

"Yes." Emperor Jinglong sat on the round stool in front of the couch and asked, "How is the
Queen Mother's health?"

The Queen Mother asked again, "Where is Cheng'er?"

"——I am here." Prince Yu strode into the bedroom, bowed to the emperor, and sat down on
the round stool on the other side. "The queen mother urgently summoned me, and I dare not
delay for a moment."

"Roll up the curtain," said the Queen Mother.

Immediately, a palace maid came forward to roll up the curtain and hang it on the jade hook.
The Queen Mother leaned against the raised headboard, her face did not look sick, but her
expression was gloomy. She usually wore gorgeous and exquisite makeup, and she looked
like a beautiful woman in her forties even though she was over fifty. But now, she had
removed all her makeup, revealing fine lines at the corners of her eyebrows and eyes that
were difficult to erase.

Emperor Jinglong was a little surprised to see this, but seemed to have expected it. He asked,
"I wonder what kind of emergency is your mother suffering from? I have summoned Director
Wang and two other judges from the Imperial Hospital to come over so that they can give
your mother a detailed consultation."

The Queen Mother rested her forehead on her hand and sighed slightly, "Heart disease."

"What's wrong with you that makes you not even bother with makeup?" Prince Yu dragged
his stool forward and leaned over to take a closer look. "But you're beautiful even without
makeup. I'm lucky to be born like you."

The Queen Mother was almost amused by him: "You are such a chatterbox! When will you
be able to be steady and serious and learn from your brother?"
"No, I dare not follow his example." Prince Yu glanced at the emperor who was sitting
upright, "If your mother has any worries, you might as well tell her so that I can share your
worries."

The Queen Mother asked, "Do you know what day it is today?"

Prince Yu thought about it and asked uncertainly, "Which Bodhisattva... or the immortal's
birthday? Queen Mother believes in too many gods and Buddhas. I'm sorry that I can't
recognize them all and can't remember them all."

"Stop making jokes." The Queen Mother slapped the back of his hand as if to punish him.
"Twenty-seven years ago today, my sister got married in a hurry to Wei Yan, who was a
whole generation older than her."

Emperor Jinglong and Prince Yu both knew about the former Prince Qin's Palace.

At that time, their mother was facing a great crisis of a concubine fighting for the throne. The
father of the King of Qin was also facing dangers and opportunities at the same time.

Qin Wang's eldest brother, Emperor Ming Taizong, died of illness only three years after he
ascended the throne, leaving no offspring. As the elder brother died, the younger brother
succeeded, so the other dozen sons of Emperor Taizu became one of the legitimate candidates
for succession.

Excluding those of humble origins and mediocre abilities, there are still seven princes who
can compete for the national treasure.

Their father was one of them.

My aunt's marriage won the support of the entire Gyeongju army for the King of Qin.

Gyeongju was adjacent to the Tatar tribe and had not yet completely surrendered. It often
fluctuated with the situation of the border war and was one of the border forces that the kings
of the border guards fought for. The leader of the Gyeongju army at that time was Wei Tu,
the father of Wei Yen.

Wei Tu was old but still strong, and was good at fighting. It was because of the marriage with
the Qin Palace that Wei Tu made up his mind to lead his troops to surrender, and finally
escorted their father to the throne.

The contribution of following the dragon was second only to establishing the capital. It can
be said that the Wei family made an indelible contribution.
"On the day my sister got married, she held my hand and said, 'Sister, it doesn't matter who I
marry. What's important is that you stay well and continue to be the principal wife of the
King of Qin, so that either Bi'er or Cheng'er can become the crown prince. Only in this way
can we have a bright future.' I still remember how she tried to hold back her tears while
speaking. I also knew that she already had someone she loved, but she slashed her feelings
for me." The Queen Mother's eyes were hazy, as if she was lost in a long memory. "Later, the
Wei family really lived up to her expectations. Although Wei Yan was mediocre, he obeyed
her in everything. As a result, Wei Tu re-evaluated the importance of your father and
eventually became the most powerful force that pushed him to the throne."

Emperor Jinglong was silent for a long time, and said, "Mother, I know the contributions of
the Wei family in the past. So they have enjoyed all the glory and wealth in these years. I
agreed to grant them land and salary, and I also married them when they wanted to send their
daughter to the palace. For twenty years, mother, I have been lenient with their many illegal
and evil deeds, and even turned a blind eye. But they don't know how to restrain themselves,
and they are getting more and more presumptuous and greedy. Do they have to hand over the
country to them in order to make up for their contributions in the past?"

The Queen Mother patted the couch and called out in an extremely stern voice: "——
Emperor!"

"...My son has spoken out of turn. Please calm down, mother." Emperor Jinglong gave in.

The Queen Mother took a deep breath, and when she spoke again, her voice showed an old
age: "I know what is important and what is not! I am telling you this today because I hope
you will not do anything too extreme and leave a way out for the Wei family. I will also
personally warn them to stop when they have had enough. It is a great blessing from heaven
that they can maintain their prosperity for a lifetime, and they should not covet anything
else."

"What about the crimes committed before? Mother, have you ever read the crimes listed in
the memorials submitted by the censors, and the people who died unjustly—"

"There are millions of common people," the Queen Mother interrupted the Emperor, "but I
only have this one relative!"

Emperor Jinglong stopped talking.

Seeing that the atmosphere between the two sides was somewhat stalemate, Prince Yu tried
to smooth things over, "The Queen Mother protects her shortcomings, doesn't your Royal
Brother know that? When we were young, we had fights with Prince Xin. No matter what the
cause was, the Queen Mother always protected us and confronted his mother head-on."
The Queen Mother glared at Prince Yu with dissatisfaction. "What do you mean by
protecting a shortcoming? I was protecting my own son! It's the same now. The Second
Prince is about to turn one year old. He needs a biological mother who can have a say in the
harem, and a maternal family that can stand firm in the court. If you take away all these, how
can Zhao'er gain a foothold in the future?"

"Stand?" Emperor Jinglong pondered the weight of these two words. "He is a bastard and the
youngest son. Where can he stand? Or, where does the Queen Mother want him to stand?"

"Emperor!" the Queen Mother said sadly, "Other people have a bunch of melons growing on
the vine, and they still pick and choose, leaving the biggest and sweetest ones for seeds. You
only have two here, why don't you pick and choose, and keep the one that grows first? What
if this one is sour and bitter, and you remove the other one in advance, what harvest will you
have next year?"

Emperor Jinglong was silent for a long time, and then said, "My mother's likes and dislikes
have remained the same for fifteen years."

"Looking at his temper, academic performance, and character, my mother's vision is not far
off. Look at the recent incident with the stone pillar. Doesn't it prove that the divination I
prayed for back then has come true?"

"Hexagram? What hexagram? What does it come true?" Prince Yu asked curiously.

Emperor Jinglong shook his head and said, "The words of ghosts and gods should be taken as
idle words and should not be believed completely."

The Queen Mother said: "Whether you believe it or not, I believe it anyway!"

When Prince Yu wanted to ask more questions, the Queen Mother winked at the head maid,
Qiong Gu. Qiong Gu immediately asked Prince Yu to step aside and whispered, "Your
Highness, please stop asking the Queen Mother questions. It will hurt her."

"Tell me what is going on." Prince Yu insisted.

Aunt Qiong had no choice but to simply say, "When the late Empress Zhang first entered the
palace, the Empress Dowager was shocked and angry when she saw her for the first time,
because she looked exactly like the late Emperor's concubine, Mo."

"Mo Shi? The biological mother of Prince Xin and Prince Ning, the one who competed with
the Queen Mother for the position of the principal wife?"
"That's right. The Queen Mother specifically inquired about the birth date of the late Queen,
and it was exactly the same as the day when Madam Mo died, even the time was exactly the
same—"

"Wait!" Prince Yu interrupted Aunt Qiong, "I heard that after the incident, Madam Mo was
imprisoned by my father and died of depression. She had been dead for two or three days
when she was found by servants. How did my mother know the exact time of her death——"

Prince Yu suddenly fell silent, his eyes becoming deep and unfathomable. He thought of the
only possibility: Mo Shi actually died at the hands of his mother...

Aunt Qiong pretended not to hear and continued, "The Queen Mother couldn't sleep or eat
well, and she even asked a fortune teller to tell fortunes, but the fortune was not good. The
Queen Mother wanted to send the late Queen out of the palace, but the Emperor was quite
satisfied with her temperament, character and knowledge, and finally decided to make her the
first wife. On the night of the wedding, the Queen Mother pretended to be sick and didn't
show up, but in fact she drank a lot of wine. After getting drunk, she kept cursing Mo and
talked to the Third Prince in a confused manner..."

"Third Prince... Are you talking about my third brother who died young?" Prince Yu said in
surprise, "My mother always misses him..."

Aunt Qiong's eyes were red as she sighed, "That is the Queen Mother's biggest worry. The
Third Prince died young, and the Mo family was the culprit. Just imagine, the reincarnation
of the enemy who killed her son is going to marry another of her sons and give birth to a
grandson who looks like him. How can she swallow this?"

"The theory of reincarnation is illusory, I don't believe it." Prince Yu shook his head.

"But the Queen Mother believes it! I believe it too." Aunt Qiong said, "And I know that
whenever the Queen Mother looks at that face, she will think of the late Queen, Madam Mo,
and the young Third Prince. Every moment is torture for her!"

Beside the couch, the Queen Mother held the Emperor's hand and said earnestly, "My dear, I
am not forcing you to do anything. I just hope you can wait a few more years until the Second
Prince grows up, and then you can compare and see what the situation is. If before that, his
mother's family is devastated by the crime, then he really has no hope at all. We are both
sons, and we are all flesh and blood. Don't you understand?"

Emperor Jinglong let her hold his hand and remained silent.

The Queen Mother said in despair: "I chose you to be the Crown Prince not only because you
are older and more suitable!"
This blurt out sentence, and the unspoken subtext, pierced the emperor's heart like a sharp
arrow.

It's not just because you are older and more suitable - it's also because I favor you over the
other two brothers. So I have to bear the pain and guilt of "both sides of the hand are flesh",
and bear your brother's hidden resentment and dissatisfaction towards me. Now, in return,
can't you pay more attention to your younger son?

The emperor's face turned slightly blue, then turned into a bloodless waxy white. He first
squeezed the empress dowager's hand with great force until it crackled, then quickly released
it and pulled it back like a fire.

For a moment, he glanced at Prince Yu who was talking to Aunt Qiong with an indescribable
look. There seemed to be some deep pain hidden in that look, but it also seemed to be just
indifference to the fait accompli.

He replied in a calm tone: "I have no way to repay your kindness, so I should listen to your
advice."

"Then how should we deal with the many impeachments against the Wei family?" asked the
Queen Mother.

The emperor's clenched teeth suddenly loosened, and he smiled faintly: "Of course, all of
them are rejected."

"How should we respond to the ministers' questions?" the Queen Mother asked again.

"Hasn't your mother taught your son this?" the emperor said, "'I only have this one relative,
so there is no need to mention this matter again.'"

The Queen Mother smiled with relief. She patted the Emperor's hand lovingly and said,
"Your Majesty's love for you is not in vain. Your aunt is seriously ill and can't stand any
more stimulation. When her condition gets better, Your Majesty will personally admonish her
and her husband and ask the Wei family to restrain themselves and not embarrass you again."

The emperor stood up and bowed, saying, "I will not disturb you any longer. May you be
well. I will take my leave."

After Prince Yu learned about the old events from Gu Qiong, he saw the emperor taking his
leave. After thinking for a while, he also performed the ceremony of taking his leave.

After leaving the Cining Palace, he strode after the emperor and looked at his calm yet
gloomy face mischievously: "Royal brother, the queen mother deliberately pushed me aside
to tell you something in private. I should be the one showing this expression at this moment,
why is it the other way around?"

The emperor stopped and turned to look at Prince Yu.

Prince Yu raised his eyebrows in confusion, and met the enemy's gaze without flinching.

The emperor examined it for a moment, then suddenly raised his hand and plucked the flying
catkins off Prince Yu's shoulders. "Flying catkins are annoying, but they also mean that
spring has arrived," he said.

"That's right. The Emperor's birthday has passed, and my brother is one year older." Prince
Yu replied.

The emperor did not argue with him. Instead, he smiled lightly and flicked the catkins off his
fingertips: "This thing looks as white as snow, but it is so thin that it cannot be touched... If it
is to turn into duckweed and drift in the water, it is better to be catkins stuck in the mud. Go
where it belongs!"

The balled willow catkins fell to the ground and quickly mixed with the grass leaves and soil.
They were just ordinary seeds.

Prince Yu looked at the willow catkins thoughtfully and sneered, "The more you have, the
more you like to be pretentious and hypocritical."
Chapter 234 He Must Not Get In Accident
2023-8-21 11:44 Category: Reincarnation of the powerful ministerTurn off the lights

Inside the Yanfu Temple, the door of a quiet room quietly opened. Ruan Hongjiao went
forward and held the hand that Concubine Wei extended.

Concubine Wei stepped over the threshold and let out a long breath.

A full hour had passed since she entered the quiet room and came out. Ruan Hongjiao looked
at her calmly and found that her clothes were neat, her hair was not messy at all, but her eyes
were full of love and her cheeks were flushed with the lingering spring love.

Even though she was experienced in the world, she couldn't be sure for a moment whether
these two lonely men and women in the dark room were going to Wushan together?

She hesitated for a moment and asked in a low voice: "Your Highness, are you going to the
palace again or back to the palace?"

Concubine Wei turned her head to look at her, her eyes still full of eagerness, and even her
tone of voice revealed a hint of excitement: "Tell me, what is the most important thing for a
woman?"

Ruan Hongjiao guessed along the lines of her thoughts: "Wish to find a like-minded person,
and to be together till old age?"

Concubine Wei shook her head: "That's just icing on the cake. I finally figured it out. Why
should I bet my life on a man and gamble on an illusory promise of never changing my mind?
Even if the other person is the emperor, it's not worth it. If there is still a man in the world
who is worthy of my trust and entrustment, then there is only one person now -"

Is it... Mr. He in the room? Ruan Hongjiao looked at the door.

Concubine Wei shook her head again: "He is my biological son, Zhao'er."

"Mr. He is right. You can't have your cake and eat it too. If I can't put aside all distractions
and concentrate on paving the way for Zhao'er, if I still have many concerns and things I can't
let go of, I will end up with nothing." She looked down at the bright red nail polish on her
fingertips, which looked like fallen petals on her scallion-white fingers. "I didn't dare to dye
my hair such a bright red in the palace because the Queen Mother likes to use this color.

"Whatever the Queen Mother likes, someone will rush to buy it without her ordering, from
the jade flowers sent from thousands of miles away to the capital, to the monks and Taoists
going in and out of the palace. Did her son, who is concerned about state affairs, ever criticize
it? But he is so harsh on my mother's family. In the final analysis, mother and son are truly
like-minded!"

Concubine Wei suddenly chuckled: "Why would I tell you this? You are a prostitute, and I'm
afraid you will never have a son who can show his face to the public in your lifetime, so I
don't have to plan and work hard on this."

Ruan Hongjiao was crying with hatred in her heart, but she looked indifferent: "Your Majesty
is right. With my background, I only want to have enough food and clothing in my life, so I
don't care about having children. If I get pregnant, I will have to worry about how to deal
with it."

Concubine Wei smiled and said, "I value you because you know the times and are in the right
position. If you can help me accomplish one thing, I will remove your lowly status and grant
you the status of a noble lady."

Ruan Hongjiao seemed to be stunned by this unexpected surprise, and said in surprise:
"Madam! How could I have deserved such a great favor... I will repay you with all my heart!"

She knelt down and kowtowed to Concubine Wei to express her gratitude. Concubine Wei
held her shoulders and said, "I haven't finished what I want to say yet."

Ruan Hongjiao was filled with gratitude and said, "Please give me your instructions,
Madam."

Imperial Concubine Wei said, "This matter is difficult, but not difficult... Given your abilities,
it would be most appropriate to hand it over to you. However, you will have to take the risk
of having your entire family executed, or even your entire clan implicated. Do you dare?"

Ruan Hongjiao was stunned at first, then a look of determination emerged on her face:
"Wealth and honor are sought in danger. With my lowly status, I am afraid that I won't even
be able to eat a full meal when I am old and ugly and no one supports me. Besides, what kind
of family can I have? My parents sold me when they were alive, my brother broke the law
and was exiled, and my clan members are ashamed of me. Why should I care about their
lives? I might as well give it a try!"

Concubine Wei nodded with satisfaction, helped her up, took out a small porcelain bottle
from her sleeve and placed it in her hand.

"What is this?" Ruan Hongjiao asked.

Concubine Wei asked back, "Do you know about the prophecy on the stone pillar?"
Ruan Hongjiao said hesitantly: "I have heard some rumors in the market... But don't worry,
your Majesty, this is too absurd, and most people will not believe it."

What she said was the exact opposite of the actual situation. Most people love to spread
rumors and add fuel to the fire, making their stories sound very convincing.

Concubine Wei no longer cared at the moment, she had more important things to plan.

"The Crown Prince is investigating this matter. Humph, the thief is just crying thief. But he
must make some achievements to show his father the emperor. To this end, he did not
hesitate to offend the Ministry of Revenue and investigated many officials involved in the
Yishan Bureau. Some officials were guilty and tried every means to get in touch with the
Crown Prince. The jewels and beauties they secretly sent were kept by the Crown Prince as
evidence of bribery. It is like shooting oneself in the foot."

Ruan Hongjiao said: "It seems that although the prince is young, he is not easily persuaded."

Concubine Wei said, "There is no such thing as an impeccable person, especially since he is
only fifteen years old. The prince is looking up information at the Yishan Bureau tonight and
has not returned to the palace. This is your great opportunity."

"What should I do?" Ruan Hongjiao asked.

Concubine Wei whispered in her ear, "Tonight you are the daughter of the official who
jumped into the well. You are going to see the prince privately and tell him that your father
told you the truth before he died, so you want to seek justice for your father. With this reason,
the prince will definitely see you."

Ruan Hongjiao nodded as she listened: "Not only do I want to see the prince, I also want to
find a way to be alone with him... Then what's in this bottle?"

"Snake venom." Concubine Wei said in a cold voice, "As long as you can scratch a wound on
his body, the poison will infect him and kill him instantly."

Ruan Hongjiao was horrified when she heard this, but she tried her best not to show any
strange expression, and said with a low laugh: "Your Majesty is right, I am indeed the most
suitable candidate. Although I am a weak woman, I have scratched many strong men, but
they are still begging for it and wish they could take a few more hits."

Concubine Wei raised her ruddy lips, "I know your abilities. The prince is at an age of vigor
and vitality, so he will be more vulnerable. After the task is completed, I will send someone
to pick you up and leave through the secret passage below the Yishan Bureau. Then, I will
place a young girl's body next to the prince, so that he can avenge his father and die together.
In this way, Zhu Helin will not only die, but his reputation will also be ruined."

Ruan Hongjiao added: "Besides, the people will have something even more bizarre to talk
about. Who will talk about the stone pillars anymore?"

Concubine Wei squeezed her fingers and said, "You are truly my confidant."

Ruan Hongjiao thought to herself: I’m afraid that once my confidant succeeds, he will die
faster than anyone else.

"Don't worry, Your Majesty. I will not fail in my mission." She put away the bottle, held
Concubine Wei's hand again, and walked towards the main hall together.

When the palace maids and guards saw the imperial concubine setting off, they could only
follow behind at a close distance without being summoned.

Ruan Hongjiao had made up her mind and pretended to be worried: "I suddenly remembered
something. When I was young, I heard from the villagers that snake venom is easy to spoil,
and the hotter the weather, the harder it is to preserve. Can the poison in this bottle last until
nightfall without spoiling?"

"I don't know about this, but since Mr. He extracted and mixed it himself, he must have taken
this into consideration. When you go back, try it on a living creature and you'll know."

"If I find it doesn't work after trying it, where can I find the same snake venom? Can I just go
to Mr. Crane?"

Concubine Wei thought for a moment and said, "Of course I'll find him. When you ask this, I
suddenly remembered that little mouse that Mr. He asked for... So that's how it is. It's not
about releasing it, but killing it."

She covered her mouth and laughed, "Fortunately he is a lay Buddhist, such behavior... is
even more interesting. Also, if he really abides by the rules and regulations, how could he--"
She swallowed the second half of the sentence and didn't mention it.

"Little mouse?" Ruan Hongjiao had an idea. "Mr. He raises snakes? What kind of snakes?
Where do they stay?"

"He seldom goes out. Perhaps he is kept in the guest room of the mansion. You went to look
for him, but didn't you see him?"
Ruan Hongjiao shook her head: "I have never seen one. I am afraid of snakes, so it is better
not to see one."

Concubine Wei said, "What's so scary? When I was a kid, a snake came through the wall. I
grabbed its tail and shook it, and its joints fell apart. It was so smooth..." She realized she had
said something wrong, and she coughed quickly, then walked into the main hall gracefully.

As soon as she entered the boudoir, Ruan Hongjiao ordered her maid, "Make me a pot of
tea."

The maid immediately set up a small red clay stove, filled the kettle with water and put it on
the stove to boil.

While waiting for the water to boil, she asked her maid to go to the backyard and catch two
chickens. She cut the neck of one of the roosters, took out the porcelain bottle from her
bosom, and carefully applied the foamy yellowish liquid in the bottle. The rooster screamed a
few times, and soon died of convulsions.

The water began to bubble. Ruan Hongjiao threw the porcelain bottle into the pot. It boiled
for a long time before she picked it out with chopsticks.

She did the same thing to another hen. The hen was frightened and flapped its wings and ran
around, but nothing happened.

It was indeed snake venom, which would lose its effect if boiled. Ruan Hongjiao lowered her
eyes and thought for a moment, then called her personal maid and asked her to wait until dark
before secretly going out to tell Lord Su a message.

He changed his clothes, took the porcelain bottle, and took a carriage to the Xian'an Marquis
Mansion.

Mr. He dared to instigate Concubine Wei to murder His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.
This person is definitely not just a retainer in the Marquis's mansion. Ruan Hongjiao
suspected that there were not only snakes and love tokens sent by Concubine Wei in his
room, but also something that could reveal his true identity. As long as such things were
found, even if it was just a note to communicate with his accomplices, he would be
convicted.

There was no time to lose. If she delayed until the time agreed with Concubine Wei tonight,
and she had not set out to meet the prince at Yishan Bureau as planned, the other party would
certainly become suspicious. Losing her own life was a small matter, but if the prince was
killed, it would be a shocking event.
The carriage that Ruan Hongjiao was riding in disappeared in the gradually falling dusk.

As it got dark, the lights in the yard were lit, illuminating the barbecue grill under the old
peach tree.

Su Yan was making his own barbecue sauce, and from time to time he reminded Xiao Jing to
turn the lamb chops on the rack over to avoid them getting burnt.

"Why hasn't Brother Xiaobei come back yet? If he keeps dawdling like this, the lamb chops
won't be cooked yet and won't be seasoned!" Su Xiaojing muttered in dissatisfaction.

The courtyard gate was opened and Su Xiaobei walked in quickly, followed by a peddler in a
hurry.

"I asked you to buy pepper, why did you bring the peddler back? Come on, give me the
pepper... Hey, little peddler, where is your load?"

Su Xiaobei pulled Su Yan into the hall, and the peddler followed him up the stairs.

Su Xiaojing yelled behind them: "What are you doing? Where is the pepper I wanted?"

"Shut up." Su Xiaobei took out an oil-paper bag and threw it back.

Su Xiaojing quickly caught it and wanted to complain a few more times, but suddenly she
smelled a burnt smell: "Oh my lamb chops!"

In the living room, the peddler took off his headscarf, revealing a pretty face of a young girl.
She said nervously: "Master Su, I am Miss Ruan's maid. The first two notes were handed to
this young man by me. This time, the lady asked me to come to you and make sure to bring
her words to you in person--" -

“Quick! Xiaobei, go gather all the guards left by Prince Yu and stand by the back door!” Su
Yan rushed down the stairs and ordered as he headed for the stables, “Ah Zhui! Ah Zhui!”

Su Xiaobei reminded him: "Brother Zhui has left, sir..."

Su Yan paused for a moment, a look of pain flashed across his face, and then he changed his
words: "Tell Xiao Jing to notify the guards to gather, and then go to the Shen Mansion
immediately and tell Shen Qi——"
Before he finished speaking, he heard a voice from above him calling out, "Master Su! If you
want to find Master Shen, just ask me to do your bidding."

Su Yan looked up and saw Gao Shuo lying on the eaves of his neighbor's house - no, now the
house deed was in his hands, so it was also his house - and was looking over here curiously.

"Gao Shuo? Why are you still lying on my roof... Never mind, this is not the time to talk
about this. I am indeed short of manpower, and you came just in time."

Seeing that Su Yan did not blame him, Gao Shuo quickly jumped down from the roof: "If
you have anything to say, please tell me, sir."

Su Yan quickly looked him up and down: "How is your martial arts?"

"Since you are asking this, sir, you have seen it with your own eyes along the way in Shaanxi.
When have I ever brought shame to Lord Shen? To be frank, I am at least no worse than that
black-haired Chu Yuan." Gao Shuo replied.

Su Yan was not familiar with martial arts, and could not distinguish between the first-rate and
second-rate mentioned by Jing Hongzhui. Since Qi Lang could fight Ah Zhui on equal terms,
he must have the martial arts skills of his trusted spy. So he said, "Well, do me a favor. Do
you recognize Ruan Hongjiao from Yanzhi Lane?"

Gao Shuo smiled and said, "Of course I recognize the courtesan. I went to Rouge Lane
several times to listen to her singing... No, I went there to gather intelligence."

"Okay, then I'll ask you to sneak into Xian'an Marquis's Mansion, find Ruan Hongjiao, and
bring her here safely."

"Such a huge mansion, does your Excellency have more accurate information?"

Su Yan said, "There is a man named Mr. He among the guests in the Marquis' Mansion. Ruan
Hongjiao should have gone to see him. You can start from the room where he lives. The
situation is urgent, so hurry! Otherwise, Ruan Hongjiao's life may be in danger."

Gao Shuo nodded and said, "Don't worry, sir. I will do my best to complete the task."

Su Yan warned: "Be careful. This Mr. He is not an ordinary character. See if you can find
some helpers."

Gao Shuo said, "Don't worry, sir. There are two Jinyiwei spies nearby. I will ask them to go
with us. I will also send someone to notify Lord Shen."
Su Xiaobei ran over breathlessly: "Sir, the guards have assembled."

"Let's go to Yishan Bureau." Su Yan went out the back door and got on his horse. "Whether
Mr. He is the 'chess player' or not, we must be prepared for his multi-pronged moves. I'm
afraid Ruan Hongjiao is just one of his moves, and he has another one."

"Nothing must happen to the prince!" He whipped his horse and galloped away with a team
of guards in the whistling wind.

Su Xiaojing heard the noise and chased to the back door with a long stick in his hand: "What
about me, sir, what can I do?"

Lord Su had already gone far away. Xiao Bei glanced at him and said, "You? Continue
grilling your lamb chops."
Chapter 235 The world has misled me a lot
2023-8-21 11:45 Category: Reincarnation of the powerful ministerTurn off the lights

"You mean, the thing in the bottle is ineffective?"

In the inner room of the wing of Xian'an Marquis's Mansion, Mr. He took the porcelain bottle
handed to him by Ruan Hongjiao.

"I don't know what's going on." Ruan Hongjiao looked a little anxious. "Fortunately, the
queen reminded me to try the medicine when I get back. Before I left, I tried it on a chicken,
but it didn't work. That's why I came to see you in a hurry. No matter what, I can't delay the
queen's mission!"

Mr. He opened the bottle cap, fanned it with his hand and sniffed it. The unique smell of
snake venom was almost inaudible. A look of understanding flashed across his eyes, and he
said calmly, "Maybe it's a bit hot, so it's spoiled. No problem, I'll make another one for you,
at least it can last until tomorrow."

He stood up and walked to the wardrobe , took out a wicker silk box and placed it on the
table.

Ruan Hongjiao moved over to take a look out of curiosity.

Mr. He smiled slightly, did not stop him, unlocked the box and opened the lid——

A colorful snake coiled up, hissing and spitting out red letters. Although the snake was not
big, it looked quite ferocious, with circles of white stripes around its scarlet body. From the
shape, it looked a bit like a coral snake, but the coral was black, while the base color of this
snake was blood red. There was also a tumor on the top of its head that looked like a
cockscomb. It was unknown whether it was a natural mutation or a cultivated variety.

Ruan Hongjiao screamed, "Snake!" Her legs immediately went weak and she fell towards
Mr. He.

Mr. He held her waist and said with a smile: "Don't be afraid. Huan'er is quite smart. I'm here,
so she won't bite you."

Ruan Hongjiao was so frightened that her face turned pale and her eyes were filled with tears.
She looked like a pear tree covered in rain. She said in a trembling voice, "I was almost bitten
by a poisonous snake when I was young. I'm really scared... I can't stand it anymore. I'm
going to go out and take shelter."
She rushed to the outer room, opened the door and was about to go out. A strong wind mixed
with moisture blew in her face, accompanied by thunder and lightning. The heavy rain
whipped the earth, and water flowed under the eaves.

The rain splashed all over her head and face. Ruan Hongjiao screamed again, subconsciously
closed the door, and leaned against it, gasping for breath.

"My makeup was ruined by the rain." She raised her sleeves to cover her face and said
embarrassedly, "I can't just do what the queen asked me to do... Sir, do you have a mirror
here? Can you lend it to me so I can touch up my makeup?"

There is a square table next to the bed in the inner bedroom with a large mirror for combing
hair and dressing

Mr. He said gently, "Of course, please help yourself, aunt."

A girl's dressing is a private matter in her boudoir, and it is not appropriate for her husband to
watch her. Mr. He came to the outer room with his silk box in his arms and made room for
her.

Ruan Hongjiao thanked him, walked around the silk box, entered the inner room, sat in front
of the square table, and placed the powder box, rouge jar and other items she brought with
her on the table one by one.

She looked at herself in the mirror—her face was as white as paper, but her eyes were as
intense as fire—and took a deep breath.

Outside, Mr. He reached out and took the snake from the box, and gently pinched the sides of
the snake's snout with his fingers. The snake's mouth opened wide, and its curved and sharp
jade-white hooked teeth were exposed, flashing a cold and eerie light under the lamp.

A subtle sound came from the inner room, like the sound of bottles and jars colliding when
applying makeup. Mr. He lowered his eyes to look at the snake, smiled, picked up a bamboo
tube, and put the snake's fang on the tube mouth covered with thin skin.

Ruan Hongjiao held the rouge jar in her left hand, occasionally nudging the porcelain lid with
her thumb, making crisp sounds, while tiptoeing around to search. The heavy rain and
thunder outside the window masked her faint movements.

Cabinets, drawers, bookshelves, secret compartments at the head and foot of the bed... She
quickly searched several possible hiding places, but found nothing.
The excuse of putting on makeup cannot be delayed for too long, as Mr. He will come in any
time after extracting the snake venom. Ruan Hongjiao was extremely anxious, and beads of
sweat oozed from her forehead.

She turned around again and scanned the entire dormitory, and her eyes suddenly stopped on
a box next to the piano table.

The box was placed there in a dignified manner, with an incense burner on top, like a
stepping stone, but the brass hinges connecting the upper and lower parts of the box were
polished to a shine, obviously it was often opened.

It's dark under the lamp! Ruan Hongjiao's eyes lit up, and she went over to move the incense
burner and opened the unlocked box.

There were many items neatly stacked inside. The first thing Ruan Hongjiao saw was the
phoenix necklace and Buddhist scriptures sent by Concubine Wei. Then she turned the page
and saw a blood sutra written in Sanskrit and a copied "Sacrificial Text to the Ancestor".

Ruan Hongjiao didn't have time to think about why Mr. He kept the memorial written by His
Royal Highness the Crown Prince. She quickly flipped to the bottom of the box and pulled
out a strange piece of iron.

The two sides of the iron sheet are bent downwards, like tiles, about a foot long and five or
six inches wide, with rows of neatly written gold characters inlaid on the surface. Perhaps
because of the age, the gold paint has peeled off, but the characters are still faintly
discernible.

Ruan Hongjiao moved the iron sheet closer to the light and carefully analyzed the words:

...Following the dragon to establish the throne, you have made great contributions to the
country. If you are spared nine deaths, your descendants will die three...

What's this?

"This is the Golden Book and Iron Certificate." A voice said quietly in my ear.

Ruan Hongjiao was so shocked that she dropped the iron piece.

Mr. He caught it in time before it hit the ground and put it back into Ruan Hongjiao's hands:
"It's okay, Auntie, keep watching."
Looking at the red-crowned silver snake hissing and wrapped around Mr. He's wrist, Ruan
Hongjiao breathed rapidly and his heavy clothes were soaked with sweat .

Mr. He held her finger, moved it on the iron certificate, and patiently explained: "Look here...
The leader of the Zhenkong Sect smelled the incense, and the iron certificate was awarded to
him... And here, it talks about his achievements. He led the followers to support Emperor
Taizu as the wise king in troubled times, and then followed the army to conquer the unjust
previous dynasty, and made great contributions to following the dragon and establishing the
dynasty. 'You are pardoned nine times, and your descendants are pardoned three times',
which means that he was exempted from the death penalty nine times and his descendants
were exempted from the death penalty three times. But after being exempted from the
sentence, he was stripped of his title and salary, and no longer retained any rewards. He only
exchanged his life for the certificate."

"This is what the people call the golden medal of immunity from death." Mr. He's voice was
gentle, and the white silk clothes under the light seemed to be glowing with a holy light,
making the young and handsome face look like a god.

But his words were full of the smell of old blood: "It was difficult for Emperor Taizu to take
back his words, so he came up with a temporary solution. After the army surrounded and
captured Wen Xiang, they ordered him to be cut nine times. Each cut was not in the vital
parts, which was counted as a death sentence. The tenth cut finally cut his throat, ending this
grace that was no different from the punishment by a disc."

Ruan Hongjiao shuddered and asked in a hoarse voice, "You are..."

"Hush." Mr. He put his finger in front of her lips. "I have kept this iron certificate for many
years. I don't want it to be discovered by the court. Once it is discovered, it will be destroyed,
and no one will know about the hatred, grievances and entanglements in China anymore."

The snake's kiss was so close to her nose that Ruan Hongjiao could hardly breathe, but she
still spoke stubbornly: "What is your relationship with the Zhenkong Sect?"

"I am the last disciple of the previous leader," Mr. He said slowly, "the only one."

Ruan Hongjiao didn't know what the dispute between the Zhenkong Sect and the imperial
court was. She only heard that Emperor Taizu banned the sect in the early years of the
founding of the country, so she asked again: "Are you the current leader? The Zhenkong Sect
is causing harm to the country and the people. Is it to take revenge on the imperial court?"

Mr. He smiled and said, "I have been misled by many people, and it seems that you are no
exception... But it doesn't matter. When you realize the truth of the impermanence of life and
death, you will naturally understand it."
Life and death are unpredictable, how can one understand...after death, one will understand
everything? Ruan Hongjiao shook her head in shock.

Mr. He put the iron certificate back into the box and put his hand into her clothes .

Ruan Hongjiao's eyes shone fiercely in despair. She turned around and hugged Mr. He's neck,
saying in a charming voice, "I don't want to be clear-headed. I'd rather be muddleheaded and
enjoy myself while I can—"

"Emptiness and color are not different, color is emptiness, the true nature of all dharmas is
emptiness." Mr. He said in a tone of earnest instruction. At the same time, he hooked out a
sachet from Ruan Hongjiao's chest.

He tore off the laces and took out a small roll of paper from the sachet. After unfolding it and
glancing at it, he chuckled, "Everyone thinks prostitutes are lowly and can be easily traded
for money. But Su Qinghe is much smarter than ordinary people. What he trades is not
money, but love. In this way, he can make you completely devoted and willing to go through
fire and water for him... He is really a wonderful person! I want to play a few more games of
chess with him."

Lord Su is not what you said, don't judge others by your own standards! Ruan Hongjiao
wanted to refute loudly, but suddenly she felt disdainful. She knew that she couldn't end it
well today, so her frightened heart calmed down. She took the note from Mr. He, put it back
into the sachet, and held it tightly in her palm.

"Go ahead." She said coldly.

Mr. He looked at her with admiration and nodded, saying, "I will chant sutras for you and
pray for your salvation, so that you can return to your hometown of Zhenkong as soon as
possible."

He moved his fingers. The red-crowned coral snake raised its neck, opened its mouth and
showed its fangs.

The roof suddenly cracked, and tiles fell. Two cold lights fell from the sky, one went straight
to Mr. He, and the other shot at the poisonous snake in front of Ruan Hongjiao.

Ruan Hongjiao fell backwards in panic, the cold light brushed past her face and cut off the
head and neck of the red-crowned silver ring snake.

The snake was decapitated but not dead. Its body curled up and fell, but its head still lunged
forward by inertia, its fangs piercing the side of Ruan Hongjiao's face.
Ruan Hongjiao screamed, grabbed the snake's head and pulled it out, but her skin and flesh
were hooked by the snake's fangs, and she couldn't get out instantly. The cold light followed
closely behind, shaving off the skin and flesh, and the snake's head was thrown out together.

Blood gushed out immediately. Ruan Hongjiao covered her left lower jaw, which was
missing a piece of flesh, and clenched her teeth tightly, not crying out in pain.

Her scalp exploded with pain and tears filled her eyes. She saw two figures flying in the
room, the cold light and Mr. He's white clothes tangled together.

The outlines of light and shadow in front of her eyes became increasingly blurred. She
suddenly thought of something, and her bloodstained hands groped around the corner of the
table. She finally found the box and held it tightly in her arms. The darkness finally
swallowed up everything, and she could no longer hold on, and fainted on the ground.

The quiet streets in the middle of the night were shattered by the rapid and dense sound of
horse hooves.

Su Yan led a team of imperial guardsmen and rushed into the gate of Yishan Bureau in a
thunderstorm, shouting, "I am Su Yan, the tutor of the Eastern Palace, and I want to see His
Royal Highness the Crown Prince!"

The guards of the East Palace were taking shelter under the corridor. They were startled by
the sudden change and were about to attack with weapons in hand. They were stunned when
they heard the sound. The leader recognized Su Yan, wiped his face with water and carefully
identified him in the rain curtain, and shouted: "It is indeed Lord Su! Why did you lead a
team here in the rainy night? Why are you so anxious to see me?"

Su Yan turned over and dismounted, the rain rolling down the brim of his cloak hood. He
strode forward: "Commander Wei, I have something urgent to see you, please inform me."

Commander Wei said, "No need to inform. I have already instructed that if Lord Su wants to
see you, he can be brought in anytime and anywhere."

"Where is the young master now?"

"In the warehouse in the backyard, check the relevant documents regarding the grain
substitution case."

"Hurry, take me there!" Su Yan urged as he quickly rushed up the stairs.

Chapter 236 I was wrong, I was really wrong
2023-8-21 11:45 Category: Reincarnation of the powerful ministerTurn off the lights

In the study, several oil lamps illuminated a desk and the rows of bookshelves next to it.

Crown Prince Zhu Helin sat alone at the table, untied the laces of the files and looked through
them carefully. There were still many files and accounts that he had already read piled up
beside him.

There was a thunderstorm outside the closed doors and windows. There was no wind inside
the room, and the flame of the oil lamp suddenly flickered a few times, gradually turning into
a strange green color...

“Pah.”

“Patta, patta…”

It was like the sound of raindrops falling on the wooden floor, echoing in this quiet and
enclosed room.

Zhu Helin's heart sank, and he looked around, only to see wooden boxes piled up in the
corners, bookshelves dormant in the darkness, and no one in the room.

“Snap!”

The sound was particularly clear beside him. He turned his head to look at the seat and saw
dark red sticky blood stains on the floor.

He raised his head suddenly, and the beams were empty. Where did the blood come from?

"Who is playing tricks? Come out!" Zhu Helin immediately jumped up and drew the sword at
his waist.

His movement created a light breeze, causing the flame to flicker even more violently.

There was a "plop" sound beside my ears, like a dull thunder, followed by the sound of
splashing water and people struggling in the water...
It was clearly a dark room with no one around, so why were there so many strange noises and
visions? Zhu Helin's breathing became a little rapid, and he shouted loudly, "Someone
come!"

Some of the East Palace guards were guarding the door of the office. Normally, they would
break in immediately after hearing his shout. But when he gave the order, there was no
response at the door.

“…It’s unfair! His Royal Highness the Crown Prince forced me to die, I feel so wronged…”
The man’s voice floated faintly in the room like a ghost’s cry, accompanied by increasingly
intense sounds of splashing water and bubbling.

Zhu Helin suddenly thought of the Yishan Bureau official who committed suicide by jumping
into a well.

What was this? The ghosts were still haunting him? Zhu Helin was calm. He had been brave
since he was young. His attitude towards ghosts and gods was not like that of ordinary
people, who were suspicious and fearful, nor was he like Prince Yu who sneered at them
because he did not believe them at all. Instead, he had a kind of bravery of "Come on, I will
take care of them all".

He tapped the ground twice with the tip of his sword and said in a deep voice, "Either you
show up and explain yourself clearly to me, or I'll chop you into pieces and you won't even
have to reincarnate. Your choice!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the room suddenly became quiet. There was no sound at all.

Coward! Before Zhu Helin could even grumble, the light suddenly went out. In the ink-like
darkness, pairs of blood-red eyes emerged...

When Su Yan rushed to the document warehouse, he saw the guards guarding the door lying
on the ground in a mess.

Commander Wei, who was accompanying him, shouted in shock: "Something happened,
hurry up and protect the emperor!"

A group of armed East Palace guards kicked open the door and rushed into the room.

Su Yan wanted to rush in as well, but was stopped by the guards of Prince Yu's Palace behind
him. The guard said, "The prince has ordered me to protect Lord Su's safety. The situation
inside is unclear. Please stay here and leave the protection to the guards of the East Palace."
Su Yan was worried and anxious at the moment. He ignored Prince Yu's good intentions and
forcefully pried open the guard's hand that was blocking him: "The prince's safety is more
important than mine! Don't just care about me, go in and help."

The guard insisted: "Your Highness Prince Yu's order is a military order. Military orders are
as heavy as a mountain. I hope your Excellency will forgive me."

Su Yan was so anxious that he wanted to jump up and down: "Then you can use half of your
manpower to protect me, and the other half to go in and help, is that okay?"

As they were talking, Commander Wei shouted from inside the house: "There are assassins!
Capture them and protect me!"

"Go!" Su Yan urged, "If something happens to me, your Highness Prince Yu will be accused
of failing to protect me, and you will be in big trouble!"

These words touched the guards of Prince Yu's Mansion. After a slight hesitation, the leader
obeyed Su Yan's order and brought half of the men in to provide support.

The remaining palace guards wanted to escort Su Yan away, but Su Yan refused to leave.
Listening to the ping-pong sounds of fighting in the house, he was so nervous that his fingers
kept grabbing his cloak.

With a loud bang, the window suddenly broke, and several figures were thrown out of the
house. They rolled on the muddy ground for a few times, got up and continued fighting.

With the lightning lighting up the sky, Su Yan caught a glimpse of one of the men in black,
with scarlet eyes visible above his masked black scarf. He immediately warned loudly: "They
are the blood-eyed assassins from the Seven Killing Camp. Don't look at them, be careful of
their spells!"

The head guard of Prince Yu's mansion rushed out of the room and said to Su Yan, "Why is
your Excellency still here? Go!"

Su Yan grabbed him and asked, "What happened to my young master?"

The leader replied, "When I entered, the guards of the East Palace were already fighting with
those assassins in black. I also fought with my sword, but I saw something wrong. I hacked at
everyone I saw, regardless of friend or foe. I injured several guards, like a madman."

Su Yan was shocked and said, "He has been bewitched by the Blood-Eyed Assassin. His
consciousness has fallen into a state of confusion. I am in danger. Not only must we prevent
him from hurting others, but also himself. Can you think of a way... knock him out? Yes,
knock him out, and then tie him up."

"I will give it a try."

Just as the leader was about to turn around and go back into the house, a beam of sword light
burst through the door, smashing the entire row of four lattice doors into pieces, sending
wood chips flying everywhere.

Su Yan raised his sleeves to cover himself, took a few steps back, and accidentally stepped on
the edge of the stairs. He cried out, lost his balance and fell backwards.

The guards who were surrounding him immediately grabbed him and prevented him from
rolling down the stairs.

In front of the broken lattice door, Zhu Helin held a blood-stained sword in his hand, his face
full of rage, as if shaken by the scream, and looked blankly in the direction of Su Yan.

Su Yan grabbed the guard's arm to steady himself, took a breath, and called out, "Young
Master!"

Zhu Helin opened his mouth, as if he wanted to respond, but no sound came out.

"My young master, the matter has already been settled. Why do you have to disobey the order
and anger the emperor?"

Zhu Helin slightly raised his drooping head and opened his heavy eyelids. A pair of black
leather boots worn by a eunuch and the cloud and python pattern on the hem of his robe came
into view.

"Otomo..." He moved his cracked lips and pulled the chains on both sides of the rack with his
hands, making a loud and crisp sound, "I am unwilling to accept this. I really am unwilling to
accept this..."

Lan Xi flicked her whisk and said, "Whether you are willing or not, what does it matter?
Between the emperor and his subjects, the emperor comes before his father and the subjects
come before their sons. Young master, listen to my advice, bow your head and confess your
guilt to the emperor, and then present a good gift - on this auspicious day, the emperor will
definitely forgive your offense for the sake of Concubine Su..."

Zhu Helin raised his head abruptly, glaring at him angrily, "He is not Concubine Su! He is Su
Yan and Su Qinghe! How can a scholar and an official of the imperial court pretend to be a
woman and enter the harem to compete for favors with those coquettish concubines?
Ridiculous! Absurd! Is father really getting old and confused, or does he want to follow the
path of Xia Jie and Shang Zhou and become a tyrant king who will go down in history?!"

Lan Xi stamped his feet in anger, "Young Master, being so stubborn will only bring harm to
you! The Emperor has already said that it is better to have no son than to have an unfilial son.
Do you really want to resist to the end and throw away the position of crown prince and your
own life? Besides, Concubine Su may not accept your kindness."

Zhu Helin was stunned: "He...he volunteered? No, this is impossible! I don't believe it!"

"Whether it is possible or not, I will have to see it with my own eyes to know. But you are in
the state you are in now. As long as the emperor is not calmed down, you will not be able to
see the light of day. How can you see him?" Lan Xi sighed, "The late queen was kind and
kind to me. I made this trip in person for her sake and tried to persuade me one last time. If I
insist on doing it, I can do nothing about it. But who lives and who dies, who is prosperous
and who is miserable, and who will rule the East Palace in the future, will no longer have
anything to do with me."

Zhu Helin clenched his fists and pulled the iron chain, which made a clanging sound. His
teeth were biting and his mouth was full of the taste of rust. "No, I can't stay in this dungeon
forever..." He muttered, "I have to get out..."

Not only do you have to get out, but you also have to take back everything that belongs to
you.

"Zhu Helin, you don't have the right to choose now, and you have no way out. There are
some things that you must not say until you reach the top of the mountain and look down on
all the other mountains. Do you understand?!"

——Qinghe’s warning from the past echoed in his ears, and Zhu Helin let out a painful and
shrill roar.

He panted like a wild animal and said to Lan Xi, who was frightened and wanted to run away,
"Big friend, please go and tell my father that I have figured it out..."

"...I was unfilial when I contradicted you before. I lost my mind for a moment and now I
deeply regret it. I beg you to forgive me and give me a chance to make amends."

He knelt before the throne with his whole body prostrated, his nails pinching his palms until
they bled, yet he still managed to utter submissive words, his tone and expression being
impeccable. Zhu Helin touched the ground with his head, each time hitting the ground
heavily.
Finally, the father's voice was heard from above: "Forget it. You have been arrogant and
unruly since childhood. This time I will teach you a lesson. Don't make the same mistake
again. Don't forget, I have more than one son. If you are not worthy of the position, let
someone who is worthy take it!"

These words were not only harsh, but also bordered on disgust. Zhu Helin swallowed the
blood in his throat and humbly replied, "I am grateful for your teachings, my father. I will
take them as a warning and never make the same mistake again."

"Since you have repented, I will give you a lighter sentence, but I will not let you go
unpunished. I will punish you... on the day I make you my consort, you must kneel outside
the palace gate for a night and reflect on your sins."

Outside the hall, there were lanterns and decorations, inside the hall, candles were flickering,
and all kinds of embarrassing noises could be heard faintly from the crack of the door. Zhu
Helin had a wooden expression on his face, kneeling from nightfall to dawn, without moving
an inch.

After daybreak, Fu Bao came to help him up and asked in surprise, "Young Master, why are
your hair white?"

Zhu Helin reached out and touched it, and said indifferently: "Just use the gallnut to dye it
black, no need to make a fuss."

As the days passed, Fubao felt that the young master had become a different person, no
longer the young master he was familiar with.

I obey the emperor's orders and my attitude is more humble and docile than any other subject.

The young master ignored the newly appointed Concubine Su. Even when they met face to
face, he could no longer see her increasingly thin figure, pale face, and sharp and painful
eyes. He just nodded and walked away.

The young master studied his lessons and government affairs day and night, but never
mentioned a word in front of the emperor, and just kept fulfilling his filial piety by lying on
ice and cutting meat.

The young master introduced the Taoist priests and alchemists, whom he once despised, to
make elixirs for the emperor.

When the young princes died one by one due to illness and accidents, the emperor had no
time to grieve and even got angry because the elixir was not as effective as before. The young
master was scolded and introduced to a more powerful immortal. Fu Bao saw the corners of
the young master's mouth curled up when he lowered his head, and he couldn't help but
shudder.

...The young master finally succeeded to the throne and became the new emperor.

The concubines of the previous emperor who had no children were buried alive with him, and
those who had children were sent to nunneries to cultivate themselves. Only the most favored
concubine in the harem, Su Fei, remained in her original palace. The court officials discussed
this and wrote to the new emperor to ask him to deal with her properly, either by executing
her or sending her to a temple.

Zhu Helin tore the memorials into pieces with his own hands.

He came to the harem where only one concubine remained, and hugged the late emperor's
widow tightly: "...I will restore your fame and official status, and let you return to the court."

Concubine Su's face was pale, almost emaciated, and she said, "I have waited too long for
this day, and I am so hopeless. Even if I return to the court, there is no place for me to stand,
and I will only be ridiculed by others. My young master... No, if the emperor still cares about
the old feelings, please allow me to take off my hairpins and skirts, and let me leave the
palace to live the life of an ordinary citizen!"

Zhu Helin clasped Su Yan's shoulders tightly with his fingers, swallowed by the fear of
complete loss.

At this moment he suddenly understood his father, after he also possessed supreme power.

One thought determines life and death, one thought determines gain and loss. The entire
country and billions of lives are in your hands. Why can't you keep the person in your arms?

How come you can't get what you want after being tied up in a golden cage your whole life
and shouldering such a heavy responsibility? Or do you have to restrain yourself, put yourself
in a difficult position, and give up your beloved ones in exchange for leaving a name in
history?

Why can everyone be selfish, but he can't? Whether he is a wise ruler or a foolish ruler, he
doesn't care, he just wants one person.

"What nonsense are you talking about." Zhu Helin said softly, "Many years ago, I said that
you are the one who will stand by my side."

The last bit of light in Su Fei's eyes also went out. After a moment of silence, he asked, "Can
I still change my clothes?"
"Of course, you can dress however you want. Whether you want to go back to the court or
live in the harem, it's up to you."

Concubine Su thanked him calmly and went to the inner hall to wash and change her clothes.

Zhu Helin sat patiently on the chair and waited for his blue-robed scholar to return to him
again, just like the day they first met.

He waited for a corpse with its throat cut open by a sharpened half-hu tablet. There was also a
suicide note with only four bloody words on it:

Never let each other down.

"I am truly doing this for your own good. I want to see you grow up and mature, keep
improving, ascend the throne in the future, protect the people of your territory, create a
prosperous era, and have all nations come to pay tribute."

"Since I have chosen to board the ship of His Royal Highness, I will use my meager strength
to cut through the waves for you. Of course, this is also for the protection of this ship, so that
I will not be troubled by wind, rain, thunder and lightning."

"Qinghe, you and I make a promise here that we will never let each other down!"

In an instant, countless memories of his youth came flooding back, pressing him under the
raging waves and making him unable to move. Zhu Helin screamed in pain and despair: "I
was wrong! Qinghe, Qinghe! I was wrong, please forgive me!"

He held the corpse and shook it: "Get up and scold me! Hit me with a ruler! I will change,
really... It's not the first time I made a mistake. You were willing to advise me and scold me
in the past. Why not this time? Is it because I became the emperor? Then I won't be the
emperor anymore. You get up, get up and say to me - 'Do what you should do!' You say it!"

No one would ever say that to him again.

Zhu Helin couldn't understand why it was like this? At the beginning, people were always
warm and close to each other, and they wanted to show their sincerity and sincerity. Later,
after experiencing various twists and turns, the warmth turned cold, the closeness turned
distant, sincerity became insincere, and sincerity became a weighing of pros and cons. Can
time really change everything?

"Let's go back." He whispered to the cold body in his arms, "Back to when we were young,
I'll call you 'Qinghe', and you'll call me 'young master'..."
Time flies by, how can we turn back? He looked at the sharp half-cut Hu board in Su Yan's
hand.

"——Master!"

It was like a loud thunderclap exploding in his ears. The sudden impact made Zhu Helin
stagger a few steps, and the hand holding the sword was tightly grasped by someone.

He seemed to be pulled out of a very deep and depressing nightmare. He opened his eyes
with sweat all over his forehead and stuttering breath.

In front of him was Su Yan's young and translucent face, wet by the rain.

Zhu Helin shouted without thinking: "Qinghe, I was wrong, I was really wrong. You can
scold me or beat me, but don't get upset. I will listen to you in the future, believe me!" As if
afraid of being interrupted and rejected, he poured out his true feelings until he was hoarse.

Su Yan: “…”

Is this child stupid?

The guards around: "..."

We heard nothing.

Su Yan coughed dryly: "Young Master, are you okay?"

Zhu Helin was stunned for a while: "What's wrong with me?"

Su Yan touched his forehead with the back of her hand, and then carefully examined his face.
Seeing that his eyes gradually became clear, she breathed a sigh of relief: "It's okay. You
must have been bewitched just now and fell into a state of confusion. The state of confusion
is bizarre and seems to be another twisted and confused life. If the consciousness is deeply
trapped in it, it will hurt others and yourself."

"Bewitched... Realm?"

Su Yan nodded: "Others can't help. You have to figure it out yourself, and then you can break
free of your consciousness."
Zhu Helin was a little confused, frowned in thought, and then said firmly: "It was Qinghe
who pulled me out."

Su Yan said: "It doesn't matter who it is, as long as I am fine."

Zhu Helin threw away his sword and hugged him tightly in front of the guards.

The guards around: "..."

We saw nothing.

Thunder broke through the rainy night again, illuminating the black-clad assassins and guards
fighting each other. Zhu Helin's eyes swept across Su Yan's temples and saw a masked man
in a red robe standing on the top of the wall.

He whispered in Su Yan's ear: "I saw the leader of the Seven Killing Camp."

Su Yan grabbed his arm tightly and took a deep breath. "That guy is so skilled in martial arts
that even Ah Zhui can't beat him. I'm afraid that all the guards present combined are no match
for him."
Chapter 237: Chivalry and Justice
2023-8-21 11:46 Category: Reincarnation of the powerful ministerTurn off the lights

Is he that powerful? I'm going to meet him now!

The words were swallowed back before they came out. Zhu Helin pulled Su Yan to the back
of the column and ordered Commander Wei: "Gather all the guards together. Don't fight
alone, so as not to fall into the thieves' magic. Also send a few guards with good light skills
and riding skills to break out. Take my token to the nearest Beijing Guard Red Shop and
dispatch a crossbow team and a firearms team."

Su Yan saw that the prince had a good plan and made good arrangements, and had grown a
lot in just a few months. He felt relieved (like an old father) and added: "Before I came here, I
also asked someone to notify Shen Qi. I believe the Jinyiwei will arrive soon."

Zhu Helin curled his lips: "Why inform Shen Qi? I can handle it myself."

The prince's maturity seemed to be fleeting, and Su Yan felt worried (like an old father)
again. He grabbed his arm and said, "What are you saying in anger? With a powerful enemy
at hand, the more help we can get, the better."

Although Zhu Helin was unhappy, he did not refute Su Yan's words.

After Commander Wei delivered the Crown Prince's instructions, he turned back and said,
"Those blood-eyed assassins are as ferocious as beasts. This place is too dangerous. How
about I order someone to escort His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and Lord Su away
first, and the rest of you to stay behind to provide cover?"

Su Yan turned his head and leaned out of the corridor to take a look, and said, "It's too late."

The red-robed man floated down the wall and walked closer step by step in the heavy rain.
When the rain fell, it seemed to be blocked by an invisible barrier, and it couldn't even wet
his robe.

Su Yan and Jing Hongzhui have been together for a long time, and have learned some martial
arts theory. He knows that this is caused by the release of true qi, which also shows that the
other party has strong internal strength and can control it in detail.

The closer the red-robed man got, the stronger his true energy became. Martial artists like
Commander Wei tensed up all over because they felt the suppression in their realm, while
ordinary people like Su Yan felt a sense of oppression and suffocation as if they were in deep
water.
"Capture the murderer and protect the prince!" Commander Wei shouted and led the guards
to rush towards the man in red robe.

The red-robed man waved his sleeves almost carelessly, and the energy he brought knocked
away the guards who were besieging him. He seemed to ignore the guards and approached
the two people behind the pillars step by step.

Zhu Helin picked up the sword that had fallen to the ground, protected Su Yan behind him,
and said sternly: "The Seven Killing Camp and the Vacuum Sect are in cahoots with each
other, offending the emperor and harming the people. They must be punished by the law of
the country!"

The red-robed man stopped, stared at him from behind the mask, and said, "The prince is
very brave and is worthy of a fight."

Zhu Helin shook the tip of his sword and was about to attack the opponent, but Su Yan
grabbed his arm tightly. "Don't go and die, find a way to delay some time." Su Yan whispered
in his ear.

The red-robed man seemed to have heard their secret conversation: "Waiting for
reinforcements? Unfortunately, by the time the reinforcements arrive, your bodies will be
cold."

He slowly pulled out a pair of hideous soul-breaking hooks from his waist and held them in
his hands. A chilling murderous aura spread, and Zhu Helin's face changed. He pushed Su
Yan aside and shouted to the guards of Prince Yu's Mansion, "Take him away!"

The guards came over and pulled Su Yan away, but Su Yan held on to the pillar and refused
to let go, as if he was determined to live and die with the prince. Zhu Helin was both moved
and heartbroken when he saw this.

The leader urged: "Master Su, you can't help much if you stay here, it's better to escape from
danger as soon as possible, so that I don't have to worry about it."

Su Yan shook his head desperately: "The guards are weak and cannot be divided any further.
You should protect me first. Only if I am fine can we escape. If something happens to me,
none of us will be able to escape death!"

"None of you can escape tonight, you will all die here, so why bother to rank them in order?"
The blade flashed, blood splattered, the camp leader shook off the guards who bravely fought
and approached, stepping on the corpses on the ground.
The guards who were protecting the emperor were either entangled by the frantic attacks of
the Blood-Eyed Assassins, or killed in just a few moves by the camp leaders, and their
numbers were decreasing.

Zhu Helin could no longer bear it and swung his sword to fight back, but he could only hold
off for a dozen rounds before his sword was locked by the opponent's left hook.

Seeing the right hook coming towards his chest, Zhu Helin closed his eyes in despair.

A ray of cold light shot out from a distance, which was faster and brighter than the lightning
that cut through the night sky. With unparalleled precision and force, it hit the camp owner's
hook blade, almost causing it to fly out of his hand.

The double hooks were shaken away by the meteor-like arrow. Zhu Helin escaped death and
immediately drew back the sword and turned around to retreat.

The camp leader's palms felt numb, knowing that this was a strong enemy, but he couldn't
think of any other expert hidden in the capital who could have such skills. He looked in the
direction from which the arrow came, and saw a tall man in a dark suit standing on the corner
of the eaves in the rain.

"...Prince Yu." The camp leader couldn't help but frowned under his mask.

Prince Yu was born in the military and was an excellent martial artist. He had heard Fu Yin
report this before. But he did not expect that this "excellent" was really too much. He did not
know whether Fu Yin had underestimated him before, or Prince Yu was deliberately hiding
his strength.

Prince Yu saw the other party turning his head to look at him, and he seemed to be able to
sense the surprise through the mask. He sneered, threw away the hard bow in his hand, and
called out: "Spear!"

The guard next to him immediately threw the lance over.

Prince Yu raised his toes, grasped the spear in his hand, and pointed the tip of the spear at the
camp leader, as if inviting him to fight.

The camp leader held the two hooks across his chest as if facing a formidable enemy, and the
inner energy in his body was so strong that it almost condensed into substance.

Prince Yu stepped on the eaves, and he and his spear became one, like a black waterfall
rolling down from the sky, rushing towards him.
Gao Shuo held the unconscious courtesan in his arms and galloped on his horse in the rainy
night.

Following Su Yan's orders, he took two secret agents from the Imperial Guard and sneaked
into the Xian'an Marquis's Mansion to look for Ruan Hongjiao's whereabouts, and found the
room where Mr. He lived.

Out of caution, the spy did not break in immediately, but hid on the roof first, dug a gap
between the tiles, and peeked down.

I happened to see Ruan Hongjiao hugging Mr. He's neck and asking for love in a seductive
way, and I couldn't help but complain: I heard Lord Su speak so anxiously, saying that his life
was in danger, and I thought the situation was very urgent, but it turns out that he is having an
affair here.

A spy gestured and asked: Go down, take the person and leave?

Gao Shuo replied with gestures: The situation is not clear yet, let's wait and see.

The three continued to watch, but unexpectedly the situation in the house took a sudden turn.
The man behaved gently but harbored murderous intent, while the woman tried to please him
but ended up dying.

Gao Shuo cried out inwardly: Not good!

He immediately broke through the roof and cut the poisonous snake in half with one knife.
Unfortunately, snakes are not like other beasts. They can still attack even after their heads are
cut off, and they bite Ruan Hongjiao's face.

Human life is at stake, so Gao Shuo cut off the piece of flesh bitten by the poisonous snake
without hesitation, hoping to prevent the venom from spreading further.

The other two Jinyiwei started fighting with Mr. He.

Mr. He looked young, but he possessed superior internal strength. Gao Shuo originally
thought that this would be a life-or-death battle. As the fight went on, he discovered
something strange.

It turns out that Mr. He has a lot of internal strength and is at an extraordinary level, but he
doesn't know how to use it.
Although several Jinyiwei spies did not have advanced internal skills, they were experts in
fighting on the tip of a knife, and each of their moves was honed in life-and-death situations.

One side relied on internal strength, while the other relied on martial arts techniques, and the
fight was so fierce that it was difficult to tell the winner after a short while.

The sound of fighting alarmed the guards of the marquis' mansion. Gao Shuo saw Ruan
Hongjiao unconscious and was worried that she could not withstand the blood loss and snake
venom, so he hurriedly called on two companions to cover the rear while he led his men to
break out of the siege.

When rescuing Ruan Hongjiao, Gao Shuo saw that she was holding a box tightly even though
she was unconscious, and guessed that the thing was important, so he took her and the box
away.

The pursuers were thrown far away, and the blood of the woman in his arms had stained half
of his clothes red. Gao Shuo realized that -

He cut off a piece of flesh from the girl's face, most likely disfiguring the face of this
beautiful courtesan!

As he galloped on his horse, he looked down at his face covered in blood. He couldn't tell
whether he felt regret, remorse or guilt. He felt a sense of guilt that was as severe as burning
the piano for the sake of cooking the crane.

"Miss Ruan...?" Gao Shuo called out a few times but received no response. He then used his
free hand to feel the pulse on the side of her neck and couldn't help but frown.

His pulse is weak. If he continues to lose blood like this, he will probably die before he
reaches the Su Mansion.

——That won’t do. Lord Su’s order is to bring the person back safely, so he has to find a
doctor first.

Gao Shuo remembered the surgeon Chen Shiyu who often came to treat Lord Shen, so he
turned his horse around and headed towards Doctor Chen's medical room.

Doctor Chen, who had made a mistake in the autopsy yesterday, hid in the doctor's room to
avoid his wife's scolding, using the excuse that it was late at night and rainy and he couldn't
go home. When Gao Shuo knocked on the door and entered, Chen Shiyu had just fallen
asleep. Seeing that Ruan Hongjiao was seriously injured, he hurried to stop the bleeding for
her.
"What a beautiful girl, what a pity..." Chen Shiyu sighed.

Gao Shuo felt more and more guilty, and said hesitantly: "She was bitten on the face by a
poisonous snake. I had no choice."

"Poisonous snake? What snake? Why didn't you tell me earlier?" Chen Shiyu glared, "Your
knife won't kill her, but the snake venom will!"

Gao Shuo only remembered that it was a snake with a red background and white rings, but he
couldn't tell what species it was. In a hurry, he risked his life to return to the mansion and
retrieve the snake's body, which was broken into two pieces. The two Jinyiwei spies had
already escaped, but he was shot by a guard for the snake's body.

He returned to the doctor's room with an arrow stuck in his back. Chen Shiyu said with a
headache: "One wounded person has become two... Lie there, lie there and don't move. I don't
have time to treat your arrow wound right now."

Gao Shuo felt that he had not hurt any vital parts, and that it would not hurt to leave the arrow
in there for a while, and that the pain was bearable. So he said, "I'm not in a hurry, doctor,
you hold her tight first."

After inspecting the snake, Chen Shiyu said, "This is a man-made mutant of the silver ring,
which is even more poisonous than the original species. Fortunately, the snake had been
venomed twice before it bit me, so there is not much venom left in its venom sac. You also
acted in time, otherwise I really couldn't save this girl."

Gao Shuo breathed a sigh of relief and said repeatedly: "That's good, that's good, as long as I
can survive."

Chen Shiyu prepared a dose of detoxifying pills and fed them to the unconscious Ruan
Hongjiao.

Gao Shuo was lying on the bed next to her, staring in fascination at her profile which was
wrapped up like a white dumpling.

"Is there something wrong with my bandaging technique?" Chen Shiyu asked.

Gao Shuo nodded absentmindedly, then suddenly realized and shook his head: "Of course
not. I just felt a little emotional. A brothel girl, besides being clever, actually has such
backbone and courage. It really makes those spineless men in the world ashamed."

Chen Shiyu stroked his beard and laughed, "Don't underestimate the world of women. There
have been many chivalrous prostitutes since ancient times, such as Hong Fu and Li Wa.
Liang Hongyu was even able to wear armor and lead a commander. She is truly as brave as a
man."

Gao Shuo nodded thoughtfully: "No matter how beautiful a woman is, she will eventually
grow old, but her character and integrity will shine for a lifetime."

"That's the truth." Chen Shiyu said, "Look at my wife, what's her appearance? But I stayed
with her all my life because I always remembered the first time we met, she risked her cold to
go down to the river to save the child who fell into the water. That courage and righteousness
still shines brightly to this day."

Gao Shuo stopped talking and continued to lie on his back and look at Ruan Hongjiao's
unconscious face. In the past, when he heard Ruan Hongjiao sing, he thought she was
beautiful and had a nice voice, but there were many beautiful girls. At that time, he was
pleasing to the eye and had some thoughts about having sex with her, but he didn't miss her
much after that. Now that she looks so miserable, why does she make people care about her
even more?

Gao Shuo didn't think it through, so he tried hard to think. Even when Chen Shiyu dug out
the arrowhead from his back, he didn't even bother to say a word.

Chen Shiyu joked, "You saved me another bowl of mandala soup. If there are more patients
like this, the cost of the clinic can be reduced a little more."

Gao Shuo was a little embarrassed and asked, "Who else was there before?"

Your Highness Prince Yu. I gave him seventy-two stitches, but he didn't even drink a single
sip of the anesthetic soup. He was still able to smile while looking at Lord Su sitting next to
him.

Chen Shiyu replied: "I'm sorry I can't disclose the patient's private information."

Gao Shuo was just asking casually. He was more concerned about when Ruan Hongjiao
would wake up.

Chen Shiyu said: "The bleeding has stopped, and the remaining poison has been almost
cleared. I estimate that he will wake up after sleeping for four or five hours. However, I am
afraid that this face will not be able to recover as before. Even if the skin and flesh that were
cut grow back, it will be uneven polyps and scars."

Gao Shuo was silent for a long time, then said, "I'm afraid there will be no place for her in the
brothel in the future. What should she do... I hope the doctor will do his best to treat her and
restore her appearance."
Chen Shiyu sighed: "Do your best and leave the rest to fate."
Chapter 238 They are all handsome but my mouth hurts
2023-8-21 11:46 Category: Reincarnation of the powerful ministerTurn off the lights

The leader of the Qi Sha Camp had once seen a dragon sucking water.

In the afternoon when the sky suddenly changed, dark clouds pressed heavily towards the
river surface. A circling flying dragon seemed to be surging in the clouds, rolling up huge
water columns that reached the sky and the earth. The momentum of shattering the sky and
drinking up the rivers made all the onlookers change color with horror.

Now, he seemed to feel this momentum again - it was a man and a spear that attacked from
the sky like thunder and lightning.

The figure and the spear were both pitch black, but they were not swallowed by the darkness.
On the contrary, the cold light from the spear's tip and long blade was like the angry eyes and
fangs of a dragon, with the swiftness of wind and lightning, even rolling up the rain curtain
all over the sky, which then swirled into a wave of air and swept over!

This move that triggered the mysterious image, if you avoid it, your Qi will be lost, you can
only block it. The camp owner shouted, sealed the door with two hooks, poured all his Qi into
it, and attacked!

With the two of them as the center, rain exploded in all directions like a volley of thousands
of beads, and the air waves knocked everyone around them to the ground.

Su Yan, the young man who was holding onto the pillar, was unable to escape the impact of
the true energy. As soon as his hands loosened, he flew towards the shattered door frame
behind him.

The door frame was full of sharp broken wood, jagged and interlaced. Zhu Helin was
shocked and grabbed Su Yan's sleeve and pulled him back. The two of them bumped into
each other and rolled down the stairs in a ball.

Su Yan fell and got knocked unconscious, and even hit his mouth. He licked his bleeding
lips, hissed and gasped, and said in pain: "Do you have a grudge against me for your front
teeth? Why do you always hit my mouth..."

Zhu Helin's teeth also hurt, but compared to the pain of bumping into the edge of the steps
when he was supporting Su Yan, it was still mild. Thinking of how Su Yan was almost
stabbed on the broken wood, he was even more scared.

He helped Su Yan to stand up and said angrily, "It's all Uncle Four's fault. You can beat me,
but couldn't you be more careful?"
In the previous attack, both sides spared no effort. The outcome of a duel between masters is
decided in an instant, so there is no time to be distracted. Although Su Yan does not know
martial arts, he also knows this principle, so he has no complaints. Instead, he is fortunate and
grateful that Prince Yu arrived in time to save the prince and his life.

The fight between Prince Yu and the camp leader was still going on, with thunder and
lightning raging in the field. No matter the assassins or the guards, they had no room to
intervene due to the suppression of their realm.

Facing a strong enemy, the camp leader knew that he could not determine the outcome in a
short time. While the hook was entangled with the spear tip, he threw out an iron whistle
from the bottom of his sleeve. The whistle rang sharply and piercingly when it hit the wind.

When the blood-eyed assassins heard the whistle, they all turned to look at Zhu Helin and Su
Yan, as if they had received some instructions, and then rushed over with swords swinging
wildly.

Several guards from the Eastern Palace got up from the ground and hurried over to protect
His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.

Zhu Helin pushed Su Yan towards the guards and said, "Take him away! If anyone disobeys
my orders, I will chop off his head!"

Su Yan was caught by the guards, and suddenly he heard the sound of horse hooves coming
closer in the rain.

The sound of horse hooves was like a river tide, rushing towards the courtyard where they
were, like a large army.

The vanguard of the team rushed into the gate of Yishan Bureau like an arrow. The man in
the lead was wearing a navy blue flying fish suit with hard leather shoulder and arm armor.
The embroidered spring sword in his hand reflected a strip of ice and snow. He shouted in a
stern voice: "Jinyiwei listen to my order - the left scout escorts His Royal Highness the
Crown Prince back to the palace, and the right scout captures all the blood-eyed assassins. If
they resist, they will be killed on the spot!"

The Tiqi riders responded like thunder: "Understood!"

It was Qi Lang, and he brought reinforcements! Su Yan was pleasantly surprised, and felt
relieved.

Seeing that the situation was hopeless, the camp leader knew that he could not kill Zhu Helin
tonight. If he did not withdraw, he would be surrounded by the army and would have
difficulty escaping. So he shook the thin iron chain tied to his wrist, and the iron whistle
vibrated violently, blowing out a shrill sound that hurt the eardrums.

Everyone covered their ears with their hands, unable to bear it any more. Only the blood-eyed
assassins screamed in unison, responding to the sharp whistle.

Prince Yu was also shocked by the sound and his blood was boiling. He took a few steps
back and leaned on the ground with his spear. He swallowed his breath and shouted a
warning: "The true qi of these assassins is chaotic and swollen. Be careful that they will
explode!"

Shen Qi's expression changed as he shouted, "Everyone retreat! Retreat quickly!"

As he spoke, he bent down and picked up Su Yan, and brought him to his horse. Su Yan was
still holding Zhu Helin's wrist, but because it was wet and slippery, it slipped away in an
instant. Fortunately, another Jinyiwei Tiqi rushed forward, lifted the prince onto the horse's
back and retreated.

Amidst the repeated bangs, the assassins detonated the internal Qi in their bodies, and a
bloody mist filled the air.

No one knew what the blood got on the clothes when it left the body, but it was poisonous
and splashed on the heads and faces of the guards who had no time to dodge. In the blink of
an eye, it corroded a layer of their flesh, and those who were hit screamed in pain.

"Where are you going!" Prince Yu stabbed the ground with his spear, and took advantage of
the momentum to bounce up and chase after the fleeing camp leader.

When the blood mist completely dissipated, only a hundred unrecognizable corpses and
dozens of guards who were accidentally hit were left at the scene.

"Go get some well water to wash them." Zhu Helin ordered, "Send them to the doctor
immediately after washing."

After entrusting the prince to the Jinyiwei, Commander Wei was ordered to take care of the
wounded.

Shen Qi helped Su Yan get off the horse and asked with concern: "Are you okay?"

Su Yan shook his head and looked in the direction where the camp leader and Prince Yu
disappeared. He frowned and said, "The leader of the Seven Killings Camp is highly skilled
in martial arts, and is also cunning and vicious. Will Prince Yu..."
"Don't worry. Do you think Prince Yu is straightforward? 'The army is established by
deception and moved for profit', he is well aware of the principle and will not suffer any
loss." Shen Qi said sourly, "But your husband, as soon as he received the news sent by Gao
Shuo, he rushed here without stopping, fearing that you would make a mistake, but the first
thing you said was to ask someone else."

Su Yan laughed, and before he could say anything to comfort her, Zhu Helin pushed through
the crowd and came over: "Husband? What husband? Where did he get a husband?"

Shen Qi looked at the prince with a cold face. Su Yan quickly interrupted: "My dear, are you
okay? I just rolled down the stairs. Are you injured?"

Zhu Helin felt a throbbing pain on his back, but he pretended not to care: "I'm very strong,
how can a few stairs hurt me?"

Su Yan sighed and said, "Tonight was really thrilling. Thanks to Ruan Hongjiao's timely
communication, I learned that the Seven Killing Camp and the Vacuum Sect were planning
to attack me... By the way, is Gao Shuo back?"

Shen Qi asked the Jinyiwei to find the leader of the secret investigation. The leader said: "I
haven't seen him."

Su Yan was a little worried: "I asked him to take a few people to sneak into Xian'an Marquis
Mansion to rescue Ruan Hongjiao, but he hasn't returned yet. Could it be that he is in trouble?
No, we have to send someone to pick them up."

Even if he didn't say it, Shen Qi would not leave his confidant in danger. When he was giving
orders, he saw two spies riding horses and galloping over. They clasped their fists and
reported: "Sir, we were separated from General Gao when we evacuated the Marquis'
Mansion. We couldn't find him anywhere, so we had to come back to report."

Su Yan asked about what they saw and did in the Marquis' Mansion. He was very worried
about Ruan Hongjiao's safety. After thinking for a while, he said, "Perhaps her injuries have
worsened. Gao Shuo should take her to see a doctor. Please go to the doctor's house or drug
store in that area to see if you can find her."

The spies took the order and left.

Not long after, Prince Yu returned. Su Yan subconsciously looked at him, and seeing that he
was unharmed, he breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for fighting
the enemy alone and the camp leader. Otherwise, the prince would be in danger, and I would
not be alive either."
The prince is in danger, and as his uncle, it is naturally my duty to rescue him. Otherwise,
how can I repay the emperor's grace?

——If it was a prince who strictly abided by the etiquette of a subject, he would probably
respond with such humble words.

The prince was able to escape danger thanks to my strenuous rescue efforts. I wonder how
you plan to thank me?

——If he were a domineering prince, he would probably take the opportunity to boast and
seek credit.

Who knew that Prince Yu was such an unusual person that Su Yan completely misjudged his
reaction. He didn't even give his nephew the crown prince a glance, but just stared at Su Yan
and asked, "How was my fight just now?"

Su Yan: “Huh?”

Prince Yu: "Didn't you see it? Such a powerful move, didn't you see it?"

Su Yan: "Uh, I saw it, it's very impressive and handsome."

"What does 'very handsome' mean?"

"It's just... beautiful, wonderful, and amazing."

Prince Yu smiled triumphantly.

Zhu Helin was so angry that he jumped up and down: "What a handsome guy! He didn't care
about anyone when he started fighting. He almost threw you and pierced a hole in the
wooden bar. You forgot so quickly?!"

Su Yan replied hesitantly: "Then there is no hole..."

Zhu Helin angrily said, "It's because I grabbed you! When you rolled down the stairs, I was
your cushion, and my teeth were loosened! Why don't you say I'm handsome!"

Shen Qi's face darkened: "I came to help with injuries, but I didn't fight with the enemy, and I
didn't have anyone to fall on. Could it be that I can't be in Lord Su's eyes?"
Su Yan was attacked from three sides, and his head was as big as a bucket. He could only
answer vaguely: "Both are handsome, both are handsome. I... my mouth hurts, I need to apply
some medicine."

He slipped out a few feet, then turned back and asked Prince Yu: "Where is the camp leader?
Is he dead or alive?"

Prince Yu said, "He didn't die. He escaped with injuries. It's a pity that his injuries were not
serious." He was also slightly injured, but he didn't want to let Su Yan know, lest his "very
handsome" image be discounted.

Su Yan rubbed his chin with his fingers and thought, "The leader of the Seven Killings Camp
and Mr. He are obviously in the same group. He was injured, and an important witness
escaped from Mr. He's side. The two must have met to discuss countermeasures... Do you
think the leader of the camp will escape into the Xian'an Marquis's Mansion?"

"It's possible." Shen Qi said.

Su Yan sighed, "Last time at the court meeting, I wanted to find an excuse to search the
mansion, but unfortunately they caught Ah Zhui. The emperor also issued an order not to
pursue the matter. If I want to request a search of the mansion again, I must have a new
reason or stronger evidence."

Zhu Helin slapped the railing and said, "I was almost killed in an assassination attempt. Isn't
this reason enough?"

Su Yan asked back: "But who can prove that the leader of the Seven Killings Camp who
assassinated you is related to the Xian'an Marquis' Mansion? Did His Royal Highness Prince
Yu see the leader of the camp fleeing into the Marquis' Mansion with his own eyes?"

Prince Yu shook his head.

"So, we are still lacking a core witness or physical evidence."

Su Yan thought about it and sneezed loudly.

Although the temperature had risen in mid-spring, the clothes soaked by rain stuck to the
body for a long time, and the cold and moisture invaded the body, which was unbearable. In
addition, after rolling on the ground, mud and sawdust were stuck to the hair, which made
people feel very miserable.

Su Yan said, "I'll go take a shower and change my clothes first, and then we'll discuss this
later."
"I also want to take a shower and change my clothes." Zhu Helin followed closely behind.

Prince Yu and Shen Qi looked at each other.

Shen Qi had a blank expression on her face: "The Yishan Bureau was originally a converted
temple. Every temple must have a 'bathroom yard', with several large pools in one room, no
different from the mixed halls in the market."

Prince Yu sneered, "You little brat, you haven't grown all your hair yet, but you have a lot of
tricks up your sleeve. He has been in and out of the Yishan Bureau recently, so he must know
everything."

The two looked at each other again, and started to chase after him at the same time.
Chapter 239 No One Talks About Feelings
2023-8-21 11:47 Category: Reincarnation of the powerful ministerTurn off the lights

Su Yan had just taken off his muddy cloak when he saw Zhu Helin peeking at the door. He
was startled and said, "You want to take a bath too? Then I'll change to another room."

"No, no." Zhu Helin coughed dryly, walked in leisurely with his hands behind his back, and
sat down on the bench casually. "This is the only room with boiled hot water. The guards
prepared it for me to bathe tonight. It's such a big pool, one more person won't make a
difference, just take a bath."

Su Yan didn't want to take a bath with a young boy who had pressed him and bit him several
times - they were all so familiar with each other, and he had often acted like a mentor in front
of the other party. The thought of suddenly meeting him naked made him feel awkward.

But changing to a room to take a shower with cold water is a difficult task for Lord Su, who
lives a life of luxury.

So I thought about whether there could be a compromise, such as having two pools in the
same room, with a curtain separating the middle.

He turned around and looked at this temple-style bathroom. The walls were made of blue
bricks, and the large stone-paved pool was nine feet square, with one side against the brick
wall. There was a hole in the brick wall, and two pipes were connected to the pool, and the
outside was unknown.

Zhu Helin thought he was curious and explained, "Behind the pipes are two huge cauldrons,
connected to the spring, using a windlass to draw water. One cauldron stores clean water; the
other is roasted with coal to produce boiling water. Before bathing, both pipes are opened at
the same time, and the cold and hot water merge to form a hot spring."

Coal is coal. This is definitely a large-capacity water heater and an artificial hot spring. Su
Yan couldn't help but sigh. It seems that no matter what dynasty, people are trying every
means to use technology and craftsmanship to improve their living standards. Perhaps
hedonism can also promote scientific and technological progress to some extent.

"Where's that pool?" He pointed to the empty pool against the wall opposite.

Zhu Helin said, "No water? I don't know. Since you are only serving me, the guards don't
need to boil so much water. One pot is enough."

Su Yan had no choice but to pick up his cloak and walk out: "Let me wash first, I'll change
the water and continue."
Zhu Helin jumped up from the bench and grabbed his arm: "Why are you answering it? I
don't mind you being dirty, how dare you think I am? Come in quickly!"

As he spoke, he pulled at Su Yan's soaked robe . Su Yan sneezed and tried to stop him, but
he couldn't stop him. His clothes were pulled to pieces, and he pulled at his pants waist and
said anxiously, "I can't take this off, I really can't take it off..."

If he took it off, wouldn't it expose the private seal that the emperor had stamped a few days
ago?

Oh, when the prince saw that his biological father's name, which was taboo throughout the
world, was printed on the leg of a certain minister, and now both the person and the name
were bathing with him, what kind of expression would the prince have... The scene was so
beautiful that he dared not imagine it.

Besides, he carefully put the seal every time he took a bath, just in case the emperor wanted
to check it one day. If he was found that the seal was missing, how would he explain it - was
it washed away by your son who always wanted to show off his virility?

I'll chop off all eight of your heads!

"Are you embarrassed? There's no need to be. Whenever I take a bath, there are always a
dozen eunuchs and palace maids serving me. You come from an official family, so you must
have had servants serving you since you were a child. Are you afraid of being seen?"

Su Yan looked desperate: "How about...I go to the bar with my pants on?"

Zhu Helin frowned unhappily: "Who would wear pants when bathing? Besides, your pants
are covered in mud, which will dirty my bath water. If you are embarrassed to take them off,
I will take them off first."

He undressed , but Su Yan just wanted to escape by holding onto his trouser strings.

Coincidentally, two people outside the door who were unwilling to give in forced their way
through the guards' obstruction and just wanted to rush inside.

When the inside and outside met, the four people looked at each other under the roller curtain
of the second door.

Su Yan's shirt was wide open and he was holding his trouser waist tightly, the Crown Prince
had half of his sleeves off, Shen Qi gritted his teeth and pressed his hand on the hilt of the
knife, Prince Yu... crossed his arms and blew a whistle that was three parts annoyed and
seven parts mocking.
"You all want to take a bath?" Su Yan's brain was cramped in extreme embarrassment. He
wanted to bite off his tongue after blurting out the question, "The pool... three people are fine,
four people are too crowded, you go first, I can wait."

He bypassed Shen Qi and Prince Yu and tried to squeeze out from the door frame.

Prince Yu stretched out his hand to stop him and sneered, "Why, are you shy?"

Su Yan shook his head, hesitated for a moment, and then nodded quickly.

Prince Yu raised his eyebrows: "Why do I feel that Qinghe is guilty?"

Shen Qi used the hilt of the knife to strike at Prince Yu's elbow: "Let him go, don't stop him!
Qinghe, come here."

Unexpectedly, Su Yan did not approach him, but just lowered his head and slipped away.

Now even Shen Qi could sense the guilt in her heart, wondering if she was really hiding some
secret that she dared not reveal. He put his arm around Su Yan's waist and whispered in her
ear: "What are you hiding from your husband?"

Su Yan said: "Nothing... A-choo!" His saliva sprayed all over Shen Qi's face.

After that, she wiped it with her sleeve apologetically.

Shen Qi didn't care about her face, and she put her hands down from both sides of Su Yan's
armpits, which was a standard interrogation and body search technique. Zhu Helin couldn't
stand it anymore, and rushed over with a frown and an angry look: "How dare you! You let
me touch my people? If you don't let go, don't blame me for not appreciating your
contribution to saving me!"

"'Up and down' is not used like this, young master." Su Yan corrected subconsciously and
pushed Shen Qi hard, "Don't touch around! There's nothing, really..."

Prince Yu took the opportunity to bring the person to his arms: "Yes, there is nothing. I
believe you. Come here."

Shen Qi grabbed Su Yan's arm with one hand, and clenched her fist with the other hand,
punching towards Prince Yu's waist at a tricky angle.
Prince Yu blocked the attack with his arms, and both sides collided head-on, with a series of
muffled sounds of punches hitting flesh.

Seeing that no one took the East Palace's order seriously, Zhu Helin became even more
furious and shouted, "Su Qinghe! If you don't come here right now, I will show you how I
will deal with you!"

Seeing that he couldn't get away, Su Yan had no choice but to bend down, crawl under the
armpits of the two people who were fighting, and use his hands to hold his head to get out of
the range of the fists.

As a result, he was so focused on his head that he forgot to pull up his belt, and his loose and
baggy trousers fell to his ankles.

Fortunately, he was wearing a pair of homemade cotton shorts underneath, so he wasn't

exposed.

Zhu Helin, who had just kept saying "there's no need to be embarrassed" and "I'm used to
being served, so I'm afraid of being seen", suddenly blushed and his eyes wandered around
aimlessly.

Su Yan cursed under his breath and quickly bent over to pick up his pants, but the back of his
legs was seen by someone.

Zhu Helin was startled, and then asked: "What is that red spot on your leg?"

"Mole!" Su Yan answered immediately and pulled up his pants.

Unfortunately, the prince was very sharp-eyed and was not fooled. He stared at his trousers
suspiciously and said, "Why do I feel that it doesn't look like a mole, but a mark with words
on it? Come here and let me take a closer look."

How dare Su Yan let him see clearly, he turned around and went out of the curtain again.
Prince Yu stretched out his hand to grab Su Yan's shoulder - knowing that he was strong and
the other party was weak, he didn't really use force: "You have a tattoo on your leg? What's
the word?"

Hearing Prince Yu's question, Shen Qi's heart sank - could it be that Qinghe was still
obsessed with Jing Hongzhui, and even after he left, he wanted to tattoo his name on his
body? The more he thought about it, the gloomier his face became. He couldn't bear to use Su
Yan to polish his skin and remove the words, so he wished he could catch up with the bandit,
cut it with a knife, and solve the problem at the root.
Su Yan violently broke free from Prince Yu's fingers, and became angry and said, "It's none
of your business! You're forcing me to take off my clothes , and you're staring at other
people's bodies. Do you have any sense of propriety or shame? If you don't want to wash, I'll
wash myself. Get out of here!"

He jumped into the hot spring with his clothes and

Zhu Helin suddenly came to his senses and shouted, "It's hidden so tightly, it must be
shameful to see. I must take a look at what the words are!" He threw away his outer robe and
jumped into the pool to grab Su Yan's trousers.

Su Yan screamed and kicked him.

Two handsome young men were wrestling in the water in disheveled clothes

Shen Qi couldn't bear it any longer and rushed forward, wanting to rescue his wife from the
clutches of the prince.

Prince Yu also stepped forward, but instead of helping Su Yan, he took advantage of the
situation and tore off his trousers.

Three pairs of eyes stared at his thighs. Su Yan felt a chill at the base of his legs... It went all
the way to his heart, and even his neck. He looked down in despair -

Fortunately, the cinnabar that had formed a hard paste had been soaked in rain water and hot
water, and now it had peeled off completely, with not much left.

Zhu Helin wiped the remaining cinnabar with his fingers, rubbed it between his fingers in
confusion, and said, "It's not tattooed, it's printed. This color looks familiar, red with gold..."
He put his finger to his nose and sniffed it. After a moment of stunned silence, he said in
shock and anger, "This is the gold powder cinnabar used for approving memorials!"

Su Yan was so ashamed that he threw himself into the water at the bottom of the pool,
causing a huge splash.

He was too ashamed to face the scene, so he sank the body and fled, which scared the other
three people. They hurriedly went into the pond to fish it out and picked it up in a panic.

Zhu Helin hugged his arm tightly, and cursed with red eyes: "The interrogation hasn't even
started yet, and you're already using this! You're usually more arrogant than anyone else
when it comes to committing crimes against your superiors, but now you're pretending to be
so weak!"
Prince Yu placed his arm around his waist and leaned over to ask, "Is this the mark left by my
royal brother? Who are you showing this to? Who are you declaring ownership to?"

Shen Qi held his head, without saying a word, with a cold light of anger and harshness
flashing in her eyes.

"You said, when? Was it the time when you brought the stone pillar into the palace with me?
No wonder my father hurriedly sent me away after scolding me... What good things did you
do in the imperial study!" Zhu Helin said while trying to suppress the soreness in his nasal
cavity, his voice a little cracked.

Su Yan's face was covered in water, and he just closed his eyes and said nothing.

"Lord Su is truly a loyal minister and a steadfast man, as he sacrificed his life to repay the
emperor's kindness." Prince Yu wanted to slap himself, but couldn't help but continue to
mock, "When serving the emperor, I'm sure you didn't act so evasively and dodgingly as you
did just now. You must have been very accommodating, weren't you?"

Su Yan suddenly opened his eyes and shouted angrily: "Don't put all the blame on the
emperor! I'll say it again, the emperor didn't come to visit..." He spat out the word with a
toothache, "I didn't serve the emperor with my beauty either."

"Then what's the matter with this mark? Did you use the cinnabar from the imperial study to
smear it on your legs?" Prince Yu asked.

Su Yan was struggling with how to explain it, but he felt that he couldn't explain it clearly.
Finally, he sighed deeply and said tiredly, "I haven't lost yet."

Only Shen Qi understood what he meant.

Despite the huge disparity in power between him and the emperor, he has not yet admitted
defeat or fallen, and has tried his best to maintain his bottom line.

"I know..." Shen Qi said in a deep voice, hugging Su Yan's shoulders from behind, "I also
said - 'If you lose due to exhaustion, I won't blame you'."

Su Yan raised his hand and patted Shen Qi's arm: "I don't know what to say... This is all my
fault."

He slowly sat up from the water and asked seriously, "From now on, I won't have any
relationship with anyone, okay? I will just focus on my career and not get involved with
anyone, okay? I won't get married or have children in this life, I just want a peaceful life,
okay?"
"——No!" The other three said in unison.

The determination in Su Yan's eyes made the three of them a little frightened. They were
worried that he would sever his worldly ties with the sword and truly cut off all feelings and
love. Once the door of his heart is closed, no one can open it.

"So what should I do? Should I be split into pieces? Or should I reject any of you and you
will let me go and leave gracefully?"

The three of them were silent.

Zhu Helin whispered, "Fourth Uncle, please behave like a decent person. You have so many
'confidants' anyway, so don't mess with Qinghe."

Prince Yu sneered, "What confidant? We've been separated for a long time. As for whether I
want this respect or not, even my brother can't influence me, let alone you, a brat, to make
decisions."

Zhu Helin was extremely angry, but due to the difference in seniority, he couldn't beat Prince
Yu, so he had to endure it first, and then said to Shen Qi: "Just tell me, do you want to save
your own life and future, or continue to entangle Qinghe? If you choose the latter, don't
blame me for not tolerating you."

Shen Qi lowered her eyes and said coldly: "If the young master wants me to die, he has to ask
the emperor's opinion first. After all, I am the emperor's personal guard and I only follow the
emperor's orders. As for the orders of the East Palace, I can't obey them."

"What if father wants you to die?" Zhu Helin asked.

Before Shen Qi could answer, Su Yan said, "I will do my best to stop it. Even if we don't talk
about feelings, Shen Qi is still my lifelong friend. I hope His Royal Highness the Crown
Prince will show mercy."

Zhu Helin hated them to the core, but he couldn't really turn this pair of "friends of life and
death" into Boyi and Shuqi who would go to death together, so he had to swallow his anger
temporarily, thinking to himself: Father is concerned about the overall situation and trade-
offs, but I don't care about that. When I come to power, I will deal with all of you who covet
Qinghe!

Su Yan added: "So can we put aside these bullshit feelings for the time being and focus on
the business, and first deal with the Zhenkong Sect, the Seven Killing Camp and the Wei
Family?"
The three of them were silent again.

Prince Yu took the lead and said, "Qinghe is right. Let's solve the imminent disaster first, and
then we can talk about other things."

Zhu Helin snorted reluctantly, which was considered as his agreement.

Su Yan looked at Shen Qi. Shen Qi had no expression on her face, and it was unknown what
she was thinking. Su Yan called out, "Qilang?"

Shen Qi suddenly said: "Gao Shuo is back, I heard his voice."

Su Yan immediately stood up from the water and stepped out of the hot spring: "Let's go!
Let's ask him if he has any new clues, and also ask him how Ruan Hongjiao's injury is."

Zhu Helin quickly held onto his legs: "Wait, you haven't put on your pants yet."
Chapter 240 The Xian brothers are still young
2023-8-21 11:47 Category: Reincarnation of the powerful ministerTurn off the lights

The rain gradually subsided. Gao Shuo stood in the corridor, enduring the pain from the
newly bandaged arrow wound on his back. He turned his head and saw an East Palace guard
and a royal palace guard each holding a wooden tray and entering the main gate of the
bathroom yard.

On the wooden tray were two sets of clean, folded clothes and boots.

He rushed to Yishan Bureau to see Su Yan, and when he saw the Jinyiwei Tiqi in the
courtyard, he knew that Lord Shen had also arrived. But he heard the Jinyiwei say that the
adults had gone to bathe and change clothes, and asked him to wait in the corridor.

But the robe in the wooden tray was embroidered with coiled dragon patterns, clearly the
style for princes and nobles.

Then, two more trays of clothing were brought in by the guards. This time, there were no
dragon patterns on them, but two sets of robes, one blue and one green.

Gao Shuo was a little confused.

Not long after, the Crown Prince and Prince Yu walked out of the courtyard wearing dragon
robes, followed closely by Lord Shen and Lord Su in yishas. The hair of the four of them was
damp, and their bodies were still covered with warm moisture.

This is... four people bathing together? Gao Shuo's almost cracked face showed a look of
shock.

He knew that his master had a love affair with Lord Su, but he didn't expect that this
relationship could also link to the other two! He didn't expect that Lord Shen could even
accept this... It seems that Su Qinghe is not an ordinary fox demon reincarnated, but a nine-
tailed celestial fox reincarnated!

Gao Shuo felt a little unwell, and he didn't even hear clearly what Su Yan asked him when he
walked up to him. It was not until Shen Qi frowned and called out, "Gao Shuo!" that he woke
up from his trance and answered with a fist: "I was distracted for a moment, please forgive
me, sir. Please ask again."

Su Yan asked with concern: "I heard from the two spies that you fought with Mr. He. Are
you injured?"
Gao Shuo was slightly startled, and suddenly felt that these men were not wronged. He
cleared his throat and said, "It's just a minor flesh wound, it's nothing serious, thank you for
your concern."

Su Yan asked again: "Where is Sister Ruan? Is she seriously injured?"

Gao Shuo said guiltily, "Her life is not in danger, but the wound is on her face. When I left
Mr. Yingxu's medical room, she was still unconscious."

Su Yan took a breath and said, "On her face! She's a girl... I have to go and take a look."

"My Lord, wait a minute," Gao Shuo handed over the box under his arm. "Before Miss Ruan
fainted, she held this box tightly in her arms. I brought it out with me. I opened it and saw
that the things inside seemed to be extremely important, so I immediately brought it over."

"Box? Could it be that Sister Ruan got it from Mr. He's room?" Su Yan took it and opened
the lid of the box. Shen Qi, Prince Yu and the Crown Prince all came over to take a look.

The guards brought a wooden table and covered it with a clean white cloth. Su Yan took out
the items in the box one by one and placed them on the table.

There were all kinds of things, including a broken arrowhead, a dry finger that looked like a
human bone, and a treasure scroll with the teachings of the Zhenkong Sect...

"Isn't this the blood sutra that I sent to Yanfu Temple for offering? How did it fall into Mr.
He's hands? And there is the eulogy written by me, why is he copying this!" Zhu Helin was
very unhappy, as if his longing for his deceased mother was being desecrated.

Prince Yu used his fingertips to pick up a string of phoenix necklaces, raised his eyebrows
and said, "This necklace looks familiar to me. It seems to be something worn by women in
the palace."

Shen Qi pulled out a tile-shaped iron sheet, glanced at it quickly, and his expression changed
slightly: "This is the golden book and iron certificate awarded by Emperor Taizu. Judging
from the text, it was awarded to the Zhenkong Sect Master Wenxiang back then!"

Zhu Helin immediately retorted: "The Zhenkong Sect is a heretical sect appointed by
Emperor Taizu. How could they give such a precious golden book and iron certificate to the
leader? It must be a forgery."

Prince Yu put down his necklace, took the iron piece, looked at it over and over for a while,
and nodded, "It's authentic."
Zhu Helin was surprised: "This... I have to ask my father what's going on."

"Are you sure this box was taken from the Xian'an Marquis Mansion?" Su Yan asked Gao
Shuo.

Gao Shuo nodded confidently: "It was found in Mr. He's room. It should be his personal
belongings. Miss Ruan found it. Miss Ruan knew the importance of this box, so she held it
tightly even when she was unconscious."

"These things are enough to prove Mr. He's relationship with the Vacuum Sect. He is most
likely the current leader of the Vacuum Sect. In this case, the Wei family cannot escape
responsibility! Thanks to Mr. He's hobby of collecting trophies, we have the most conclusive
evidence." Su Yan clapped his hands, "I will go to the palace to meet the emperor and
persuade him to order a search of the Xian'an Marquis and Feng'an Marquis' mansions, and
take Mr. He and the Seven Killing Camp leader down directly!"

Zhu Helin: "The palace gate is already closed at this hour. Only I can knock on it. I will go
with you."

Shen Qi: "It's too late! I'm afraid that before you get the imperial edict, those two will have
already heard the news and fled."

Prince Yu: "I am also worried. Since they are colluding with the Wei family, I am afraid there
must be spies in the palace who can tip off the emperor."

Su Yan thought about it and said, "The only way is to execute first and report later. But this
kind of thing has always been a taboo. Not to mention that the Shangfang Sword has been
returned long ago, even if it is still in my hands, I am beyond the authority given to me by the
emperor to lead troops to search and arrest the relatives. I will definitely be accused of
usurping power."

Everyone knew that his concerns were reasonable. Gao Shuo asked: "What should we do
then?"

Shen Qi said in a deep voice: "Divide the troops into two groups! I will lead the Jinyiwei to
find a reason to surround the two marquis' mansions first, and deal with them, while Qinghe
gets the imperial edict as soon as possible."

Su Yan shook his head in objection: "In this way, the pressure will be on you. Regardless of
whether the Wei family is guilty or not, you will be attacked crazily by the court officials
afterwards."
"But this is the only way at the moment." Shen Qi insisted, "Anyway, my Northern
Pacification Division has always been arrogant and our notoriety is well known to everyone."

Su Yan still objected: "This crime is too serious. I'm afraid the Queen Mother will not sit idly
by. No, I can't let you bear the blame alone. How about I go with you and share the
firepower, and I'll trouble you to deliver the evidence to the palace to the emperor alone."

Prince Yu spoke up: "All of you, don't you take me seriously? As long as I am here, the Wei
family will be cautious. If those court officials want to impeach me, they can do so. I have
been impeached in many ways. Too many lice won't bite, and too many debts won't worry
me."

Su Yan asked in surprise: "So the prince means... that I can go to the Marquis' Mansion with
Qilang?"

Prince Yu glanced at Shen Qi mockingly: "If you call me Si Lang, I will help him."

"This is not to help him, but to contribute to our Anti-Guardian Alliance." Su Yan suddenly
showed a teasing smile, "Besides, 'Silang' is not a good name, believe me."

Prince Yu thought that he didn't want to call me intimately, so he changed his mind and said,
"Then you can call me 'Jincheng', right?"

Su Yan hesitated.

Shen Qi lowered her eyes to hide the cold light in them, and slowly stroked the hilt of the
knife with her fingers.

Zhu Helin said angrily: "What time is it, and you are still bargaining, Fourth Uncle, please
behave like a decent person!"

Prince Yu laughed loudly, rushed down the steps, jumped on his horse, and called out to the
palace guards: "Let's go and find the bad luck of the Wei family."

"...Be careful when you enter the palace to meet the emperor." Shen Qi looked at Su Yan
deeply, then turned around to gather the Jinyiwei.

Although Zhu Helin was often dissatisfied with his father competing with him for people, he
couldn't stand hearing these words, and immediately frowned: "Shen Qi, what do you mean,
are you insinuating the emperor?"
Su Yan tried to smooth things over: "Don't worry, my young master and I will definitely get
the imperial edict and send it to you in time." Then he grabbed Zhu Helin's wrist and said,
"There is no time to lose, let's go."

Zhu Helin was pulled by him, and his mood improved. He said, "Let's ride on my Chixiafei
together. It's faster."

The prince's red-maned horse was indeed a rare and excellent horse. Su Yan did not act
pretentiously and rode with him as he was told. He whipped the horse and galloped towards
the palace. As usual, a team of exhausted East Palace guards chased after him.

Zhu Helin put his arms around Su Yan's waist from behind. Su Yan suddenly realized that the
boy who used to be half a head shorter than him was now as tall as him and more muscular
than him. The bulges of tendon flesh on his arms pressed against his skin, as if announcing
his victory.

Su Yan couldn't help feeling a little jealous - his body had grown taller in the past six months,
and he thought that growing muscles would allow him to completely get rid of his boiled
chicken roots, but it turned out that even the little ghost could easily catch up with and
surpass him. It was really... comparing yourself to others makes you feel nauseous.

He couldn't help but mutter, "You're growing so fast because of the hormones you're taking!"

Zhu Helin didn't know what "hormones" were, but that didn't stop him from showing off
proudly: "I said I would grow up quickly. Just look, in another six months, I will be taller
than you."

Su Yan said angrily: "Even if he is taller and stronger than me, he is still a younger brother."

Zhu Helin whispered in his ear, his tone changing with each passing second: "Brother~good
brother, dear brother."

Su Yan felt a chill and got goose bumps all over his body: "What the hell is this? Take it back
now."

Zhu Helin smiled and pressed his chest against his back: "You call me brother, so what's
wrong with me calling you brother? Besides, that's how lovers are called in the storybooks."

"My 'brother' is an adjective, not a noun! How many times have I told you to read less
storybooks and more serious books... No, who is your lover?!"

"The one I kissed."

"You forced me to kiss you!"

"That time in the Imperial Temple, it was you who took the initiative to kiss me, so you want
to deny it?"

“…”

"Kiss me again, and I'll forgive you."

"Get lost!"

"Hurry up and kiss me, or I'll be here..." Zhu Helin blew on the back of Su Yan's neck, "If
you act like a hooligan again, I'll make you go to see my father with a big red mark on your
face."

"Are you crazy? There are guards behind you..."

"Anyway, it's so dark at night and the horse is running fast, no one will see us, just kiss us
quickly!"

Su Yan was so annoyed by his pestering that she turned around and kissed him on the cheek
perfunctorily.

"Are you kidding me?!" Zhu Helin was very dissatisfied. He loosened his hand around his
waist and tried to pry his face open. "Turn around and give me a serious kiss."

Su Yan said angrily: "The place where I just got hurt is still hurting. If you bite me again, you
can bite off our lips!"

Zhu Helin felt guilty: "Is my skill so bad?"

Su Yan sneered: "How can there be good or bad for something that doesn't exist?"

Zhu Helin: “…”

Zhu Helin said with great emotion: "My dear brother! I am still young and really do not
understand the world. I beg you to be my guide and show me the way out of this maze."

Su Yan: “…”
Su Yan was heartbroken: "Pornographic books are harmful to people! I will burn all the
erotic books on your bedside table!"

Chapter 241 A Real Man Has Nothing to Worry About

2023-8-21 11:48 Category: Reincarnation of the powerful ministerTurn off the lights

Late at night, the palace gates were locked tightly, and teams of Imperial Guards patrolled the
imperial city with torches in hand, not daring to slack off in the slightest.

The sound of horse hooves echoed in the alleys, and a team of dozens of guards came
galloping. The guards at the gate saw the armor on the knights from afar and asked loudly, "Is
the young master back?"

The red-maned horse in the lead seemed to be faster than his voice, and it was in front of him
in the blink of an eye. The firelight illuminated Zhu Helin's young and heroic face. "It's you,
young master. Open the door quickly." He answered in person.

The guards saw that there was another person on the prince's horse, and after a moment of
hesitation, they recognized that the person riding with him was Lord Su Yansu. This person
was a favorite of the emperor and a frequent visitor to the palace, so the guards did not find it
strange and went to call Chief Si Yao over.

Soon the palace gate opened. Zhu Helin shook the reins and was about to continue riding his
horse. The guard leader clasped his fists and said, "Young master, you must dismount to enter
the forbidden gate."

Zhu Helin said, "I have something extremely urgent to discuss with my father, so I won't do it
again next time."

The guard insisted: "It is difficult to violate the palace rules. Please forgive me, Master."

Zhu Helin said angrily: "I told you that I have something important to tell you. We can't delay
for a moment. If my father blames me later, I will bear the consequences myself!" As he said
that, he whipped the horse's buttocks and forced his way into the forbidden door.

The guards of the Eastern Palace behind did not dare to follow and act rashly, so they
dismounted their horses and chased after him quickly.

The guards watched helplessly as the prince rode away.

Zhu Helin didn't get off his horse until he reached the gate outside the Yangxin Palace. Su
Yan said with some guilt: "I'm going to get scolded for breaking into the palace tonight."
Zhu Helin said, "You mean those court officials? I don't care. I used to be playful and didn't
like studying, so I was scolded. Now I'm doing serious work. I'll beat anyone who dares to
scold me. Tell me, am I right?"

Su Yan laughed: "Yes, this is called taking emergency measures. If anyone scolds you, I will
help you to rebuke him... impeach him."

As they talked, the two crossed the square and walked quickly up the steps. Su Yan
recognized the eunuch guarding the palace gate as Duo Guier, so he called out, "Eunuch Duo,
please inform the emperor that the Crown Prince and I, Su Yan, want to see you."

Inside the Yangxin Palace, Emperor Jinglong was reading the latest battle report from the
border town of Datong. When he heard the two people asking for an audience, he said
without even raising his head, "The Crown Prince will make trouble, but Su Yan will not
mess around. If he wants to see you late at night, there must be something urgent. Let them
in."

Duo Guier nodded, bowed and went back to pass on the order. The emperor suddenly
changed his mind and said to Lan Xi, "Go, just bring Su Yan in, and let the prince wait
outside."

Outside the palace gate, Lan Xi delivered the emperor's oral instructions. Zhu Helin was both
angry and aggrieved. Su Yan shook his arm and said only: "Be patient."

It was just a very ordinary sentence, but for some reason, Zhu Helin's heart suddenly calmed
down, and he held Su Yan's hand instead: "Don't worry."

Su Yan nodded, holding the box and followed Lan Xi into the palace.

"It's already midnight, and the emperor hasn't fallen asleep yet. How is his Majesty doing
recently?" he asked Lan Xi in a low voice.

Lan Xi smiled and waved his whisk: "Why don't you ask it yourself, Su Shaoqing?"

After bringing Su Yan to the inner hall, he tactfully withdrew and signaled other palace
servants to retreat as well.

"Your humble servant Su Yan, kowtows to the emperor. I know that it is a serious crime to
break into the palace late at night, but I have something urgent to do—"

The emperor put down the military report and waved to Su Yan: "Come here."
Su Yan was interrupted, and was stunned for a moment before saying, "I have..."

"Come here." The emperor emphasized, "Put the things here, come."

Su Yan had no choice but to step forward and put the box in his hand on the imperial desk.
The emperor pulled him into his arms, sniffed the heat from his neck, and said, "Your hair is
still wet, did you get caught in the rain?"

"No, I just took a bath." Su Yan moved uncomfortably, "Your Majesty, I really have
something important to report."

"You speak, and I listen."

"But this is the case..."

"So you are speechless?" the emperor asked him, "Or do you have to follow the rules and
distinguish between superiors and subordinates when facing me, regardless of whether there
are outsiders present?"

What he said was that he was clearly sitting there with an imperial dignity that was
inviolable, but he was dissatisfied with his overly polite and distant appearance. Su Yan
complained in his heart, and simply relaxed his tense nerves, speaking more casually: "It was
too dangerous tonight, and I and your servant almost lost our lives..."

Su Yan, leaning against the dragon chair, explained the whole thing in a few words. Emperor
Jinglong put his arm around his back and held his shoulders throughout the whole process.
Although his face was calm, his fingers tightened from time to time when he talked about the
key points.

Finally, Su Yan said, "So I took the initiative to surround the two marquis' mansions first to
prevent Mr. He and the Seven Killings Camp leader from escaping, and at the same time, I
went to the palace to ask the emperor for an imperial edict."

"You want to search the Wei family?"

"Your Majesty, you are too polite. We are only arresting the imperial prisoner who has fled to
the Marquis' Mansion. Of course, after the imperial prisoner is arrested and interrogated, he
will confess who his accomplices are, that is another matter." Su Yan smiled cunningly.

The emperor hesitated for a moment and said, "Show me the gold-lettered iron certificate."
The box was at the corner of the table. Su Yan leaned over to get it. When he sat back in the
chair, his body tilted and he accidentally sat on the dragon's legs.

The emperor groaned slightly.

Su Yan thought he was too heavy and pressed the dragon's body, so he hurried to get up, but
the emperor held his waist and he couldn't move. The emperor reached out from behind, took
the iron certificate, and looked at it carefully under the light. Su Yan was surrounded by the
emperor's arms, and felt like a baby sitting on his lap, and his face turned red with
embarrassment.

He tried to slide off the dragon's legs embarrassedly: "Your Majesty, business is more
important..."

The emperor patted his butt as if warning him: "We are talking about business. Stop
squirming and sit still."

Su Yan sensed a dangerous aura and froze, not daring to move.

"It is indeed a gift from the Great Ancestor. It seems that even if Mr. He is not the current
Zhenkong Sect Master, he has a close relationship with him."

"But after Emperor Taizu gave Wen Xiang the Golden Book and Iron Certificate, why did he
want to kill him?"

"This is a long story. I will tell you when I have time." The emperor put the iron certificate
aside and examined the other items in the box. His eyes suddenly stopped on a string of
golden and red phoenix necklaces.

The emperor narrowed his eyes, his face suddenly becoming somewhat gloomy. He dumped
the contents of the box onto the table and picked out a roll of Korean tribute paper that could
only be used in the palace.

The paper scroll was unrolled, revealing a beautiful picture of the Ming King and his consort
practicing together. Their expressions and movements were lifelike, and their private parts
were clearly visible, like a holy pestle pounding into a jade mortar or a divine sword splitting
the twin peaks.

Even Su Yan was stunned. He had left in a hurry and had no time to carefully check all the
items in the box. Who knew that Mr. He also collected pornographic pictures? He just
presented them to the emperor so brazenly. Was it considered a violation of the emperor's
eyes?
There is another line of words below the portrait:

The Great Sun Sutra Commentary No. 9 says: "Furthermore, when a man and a woman have
sexual intercourse, the seeds of cause and condition are placed in the womb and do not
perish. This means that they support each other." What does this mean? I hope you can
enlighten me, sir.

"Who is asking Mr. He for the interpretation of the scriptures? But why does it feel weird to
me..." Su Yan muttered.

The emperor seemed to want to crumple the paper for a moment, his fingers twitched, and he
swept it to the ground in disgust. Then he hugged the minister sitting on his lap tightly,
almost strangling him.

Su Yan was a little surprised, but he didn't scream or struggle, because he could sense the
anger hidden deep inside the emperor from his sudden and intense movements and heavy,
suppressed breathing.

"Your Majesty?" he asked in a low voice.

The emperor took a deep breath, relaxed his strength, and said indifferently: "This is Wei's
handwriting."

Su Yan understood immediately. This Concubine Wei was either blinded by dog shit or
possessed by a ghost. Not only did she draw pornographic pictures to seek pleasure, she also
left a message to give birth to a baby. Moreover, the other party was a cult leader who
brought disaster to the country and the people, and a criminal wanted by the court... Having a
concubine like this, whether he cared about her or not, was not a great shame for a man?
Moreover, this man was the emperor above all others.

Su Yan felt that the emperor should be angry at this moment, but the source of his anger did
not seem to be this point, so there was a sense of contempt and indifference in his tone.

He felt a little distressed, so he touched the emperor's back and comforted him: "If you want
to live a good life... No. A real man has nothing to worry about... No. That is, uh..."

Su Yan racked his brains to think, and his usual eloquence was completely ineffective. He
was so anxious that a little sweat oozed from the tip of his nose. The emperor looked down at
him, kissed the tip of his nose, and said, "I appreciate your kindness. Don't worry, I will
handle it myself."
"Leave the box here. I'll give you something in exchange." The emperor kissed the tip of his
nose again. He couldn't help but kissed her lips. They both kissed until they were breathless.
He barely stopped and whispered, "Come and grind ink for me."

Su Yan said "hmm" obediently and slid down from the dragon's knees to get the inkstone and
ink stick.

The emperor personally wrote the imperial edict on the colored silk, and after finishing it, he
used the imperial seal and handed it to Su Yan, saying, "In addition to the Jinyiwei, I will
send another 1,000 Tengxiangwei, led by you, to capture Mr. He and the leader of the Seven
Killings Camp and put them in the imperial prison. Anyone from the Wei family who dares
to stop us will be punished for disobeying the imperial edict."

Su Yan was a little surprised: "I am leading the team?"

"As the head of the special case team, you should be in charge of catching the wanted
criminal." After a pause, the emperor continued, "However, I asked you to command from
the rear, not to charge into battle. Remember this!"

Su Yan smiled and said, "Even if I want to charge, I don't have the ability to do so."

He rolled up the imperial edict and carefully put it in his arms, then asked, "Your Majesty,
are you planning to let go and deal with the Wei family, and not let the trouble continue?"

The emperor hesitated for a moment and did not give a direct answer. He only said, "Just take
your criminals and I will take care of the aftermath. In fact, I don't take the Wei family
seriously at all. What I am really afraid of is..."

Su Yan asked boldly: "Empress Dowager?"

The emperor glanced at him with a hint of anger in his eyes.

He quickly shut up, thinking that the emperor would not continue this sensitive topic.
Unexpectedly, the other party did not avoid the topic, although the answer was somewhat
ambiguous: "Yes, and no. We will discuss this matter later. You can go now."

Su Yan bowed and left. Just as he turned around, he heard the emperor ask coldly: "Why is
your mouth broken again?"

The word "again" is very clever. It not only echoes the previous and the next, but also reflects
the complex emotions of the person concerned, with dissatisfaction in suspicion, warning in
dissatisfaction, and murderous intent behind the warning. This is the key point of our test
today... Su Yan shuddered, drove away the wild associations from his mind, and answered
innocently: "I fell when the Yishan Bureau was attacked."

The emperor curled his lips, waved his hand and told him to go away, and asked him to call
the brat outside the palace gate in.

Su Yan realized that the emperor didn't want the prince to be involved in this matter.

That's right. The Crown Prince led his troops to search for the Second Prince's maternal
family. Not only did he have the intention of personal revenge, but he also had the suspicion
of harming his brothers. It's hard to explain.

After leaving the palace, Zhu Helin grabbed Su Yan's arm, looked him up and down
carefully, then leaned close to his ear and asked with gritted teeth: "Why is your mouth red
and swollen? Did your father do something to you? Tell the truth!"

Su Yan glared at him: "How can a wound not get inflamed? How can an inflammation not be
red and swollen? Whose fault is this?"

"...Anyway, no matter who is wrong, it's not my fault." Zhu Helin said hesitantly.

Su Yan slapped him on the back and pushed him into the palace gate: "Your father is calling
you, go quickly."

"Then you--" Zhu Helin still wanted to pull him.

Su Yan had already walked down the stairs quickly, saying, "I am here to handle the case as
ordered by your order. I will take my leave."

Xian'an Marquis Mansion.

In order to save Ruan Hongjiao, Gao Shuo and three other Jinyiwei secret agents fought with
Mr. He, which alarmed the guards of the Marquis' Mansion.

So Gao Shuo led his men to retreat first, and the other two spies also found a chance to
escape after a fight. The guards rode their horses to chase after them, and rang the gong to
warn them, causing chaos in the entire Xian'an Marquis's Mansion. Even the Feng'an
Marquis's Mansion, which was just one street away, heard the noise.

The leader of the Seven Kills Camp had to put in some extra effort to avoid the eyes and ears
of the guards and sneak into the guest room where Mr. He was staying.
Mr. He had just refused the steward's kindness in calling a doctor for him, and stayed indoors,
using the excuse of being frightened.

When the camp owner rushed in through the hole in the roof, Mr. He was undressing and
looking at the knife wound on the back of his shoulder in the mirror.

The injury was not serious, only a bloody wound seven or eight inches long. The blade was
not poisoned, so ordinary wound medicine could handle it. "Brother Lian, please hand me the
second medicine bottle from the left on the shelf." He said without raising his head.

The camp owner stretched out a hand wearing a black leather glove from his robe sleeve, and
with a flick of his fingertips, the medicine bottle flew into the air and hit Mr. He on the back
of the head.

Mr. He stretched out his hand, his five fingers spun like blooming flowers, and his true
energy turned into gravity to suck the medicine bottle into his palm.

The camp owner mocked in a fake voice that was neither male nor female: "Such a high level
of skill was actually hurt by a scoundrel. It's really like a tiger in trouble."

Mr. He reached his hand behind his shoulder and sprinkled the powder in the bottle on the
wound, saying calmly: "I only have a body of true energy, but my body is weak and I am not
good at fighting. You already know this, so why bother to ridicule me now."

The camp owner asked, "Who attacked you?"

Mr. He replied: "Judging from his swordsmanship, he should be a Jinyiwei."

The camp leader frowned under his mask: "The Jinyiwei have sneaked into the Xian'an
Marquis's mansion? We can't stay here for long, we should move."

After sprinkling the powder, Mr. He picked up the gauze strips on the table and wrapped
them around the wounds on his shoulders. He said in a gentle voice, "There is something else
that is not going well. I discovered Ruan Hongjiao's identity as a spy and was about to kill
her, but unexpectedly, these Jinyiwei ruined the plan and stole my box."

...You call this not going well? It's simply terrible, okay! The camp owner got angry when he
heard his nonchalant tone, and then thought of how he put all kinds of stuff into the box and
took them out every now and then to enjoy himself, he had the urge to chop off his head with
a hook and then go back to apologize to his master.

After bandaging the wound, Mr. He stood up and adjusted his clothes. He glanced at the
camp owner's wide red robe, as if he saw through something. A smile played on his lips:
"Internal injuries? There are only a handful of people in the whole capital who can hurt you.
It seems that tonight is destined to be a difficult night. I'm afraid that one problem will not be
solved before another one arises."

The camp owner clenched his fists hidden under his sleeves and lowered his voice: "Why
don't you leave immediately? Why are you waiting for people to block the door?"

Mr. He washed his hands in the copper basin and said calmly, "I'm waiting for a contact."
Chapter 242 This Place Has Good Feng Shui
2023-8-21 11:49 Category: Reincarnation of the powerful ministerTurn off the lights

"Surround, surround, surround..."

"What are you saying? You should call me 'Sir Steward'! You have no manners at all. Are
you new here?"

The new gatekeeper nodded repeatedly and panted, "No, sir, they are
surrounded...surrounded!" He pointed in the direction of the gate, "There are a large group of
soldiers outside, they have surrounded our mansion, they say they are the Jin...Jinyiwei!"

The manager of Xian'an Marquis's Mansion was stunned at first, and then sneered: "Where
did this soldier come from? How dare he come to the gate of the Marquis' Mansion to act
wildly! Our Marquis is the Queen Mother's brother-in-law and the emperor's father-in-law, a
top royal relative. Not to mention the Jinyiwei, even the ministers have to give him some
face. Come on, follow me to see which blind leader is leading the team."

The gate of the Marquis' Mansion suddenly opened, and the steward led a team of guards of
the Marquis' Mansion, strode out in a heroic and imposing manner, and stood on the high
steps.

The steward put his hands in his pockets and looked around the steps. He saw a huge group
of Jinyiwei wearing long armor with double-breasted collars and big hats, surrounding the
Xian'an Marquis's mansion. Not only the front and back doors, but also around the wall, there
was a sentry every three steps and every five steps, like a barrel.

In the open space opposite the steps, there was a large armchair. On the armchair sat a
Jinyiwei leader wearing a royal blue brocade flying fish robe.

The steward narrowed his eyes, looked carefully in the light of the torch, and his heart
skipped a beat: It turned out to be this Tai Sui!

Shen Qi, the Northern Pacification Officer, was nicknamed "Seventh Man Who Destroys
Life". He was a well-known figure in the capital, specializing in handling imperial cases and
important cases, as well as the capital's crimes, escapees, thieves, and secrets. This man was
cruel and fond of torture, with countless bloodshed on his hands, and ghosts in the imperial
prisons cried at night.

With such a fierce reputation, the steward could not help but feel a little apprehensive. He
immediately pulled his hand out of his sleeve and bowed, saying with a fake smile, "It turns
out to be Mr. Shen, the Deputy Governor. I wonder what Mr. Shen's intention is to lead his
troops to surround the Xian'an Marquis's Mansion in the middle of the night?"
Shen Qi leaned against the back of the chair, stretched out her long legs, crossed them on the
round stool in front of her, and took a thin-bladed, short-handled wrist-cutting knife to peel
the Pinellia fruit, while asking back without raising her head: "Who are you?"

The steward was secretly annoyed by his arrogance, so he swallowed his anger and answered,
"I am the chief steward of Xian'an Marquis's mansion. Fortunately, the Marquis valued me
and gave me the surname Wei."

Shen Qi peeled a piece of fruit peel as thin as paper and as long as a snake, and hung it on the
stone puddle-filled road surface, ignoring him. It seemed that she just asked casually and
didn't care about the other party's answer at all.

The guard almost bit off his back teeth, threw away his hand that was about to bow, and his
face changed slightly: "Sir Shen, this is the important place of the Marquis' Mansion. What
do you want to do by leading the team to besiege it? If it disturbs the Marquis, can you bear
the responsibility?"

Shen Qi brought the Pinellia fruit to her mouth, bit off a large piece with a "crunch", and
chewed slowly with her eyes downcast; with her other hand, she picked up a sharp knife and
flipped it nonchalantly between her fingers.

The chewing sound was crisp and cold, crunch, crunch, crunch... In an instant, the manager
broke out in a cold sweat, and he seemed to be chewing a mouthful of human bones.

The steward of the guard cleared his throat and said, "Lord Shen is so arrogant and rude. It
seems that he is here to cause trouble. I will report this to the Marquis. By then, I hope that
Lord Shen can really bear the consequences of offending the royal family!"

Shen Qi paused chewing, raised her eyelids, and glanced at him: "Offended? Which eye of
yours saw me offended?"

The guard pointed at the soldiers at the bottom of the stairs angrily and said, "You led the
troops to surround the Marquis's mansion at night, brandishing swords and guns. If you are
not offending the Marquis, do you want to stand guard for the Marquis's mansion?"

Shen Qi sneered, with a strong sense of sarcasm: "How dare you ask the emperor's personal
soldiers to stand guard for you, Xian'an Hou wants to rebel?"

"Stop confusing right and wrong and slandering me!" Steward Wei shouted angrily and was
about to leave in anger and return to the mansion to complain to Marquis Xian'an.

But Shen Qi said again: "I am confused - my people were clearly standing on the street, not to
mention entering the mansion, they didn't even touch the wall, how could it be an offense?
Isn't Xian'an Marquis Mansion using the wall as the boundary, and demarcating all the busy
streets in the capital into its own territory? Do the Ministry of Works and the Ministry of
Revenue agree with your demarcation method, and has the emperor approved it?"

"You--" Manager Wei was so angry at his rogue and bandit behavior that his hands were
shaking. Without arguing with him, he turned around and went back to his mansion to ask for
help.

The remaining rows of guards from the Marquis' Mansion stood on the steps, weapons in
hand, confronting the Embroidered Uniform Guards as if they were facing a formidable
enemy.

Shen Qi started to bite the Pinellia fruit again, crunch, crunch-

Outside the gate of Feng'an Marquis's Mansion, the steward Xu Yong hurried down the steps
with a big smile on his face, "Oh, Prince Yu! Your Majesty actually came in person, it's
really an honor for our humble home, please come in quickly! Although our Marquis is ill, he
was so excited when he heard the news of your visit that he is already waiting for you in the
living room."

He personally came to hold the bridle of Prince Yu's horse, and his attitude was extremely
humble and attentive.

Prince Yu, however, remained seated on his horse and said loudly, "No need for that. I am
not here to visit Marquis Feng'an."

“Aren’t you here to visit? That prince brought so many guards with him…” Xu Yong glanced
around at the palace guards in armor and had a bad feeling. He suspected that Prince Yu had
come with bad intentions and was here to cause trouble.

Speaking of which, our Marquis has a feud with Prince Yu - last year when he set up an
ambush to catch an assassin in Lingguang Temple, he accidentally injured Prince Yu's hand.

But it was a misunderstanding! Our Lord has already paid the price, apologized for the crime,
and even presented a lot of gold and silver. It's been so long, no matter what, this matter
should be settled!

Just as he was in doubt, he saw Prince Yu sneer and say, "I am not here to cause trouble."

"That's good, that's good," Xu Yong breathed a sigh of relief, "I dare to ask, what is the
purpose of your visit, Your Majesty?"

Prince Yu clapped his hands.

Immediately, four guards came over with a square low couch and placed it on the open space
facing the gate of the mansion. The couch was a full ten feet square, covered with brocade
and embroidery, with a wide table in the middle and a tall umbrella above it, like a pavilion.

Prince Yu jumped off his horse and floated to the low couch in the pavilion. The guards came
over to take off his boots, arranged the cushions, and placed a pot of wine, four cups and a
deck of plain-drawing Water Margin leaf cards on the table.

Prince Yu leaned back on the cushions and knocked on the table with his whip: "Come on,
three skilled players, play cards with the losing king."

Then three handsome young men dressed like scholars were ordered to get on the low couch
and kneel respectfully around the table. Prince Yu said with a smile: "I am the banker.
Whoever loses will be fined three cups of wine."

Xu Yong was stunned and said, "Your Majesty, this is the main gate of the Marquis's
mansion... If you want to play cards, why don't you follow me in and let the maids and boys
in the mansion entertain you. Look at this place, it's dark and rainy, it... it's not a place to have
fun!"

"This piece of land is what I like. Why not?"

"It's not that we can't, but... the main entrance is blocked! And your guards are standing in
circles around the wall, surrounded by swords and guns. People who don't know what's going
on might think our mansion is surrounded by heavy troops..."

"Asshole! Are you accusing me of raising the sword and besieging the official residence? I
think this place has good feng shui, so I am happy to have fun here." Prince Yu raised his
eyebrows angrily and swung his whip at Xu Yong, "Does it mean that if I want to play cards
somewhere, I need the approval of Marquis Feng'an?"

"I have no such intention, no such intention!" Xu Yong knew that Prince Yu was deliberately
making things difficult for him, but he could do nothing about it. He could only apologize
with a bitter face, "Your Highness, please play cards as long as you want. I will take my
leave."

He returned to the marquis's mansion in dejection, closed the door, and went to complain to
Marquis Feng'an.

Ever since Wei Jun, Marquis of Feng'an, had his arm cut off last year, his health was
damaged. He was also reprimanded by the emperor, which hurt his heart. After half a year of
recuperation, he was still a bedridden invalid. Upon hearing about this, he was so angry that
his goat beard was shaking non-stop, and a mouthful of phlegm stuck in his throat that he
almost died.
He asked vaguely, "Besides surrounding it, what else is there?"

"No, they just surrounded us. They didn't rush in, and they refused to leave either." Xu Yong
replied.

"You come with bad intentions..." Wei Jun panted like a bellows and asked again, "Is there
anything unusual happening with my brother?"

"Here, let me check it out. Fortunately, Xian'an Marquis's Mansion is only one street away,
and I will be back soon."

Xu Yong left the main house. He was too lazy to climb up, so he called two servants and told
them to climb up to the roof to look at the situation of Xian'an Marquis Mansion. Not long
after, the servants came back and said that Xian'an Marquis Mansion was also surrounded by
a group of soldiers.

After hearing the report, Wei Jun pounded the bed and said, "It's clearly targeting my Wei
family... No, this matter is very strange. I have to meet my brother and discuss it. Go and
invite the eldest marquis over."

Xu Yong responded and turned to leave. Wei Jun said from behind him, "Go underground,
don't let anyone outside see you."

Because the Xian'an Marquis Mansion and the Feng'an Marquis Mansion were very close, a
tunnel was dug in the middle to connect them in case of emergency.

Xu Yong took the underground tunnel and soon arrived at Xian'an Marquis's Mansion. He
saw Wei Yan was furious: "... You are just a deputy commander of the Jinyiwei, and you are
so arrogant and domineering. You dare to pluck the hair from the tiger's head. Gather all the
guards in the mansion, follow me out, and beat up all these ruffians!"

The guard slave advised: "My Lord, those Jinyiwei are all very skilled, and our guards may
not be their match. In my opinion, since they can't do anything, just surround him. When the
court is held in the morning, I will severely accuse him to the Emperor and the Queen
Mother, and make Shen Qi guilty of abusing his power and humiliating the royal family.
Then I will let the censors impeach him. Even if he doesn't lose his head, his official position
will be in jeopardy."

Wei Yan thought it made sense and nodded, stroking his beard.

Xu Yong entered the room and bowed: "My Lord, our Lord has also been surrounded, but it's
not the Jinyiwei who are surrounding us, but the Prince of Yu. My Lord, the Second Lord,
thinks this is strange, and would like to invite my Lord to come over to discuss this matter."
Wei Yan was impatient to talk to his brother who was breathing heavily.

Before Wei Jun's accident, the two brothers had a close relationship, but now that Wei Jun
has become disabled, he has not only lost his voice in the court, but has also gradually
become a burden to the Wei family. At first, Wei Yan and his wife felt sorry for each other,
but as time went on, they became more and more lazy to deal with him and could not even
say a few words.

As the saying goes, there is no filial son for a person who is bedridden for a long time, and
the same applies to brothers and sisters.

Wei Yan waved his hand and was about to find an excuse to send Xu Yong away, when
Madam Qin beside him suddenly had an epiphany and thought of the crux of the matter -

She said: "No, even if there is an old grudge, Shen Qi and Prince Yu would not suddenly
attack in such a strange way - especially Shen Qi. Prince Yu acts dissolutely and does
whatever he wants, so it is understandable that he deliberately finds fault. But who is Shen
Qi? He is the kind of person who will not release the eagle until he sees the rabbit. What good
will it do for him to offend the Wei family so openly? There must be something fishy!"

Wei Yan didn't know what he was thinking of. His face turned pale and he looked at his wife:
"Could it be that... our request for Mr. He to come up with a plan to deal with the East Palace
was exposed? Was the Crown Prince behind the siege tonight?"

Madam Qin said immediately: "It is possible that the prince is under pressure and has gone to
extremes; it is also possible that the news has leaked out and the prince wants to arrest the
man, so he surrounded the mansion first. No, we have to transfer Mr. He away quickly, just in
case!"

The steward Wei Nu suggested: "I see that the Jinyiwei have too many people and have
surrounded us like an iron barrel. Prince Yu's guards are few, so they may not be able to
surround them all. Otherwise, we should first transfer Mr. He to Feng'an Marquis Mansion
through the tunnel, and then find a gap to send him to the other courtyard to hide
temporarily?"

When Xu Yong heard that the first marquis had not been invited, but a hot potato had been
invited, he hurriedly said, "The second marquis is still ill and may not be able to take care of
Mr. He."

Wei Yan said, "He gets sick every day, so what does this have to do with it? I just borrowed a
room in his house to temporarily house the guest official. How come you can't even do this?"

Xu Yong had no choice but to agree on behalf of his master.

After a while, Mr. He came from the corridor in white clothes, bowed to Wei Yan and his
wife, and said, "I am not talented enough, and I have to leave for the time being before I can
help the Marquis with his worries and difficulties."

"Okay, okay." Wei Yan always trusted him. "Sir, you have made many plans for me. Now I
will stay out of the spotlight for a while. When the storm is over, I will welcome you back
home."

Mr. He bowed again and walked away with his sleeves flying in the wind.

Xu Yong led Mr. He through the tunnel and returned to Feng'an Marquis Mansion. He first
settled him in the wing room and then turned around to report the matter to Wei Jun.

Wei Jun was angry: "Brother, you made the decision on your own without consulting me.
You don't take me, your younger brother, seriously!"

Xu Yong advised: "Don't be upset, Lord Marquis. To solve the plague god outside the door,
we still have to rely on the eldest Marquis to go to court tomorrow."

Wei Jun was so angry that he coughed up blood when he thought that he no longer had a
place to stand in the court. After finally catching his breath, he said, "If this was done by the
Crown Prince, Prince Yu, and Shen Qi together, then Su Yan must also be involved. Why did
he not show up and only let Shen Qi and Prince Yu take the lead?"

Xu Yong was not in office for nothing. After a moment's thought, he said in surprise, "Does
he have another trick up his sleeve? Maybe he has already figured out Mr. He's background,
as well as the inside story of our collaboration with the Zhenkong Cult to murder the crown
prince."

Wei Jun said horrifiedly: "No, Mr. He is a thunder and fire bomb that can explode at any
time, he must be sent out of the mansion immediately... No, send him out of the capital!"

"But we are surrounded by the guards of Prince Yu's Mansion. How can we get them out?"
Xu Yong asked.

At Xian'an Marquis's Mansion, Wei Yan was also asking Madam Qin, "...but my second
brother is surrounded by Prince Yu's guards outside the mansion. How can we get him out?"

Madam Qin thought for a moment, and decided: "If you can't send it out for the time being,
hide it first. Isn't there a secret room in Second Uncle's study? Hide it first. When tomorrow
morning comes, if you make a scene in the court, I will go to the Cining Palace to find the
Queen Mother and force them to withdraw their troops, and then get rid of Shen Qi."
Pick on the weak, Prince Yu is the Queen Mother's favorite, it's better to take the opportunity
to bring Shen Qi down, which can also be regarded as cutting off his wings. Madam Qin
planned so-

In the wing room of Feng'an Marquis Mansion, Mr. He set up a chessboard and played
against his left hand.

The leader of the Seven Killings Camp, who had followed from the tunnel, appeared again
like a ghost and said, "Su Yan just led a team of Tengxiang Guards to rush into the gate of
Xian'an Marquis' Mansion, holding an imperial edict, saying that they wanted to search the
mansion and arrest the imperial criminal."

Mr. He placed a white piece in his left hand and said calmly, "With the imperial edict and the
Tengxiang Guard, it seems that the emperor has taken action. My identity as the leader of the
sect has been exposed, and the capital has become a dead end."

"Then how do you plan to escape death, and who is the contact person?" the camp owner
asked.

Mr. He placed a black piece in his right hand: "Why rush? He will appear when he is
supposed to."

The camp owner sneered: "If you don't leave now, I will leave."

Mr. He smiled, and raised his finger outwards: "Then go ahead, the gate is there, you can
climb over the wall. The palace has few guards, but Prince Yu's martial arts are very high,
and he can stop you alone; Shen Qi's sword injury has not healed, you should be able to beat
him, but his Jinyiwei rushed forward, and your two fists cannot defeat a thousand hands."

The camp owner said coldly: "Then you and I will not surrender!"

Mr. He retracted his finger, placed another piece, and said, "If you believe me, wait with me
for the right time. If you don't believe me, you might as well go and try it yourself."

The camp owner gritted his teeth, thought about it, and felt that there was no better solution
except to believe in this charlatan again. He snorted coldly and disappeared out of the
window.
Chapter 243 The Responder is Him
2023-8-21 11:49 Category: Reincarnation of the powerful ministerTurn off the lights

"...The imperial decree is here. My Lord, do you want to see it with your own eyes?"

Wei Yan's face turned pale. He grabbed the imperial edict and stared at it with wide eyes, as
if he couldn't believe that the emperor would actually issue such an edict to crush the face of
his father-in-law on the ground.

Unfortunately, he did not hear or see wrongly. The ink characters on the silk book with
colorful dragon patterns were vigorous and mature, and it was clearly written by the emperor
himself. Together with the jade seal that was stamped on it, it was also a square "Emperor's
Treasure".

Wei Yan gnashed his teeth, and finally twisted his facial features into a distorted expression:
"Since Censor Su has determined that I am harboring an important criminal, then go ahead
and search! If you can't find anything, I will kneel down at the gate of Fengtian and make a
strong appeal. I, Wei Yan, swear not to be a human being if I don't get rid of you, a flatterer
who spreads slanders and deceives the emperor!"

Su Yan took the imperial edict from him, put it in his arms, and said calmly: "What Xian'an
Hou said is slanderous to the emperor."

"I was clearly scolding you! Stop talking nonsense and making up charges!"

"You accused me of slandering the emperor, but aren't you implying that the emperor is a
tyrant who will be deceived by slander? If this isn't slandering the emperor, what is it?"

Wei Yan choked, while Madam Qin beside him looked calm. She said in a sharp voice, "It is
well known that Su Twelve is eloquent, so there is no need to show off here. Since you have
the imperial edict to protect you, you can dig deep in my mansion to see if you can find your
so-called criminal. Please!" She pointed to the spacious courtyard at the back.

Thousands of Tengxiang guards searched the entire Xian'an Marquis Mansion several times,
but could not find any trace of Mr. He and the leader of the Seven Killing Camp.

Even the wing where Mr. He once lived, as pointed out by the two Jinyiwei secret agents,
was now in ruins from a fire. Of course, according to the steward of the Wei family, it was
caused by "a servant accidentally knocking over a lantern."

Wei Yan sat in the hall drinking tea and gave Su Yan a malicious sneer: You will be in
trouble at the court tomorrow morning.
Su Yan ignored him and walked out of the house.

Shen Qi just came back from a round of inspection and shook her head at Su Yan, saying that
she had never seen anyone leave during the siege of the Marquis' Mansion.

Su Yan also believed that with Shen Qi's ability, even if he couldn't take down the camp
leader alone, he wouldn't let him escape easily. Moreover, with so many Jinyiwei watching
closely, even if the other party's Qinggong was high, it would be impossible to hide from
everyone's eyes.

So Mr. He and the camp owner are most likely still here.

"As for the Feng'an Marquis Mansion, I will take people to search it. I'll trouble Qilang to
keep an eye on this side."

"——Do you like to eat Pinellia fruit?"

Su Yan was about to get on the horse when he suddenly heard Shen Qi ask him a question.
After being slightly startled, he answered honestly, "I don't like it very much."

The grafting technology in this era was not yet mature, and the appearance and sweetness of
apples were far inferior to those of modern times. It was normal for Su Yan to find its taste
bland.

However, people at that time liked to place apples next to their pillows and fall asleep
smelling the fragrance, so they named it "lovesickness fruit" from the Buddhist word "Pinpo",
which means "longing".

Shen Qi hummed, but his expression didn't change. However, Su Yan saw the regret in his
eyes, so he made an excuse: "It's mainly because I'm too lazy to peel the skin. If someone can
do it for me——"

Shen Qi's eyes softened: "I'll peel it for you after we get back."

Su Yan felt warm from head to toe. He glanced at him with a smile, mounted his horse and
rode away.

Feng'an Marquis's Mansion was only an arrow's throw away from Xian'an Marquis' Mansion,
and it was there in the blink of an eye. When Su Yan led the team to the door of the Marquis'
Mansion, Prince Yu's card game had already been dispersed, and the three young scholars
who played with him had been driven away to who knows where, and even the low couch
with a canopy was removed, leaving only him standing in front of the steps with a spear in
his hand, looking dignified.
"Thank you for your help, Your Highness." Su Yan dismounted and bowed, expressing his
sincere gratitude.

"Why are you being polite to me?" Prince Yu put his hand on his shoulder, acting like a good
brother.

Although this action was somewhat intimate, it was not obscene, which made Su Yan
gradually let go of his previous disgust and rejection, and no longer looked at him coldly. He
pushed away the hand on his shoulder and said with a smile: "I will go in to search, and I will
trouble you to keep an eye on the outside to prevent the other party from escaping in the
chaos."

Prince Yu nodded and said, "Leave it to me. I guarantee not even a fly can fly out."

Marquis Feng'an was in poor health and his wife was weak in character. It was easier for Su
Yan to deal with them than Wei Yan. He ordered a group of fierce and ferocious emperor's
guards to search the Marquis Feng'an's mansion from top to bottom.

But the whereabouts of Mr. He and the camp owner were still not found.

"He hasn't gone out, and I can't find him. Can he escape underground? That's impossible..."
Su Yan frowned and pondered. Suddenly, he had an idea and thought of another possibility -
there must be a secret room or secret passage in the mansion, and the person is hiding inside,
waiting to move away after the storm has passed.

So he ordered Teng Xiangwei to search every corner and dig three feet deep. As he searched,
he discovered something strange.

Wei Jun's study room seemed more spacious from the outside than from the inside. However,
the difference was so subtle that it was difficult for ordinary people to notice. Su Yan had
moved three times in his previous life and had done most of the decoration by himself. He
was sensitive to the difference between the building area and the floor area because he was
short of money and had to be frugal, so he noticed it.

He called over several Tengxiang guards, had them measure the area along the outer wall by
counting steps, then went inside and measured it again. They soon discovered that the
problem was with the wall where the bookshelves were placed.

There should be a small space behind the wall.

It’s not big, but I estimate it to be around 7 or 8 square meters, which is more than enough to
hide two people.
Su Yan ordered the steward Xu Yong to open the mechanism. However, Xu Yong played
dumb until Teng Xiangwei took the gunpowder and tried to blow up the wall. Then he
changed color and opened the mechanism out of helplessness.

The secret door slowly opened, and the Tengxiang guards vigilantly protected Su Yan behind
them.

The dim candlelight flickered in the secret room. Su Yan's sight passed through the crowd
and saw a figure sitting cross-legged. The flames dimly illuminated the man's profile and the
chessboard on the table in front of him. The man was holding a chess piece in his hand and
was concentrating on thinking, as if he was oblivious to the fact that he was being
surrounded.

The Tengxiang guards had never seen such a calm criminal before, and they were a little
surprised. In the breathless silence, the man finally made a move, making a slight "click"
sound.

This sound seemed to break some illusion. The man raised his face half-hidden by his long
hair and smiled at Su Yan: "I have heard a lot about you, Master Su."

Although they had never met each other, Su Yan knew that this person was Mr. He.

Just as Mr. He could recognize him from the crowd at a glance.

So Su Yan bowed and said, "I have heard a lot about you, Mr. He."

"How about a game of Tongyue chess?" Mr. He invited in a gentle voice.

Su Yan stood at the door of the secret room, neither advancing nor retreating: "You have no
more pieces to play, why don't you give up and admit defeat."

Mr. He stood up, straightened his clothes, and walked towards him. The Tengxiang guards
raised their weapons as if they were facing a great enemy and protected Su Yan behind them.

“Those who fight to win a piece or a game may not necessarily win in the end,” said Mr. He.

Su Yan smiled and said, "Why don't you go to the Imperial Prison and say this?"

The leader of the Seven Killings Camp, who was hiding in the dark, saw Teng Xiangwei
escorting Mr. He out of the study and sneered silently: Where is the contact person? Now that
you have been captured, let's see how you can be mysterious! It's a pity that the master's great
cause has not been completed, and he has to find another partner.
He knew that he might not be safe either. As long as he was not caught, the search in the
mansion would not end.

The camp owner thought of the tunnel connecting the two marquisates.

He decided to go through the tunnel and return to Xian'an Marquis's Mansion. After all, they
had been raided there before, and the Jinyiwei should be less vigilant, so it would be easier
for him to find a way to escape.

The internal injuries from the fight with Prince Yu began to flare up. The camp leader
swallowed a pill, but he had no time to dissolve the drug and heal his wounds. He endured the
stabbing pain in his meridians, pushed his body skills to the limit, dodged the ubiquitous
Tengxiang guards, and entered the hidden entrance of the tunnel.

The tunnel was not long, only a hundred feet or so. He quickly walked out of the passage and
listened for a moment near the exit. After making sure that there was no one nearby, he
rushed out of the tunnel exit.

At the same time as the secret door closed, a large iron net fell from the sky and covered him!

The camp owner reacted very quickly and attacked with two hooks. One hook was thrown
into the air with great force, lifting up the iron net and making it rotate like a giant umbrella.
The other hook flew out with the figure and went straight for the opponent's head.

The man blocked with his Embroidered Spring Sword and took several steps back to steady
himself.

...It was Jinyiwei Shen Qi! The camp leader's face was filled with murderous intent, and
without saying a word, he turned his hand and swung the Soul-Breaking Hook. As his body
rose and fell, the hook blade moved like a dragon in the waves, and slashed towards the
opponent's waist and abdomen again.

This move was incredibly fast and treacherous. Shen Qi knew that if he had not been
injured... no, if he was in his prime and had not even suffered the injury of "washing and
dressing", he might be able to block and counterattack. But with his current skills, he might
not be able to resist.

The blade tip hadn't reached him yet, but his Qi was already piercing his skin. Shen Qi, with a
sharp warning from his battle consciousness, suddenly bent backwards and used an "iron
bridge" flush with the ground to barely avoid the hook blade.

Seeing their chief officer in danger, the Jinyiwei formed a sword formation and rushed
towards the camp leader together.
Shen Qi contracted her abdominal muscles, and her upper body bounced back nimbly. She
lowered her head and looked at the long crack on her face, which was faintly shining with
dark golden luster.

——If he had not been wearing the gold-wire soft armor beforehand, this hook would have
probably ripped him open.

With such superb martial arts skills and treacherous and vicious moves, it’s no wonder that
even Jing Hongzhui is no match for him.

Shen Qi recalled the day when Jing Hongzhui was suppressed by the camp owner's Soul-
Breaking Hook and the flute player's Soul-Bewitching Sound, and even became possessed.
She had to admit that if it were her, she might not be able to hold out longer than him.

That gangster...is not completely useless.

Shen Qi threw this fleeting thought behind her, took out a firework with a whistle from her
bosom, lit it and shot it into the night sky -

Outside the gate of Feng'an Marquis Mansion, Prince Yu turned around when he heard the
voice and saw a ball of red fire flying into the sky.

He knew that this was the Jinyiwei's special communication fireworks. When they were
preparing to deal with Fuyin in Linhua Pavilion, Shen Qi also gave him one, and he still kept
it and hadn't used it.

He jumped on his horse, holding the spear in one hand and pulling the reins with the other,
then turned around and rode away.

The new commander of the palace guards, Hua Ling, hurriedly asked, "Where is the prince
going? Do you want us to follow him?"

Prince Yu replied: "You must stay where you are and not let the suspect escape. All orders
must be made according to Lord Su's arrangements. I will go to meet the Jinyiwei. I'm afraid
something difficult has happened over there."

He shook the reins, and the black horse under him leaped out as nimble as a dragon.

In the blink of an eye, they arrived at the Xian'an Marquis's Mansion. Prince Yu rushed up
the steps with his horse, crashed into the gate, and heard the sound of weapons coming from
the backyard.
He saddled himself and leaped over the roofs and inner walls with his lance in hand, and saw
the leader of the Seven Killings Camp who was fighting with the Jinyiwei.

Shen Qi looked up at him: "This man is very skilled in martial arts. Even if we can finally
defeat him using the wheel tactics, we will suffer heavy losses. Please help, Your Highness
Prince Yu."

Prince Yu raised his lips and sneered: "You beg me?"

Shen Qi's face was gloomy: "Your Highness, please understand clearly that it was you who
took the initiative to ask for participation. Whether you are afraid of fighting or you want to
take advantage of your achievements, in a word - if you don't want to fight, leave. Stop
talking nonsense."

Prince Yu smiled with anger hidden in his heart. He slapped the sword wound on his waist
that had not yet fully healed, knocking him back two or three feet. "You bastard, you
treacherous bastard, I will come and deal with you after I capture the leader of the Seven
Killings Camp!"

Shen Qi staggered back, steadied his steps, and wiped the scarlet from his lips with the back
of his hand. He did not raise his face, but only rolled his eyes upwards, staring at the back of
Prince Yu who was fighting with the camp owner like a wolf, his pupils so dark that not a
single light could enter.

After staring at him for a few breaths, he put down his bloodstained hand, tightly grasped the
Embroidered Spring Knife, and turned to leave.

Mr. He was chained with iron chains and stuffed into a prison van. A large group of Jinyiwei
escorted the prison van to the imperial prison of the Northern Pacification Division.

Su Yan couldn't find Shen Qi for a while, so he asked his confidant, Qian Hu Shi Yanshuang:
"Where is your Lord Shen?"

Shi Yanshuang replied: "The Tongzhi has led a team of imperial guards to clear the way
ahead. After all, this place is quite a distance from the Northern Pacification Office, and we
don't want to cause any trouble."

Su Yan nodded: "That's right, Qilang is still very careful."

Shi Yanshuang silently corrected: That's called scheming.

After capturing Mr. He, Su Yan felt half relieved, and then he became concerned about
Prince Yu, who was fighting fiercely with the stubborn leader of the Seven Killings Camp.
The roofs collapsed piece by piece and the pillars broke one by one, and the noise was like an
earthquake - fortunately, the disaster only affected the Xian'an Marquis Mansion, and Su Yan
didn't feel sorry for the house.

He ordered the Tengxiang Guards: "Bowmen and firearmsmen, take your positions. If the
red-robed man gets the upper hand or tries to escape, shoot him hard!" After thinking for a
moment, he added, "Be careful, don't hurt Prince Yu by mistake."

In the dark streets, the torches in the hands of the Ti riders could barely illuminate the
surrounding alleys and the dense treetops that protruded from the walls on both sides. Outside
was thick darkness.

The prisoner cart was sandwiched between two teams of Ti cavalry, its wheels rolling over
stone slabs, mud, and withered flowers on the treetops as it moved forward.

There was a faint fragrance in the air. A gust of night wind blew the rain-soaked fallen
flowers into the back collar of Shi Yanshuang's clothes. He shrank his neck, suddenly
shuddered, and muttered, "Why do I have such an ominous premonition..."

Just as he finished speaking, a Ti rider beside him staggered twice, suddenly fell off his
horse, and hit the ground with a dull "thump".

Plop.

Plop... plop... plop, plop, plop...

The sound was like dumplings being put into a pot, becoming more and more frequent. Shi
Yanshuang looked back in shock, only to see an empty horseback and the Jinyiwei lying in a
mess on the ground, motionless.

There is an enemy attack!

But where is the enemy and what methods are they using?

Is there an ambush in the alley?

This route was personally explored by the Tongzhi, so there shouldn’t be any ambush…
Thoughts were buzzing like mosquitoes, and Shi Yanshuang’s mind became increasingly
dizzy. Soon, he lost consciousness and fell to the side of his horse’s back.

Plop.
Dozens of masked men in night clothes emerged from the darkness and surrounded the prison
van. They chopped with swords and knives, trying to cut the thick iron chain that locked the
door, and the chopping made sparks fly and clang, but only left shallow marks on the chain.

Inside the iron carriage, Mr. He sat cross-legged in meditation with his eyes closed. His
wrists were set off by the heavy black shackles, making him look particularly thin and
elegant. His fingers kept moving slightly. Looking closely, it turned out that the fingertips of
his left hand held a white piece, and the fingertips of his right hand held a black piece. The
two pieces knocked against each other, and the sound was as clear as a spring.

"…It's disgusting, so narrow, closed, dark and deadly." He said in a very soft voice that he
could hardly hear himself, "It's not fear, but disgust. Yes, it's not fear, but disgust…"

He repeated the last sentence many times while tapping the chess pieces, making slight
sounds. Fine beads of sweat oozed out of his forehead, and his usually calm expression was
shrouded in an indescribable shadow.

Suddenly, two keys of strange shapes were thrown in from the slit of the car window. One
key was large and the other was small, both were tied to copper rings.

Mr. He wanted to take the key, but his fingers trembled uncontrollably, and the key fell on his
robe between his legs. He took a deep breath, clasped the two chess pieces in the palm of his
left hand, held the small key in his right hand, and fumbled to open the shackles.

He moved to the car door and pushed the big key through the crack.

The iron lock was finally unlocked, the car door opened, and the masked man in black bowed
his head and clasped his fists: "Is the leader okay?"

Mr. He appeared in front of everyone again, still looking ethereal and calm, as if the cold
sweat and mumbling in the carriage before were all hallucinations.

Mr. He smiled and nodded, scanning the crowd. These were the elite who survived the purge
of the Vacuum Sect by the imperial court, but Mr. He did not pay much attention to them. His
eyes swept past them and went straight to the darkness at the corner of the street ahead.

He walked closer step by step until he could clearly see the figure hidden in the darkness.

"Mr. Shen really kept his word and lived up to my high expectations." Mr. He handed over
the two keys and said, "Return them to their original owners."

Shen Qi held the Embroidered Spring Knife in both arms and said coldly: "Didn't you
calculate that I would show up? Why bother pretending?"
Mr. He said: "From those two letters of surrender, I have received your sincerity. But I am
not sure how deep this sincerity is, and whether it is deep enough to completely separate
yourself from the identity of Emperor's Blade. Fortunately, you are a hero."

A man who knows the current situation is a hero. Shen Qi pulled the corner of his mouth
sarcastically: "I want to ask you a few questions."

"Excuse me."

"Was Feng Qu'e originally a subordinate of Prince Xin?"

"yes."

"After Prince Xin died, the one who contacted Feng Qu'e to continue serving him was Prince
Ning, right?"

"no."

"Who is that?"

Mr. Crane smiled and asked, "Why do you want to know who he is?"

Shen Qi said: "Such a big chess game, with such painstaking layout and tactics, I want to
know who is the chess player behind it, and whether it is worth my joining. Can I get what I
want?"

Mr. He asked back, "What do you want?"

Shen Qi was silent for a moment, then said: "Power and status. Power and status that are
enough to protect my flesh and blood from being coveted, insulted, or robbed."

Mr. He smiled knowingly: "Lord Shen is very interesting. He is an ambitious man who will
do anything to achieve his goals, but he is also the most infatuated man in the world. I dare to
assert that he will make great use of you in the future."

"Who is he?" Shen Qi asked, "I won't serve an invisible shadow."

Mr. He said: "When the time is right, you will naturally meet him. Now you should return to
the court of Emperor Jinglong, continue to serve as the co-director of the Jinyiwei, and wait
for the next 'gatekeeper' to contact you."
Shen Qi sneered and asked: "Without any evidence, how can it be used as a token of trust?"

Mr. He thought for a moment and replied, "Go to the stall and have a bowl of wontons later."

Chapter 244: Bone of Bone, Flesh of Flesh

2023-8-21 11:50 Category: Reincarnation of the powerful ministerTurn off the lights

Outside the encirclement formed by the Tengxiang Guards, Su Yan watched the fight
between Prince Yu and the leader of the Seven Killings Camp in amazement. On the one
hand, he sighed: This level is considered the pinnacle of ancient martial arts; on the other
hand, he couldn't help but worry, and always broke into a cold sweat for Prince Yu during the
thrilling moments.

After more than a hundred rounds, the camp leader gradually became anxious. Although he
had not yet lost, a person's physical strength was not inexhaustible. If the battle dragged on
for too long, not to mention who was better between him and the Prince of Yu, the human
wave tactics of the Tengxiang Guards alone could wear him down.

Must get out early.

The camp leader caught a glimpse of Su Yan behind the crowd and came up with an idea. He
secretly gathered his internal energy, used his right hook to lock the long blade at the front of
the lance, and suddenly released his left hook, which flew towards Su Yan.

This flying attack was incredibly powerful. The hook blade suddenly fell to the ground like a
crescent moon in the sky, and the whistling wind dragged the afterimage. Everyone who
passed by was blown to the sides by the energy.

Prince Yu knew that none of the Tengxiang Guards around Su Yan could block this hook, his
face suddenly changed, and he shouted: "Get down!"

At the same time, he used his strong wrist strength to shake the spear, causing the tip of the
blade to vibrate at a very high frequency, instantly breaking free from the grip of the soul-
breaking hook. He then threw the spear towards Su Yan.

Su Yan saw the two weapons flying towards him one after another, and knew that he would
die if he didn't dodge, but his body's reaction could not keep up with the speed of his brain.
Fortunately, a Tengxiang guard next to him was quick-witted and pulled him towards him.

The long spear caught up with the flying blade, sparks flew between the collision of the fine
steel, and both changed direction, just enough to pass by Su Yan.
"Death" took a turn at the critical moment, and Su Yan's heartstrings suddenly relaxed after
being extremely tense. Cold sweat broke out all over his body, and his legs went limp.

Yu Wang rushed towards him and asked anxiously, "Are you okay?"

The camp leader had been waiting for this moment, using his lightness skills to the limit to
break out.

"--Stop him!" Su Yan shouted, his voice a little hoarse due to the sudden rise and fall of
adrenaline.

The crossbowmen and firearmsmen shot at the camp owner. However, compared with the
firearms of later times, the range of this era was shorter, the power was smaller, and the
accuracy was much worse. The camp owner dodged dozens of stray bullets like a ghost.
Occasionally, there were arrows shot accurately, but he used the soul-breaking hook to
deflect them.

After firing a round, the firearms had to be reloaded. The camp owner took the opportunity to
kill several shooters who were blocking his way and continued to flee outside the wall of the
marquis' mansion.

Su Yan gritted his teeth unwillingly, pulled out a musket from the commander of the
Tengxiang Guard next to him, and while sitting on the ground, he aimed at the back of the
camp owner.

Prince Yu flew to his side and saw that he was safe and sound, so he turned to pick up the
horse lance nailed to the ground and reminded him: "This is a very rare electric gun. People
who have not received special training cannot operate it at all. Instead, their faces will be
blown up. Don't move!"

I know. I have studied it in the online military forum in my previous life. This thing does not
use the matchlock ignition method, but the more advanced flint ignition method. In addition
to the mother gun, there are six sub-guns. A sub-gun has been pre-loaded in the gun barrel
and can be fired directly.

The electric gun has a higher shooting accuracy than the ordinary matchlock gun, and the rear
loading method of ammunition (sub-gun) increases the firing speed. However, this primitive
rear loading firearm has a big flaw - it is easy to leak.

The so-called leak is not as simple as a balloon leak. The gas leaking out of the gunpowder
when it is fired will blow the cover bolt open and blow the shooter's face to pieces.
Until the advent of the revolver in the 19th century, this airtightness defect had not been
resolved. If a revolver shooter accidentally put his hand between the magazine and the barrel,
the air leakage could cut his finger in two!

Later, in order to solve the air leakage problem of breech-loading guns, German Siemens
tried to develop various breech blocks, but none of them succeeded. In the last experiment, he
deafened his ears, so he had to give up and turned to research in electrical engineering, and
finally founded Siemens.

——Of course, these past life gossips only flashed through Su Yan's mind. He carefully kept
a distance from the cover, relying on the feel he had honed from years of hanging out in the
CS field club in his previous life, and with the help of the sights and rear sights at the front of
the barrel, he held his breath for a short while and fired the ammunition in the sub-gun
decisively.

There was a loud bang, flames spurted out, and the smell of gunpowder was strong and
pungent.

What was even more unbearable was that the recoil of the six-foot gun barrel and five
kilograms weight almost dislocated his wrist!

Su Yan accidentally dropped the musket to the ground, and screamed while holding his wrist
bone in pain.

This cry of pain pulled Prince Yu, who had already fled, back. Prince Yu turned around
suddenly and asked nervously, "Did you blow yourself up? I told you not to move, not to
move!"

The pain gradually subsided, Su Yan forced a smile and raised an eyebrow at him: "It hit."

Prince Yu turned around in surprise and saw a red robe rolling on the roof and finally falling
from the eaves.

Prince Yu: “…”

Prince Yu: "During the Dragon Boat Festival, you couldn't even shoot an arrow correctly.
How long has it been since then, and you can use a musket? I feel like this is just a blind cat
meeting a dead mouse."

Su Yan: "Haha."

This "Hehe" sound had a rich meaning, but Prince Yu had no time to identify it. He leaped
over to the camp owner to see what was going on.
The camp owner was still alive, but the gunpowder and bullets had made his lower back look
like a sieve. Although this was not a fatal injury to a martial arts master with deep internal
strength, the damaged lumbar spine had already deprived him of the opportunity to use
lightness skills to escape.

He crawled on the ground in pain and unwillingness, still reaching for the soul-breaking hook
that had fallen to the side.

Prince Yu stepped on his bloody lower back and sneered, "You are a trapped beast at the end
of your rope, why don't you surrender?"

The camp owner knew that there was no hope of escape. His voice behind the mask was as
shrill and hoarse as an owl's: "You will get nothing except a pile of stinking meat!"

Prince Yu thought he was going to take poison, so he reached out and grabbed his throat,
trying to squeeze out the foreign object.

Unexpectedly, the camp owner took the opportunity to slap him in the face, and with the
burst of internal energy, even the mask and facial bones were crushed to pieces!

The continuous sound of bones breaking was horrifying. Prince Yu immediately dislocated
the joints of his hands, but it was too late to stop him. He watched the broken bronze mixed
with flesh, blood, bones and even brain matter, and his entire face was unrecognizable.

Su Yan, who had caught up from behind, took a breath when he saw this scene.

Prince Yu stood up and used himself to block the camp master's still twitching body, and said
in a deep voice: "He will not survive."

Su Yan had a heavy breath stuck in his throat, and finally exhaled it. His face was a little
gloomy: "He deliberately destroyed his face so that we can't find out his identity. It seems
that the leader of the Seven Killings Camp is also a deadly warrior. I don't know if the person
he is loyal to is Mr. He, or someone else."

At this moment, Mr. He was sitting in an ordinary carriage, about to leave the capital.

A female believer was accompanying him, washing his hands and face with clean water.

"Master," the female cultist couldn't help asking, "Aren't we waiting for the camp leader?"

Mr. He slowly opened his eyes, his expression calm: "I told him before that there was a
contact, but he didn't believe it. If he had believed me, he would have gone to the secret room
with me and got on the prison car with me, and he would be sitting on the car leaving Beijing
now."

"So how is the camp owner now? Does he want us to go back and support him?" the female
believer asked softly.

Mr. He smiled and said, "Good words cannot persuade a damned ghost. He is seeking his
own death. What does it have to do with me? Besides, he is just a chess piece sent to
cooperate with me and also to monitor me. The life and death of a chess piece is insignificant.
I guess it won't be long before that person sends another chess piece to contact me. I just hope
that the next one will be easier to get along with than him."

The female believer nodded in confusion: "The leader is wise, we will obey your orders."

Mr. He lifted the curtain and looked at the city gate which was getting closer and closer.
Under the city gate, two night-watching soldiers were waiting to sacrifice everything for their
fanatical belief.

"I was defeated in the end, defeated by a young boy who had just started out." Mr. He sighed,
"Now there is no place for my sect in the capital, but fortunately, the world is big, and the
chess game with this vast country as the chessboard and various forces as the stars is far from
over.

"Su Yan, we'll discuss the outcome in the next round."

After ordering the guards to collect the camp leader's body, the two walked to the corridor
where there was no smell of blood. Prince Yu put his arm around Su Yan, pressed him
against his chest, and lowered his head to rub his face with his slightly stubbled chin.

Before Su Yan could react and protest, Prince Yu quickly loosened his arm and patted him on
the back: "Don't be too disappointed. Although the leader of the Seven Killings Camp is
dead, Mr. He has been captured by us. We have all the evidence and witnesses. No one who
deserves to be punished will be able to escape."

Su Yan nodded: "Take the body of the camp leader and go to the Northern Pacification
Office to join us. Let's see if we can get something out of Mr. He first, and then go to the
palace to report to the emperor."

Prince Yu said, "Also, leave some Tengxiang Guards in the two marquisates and seal off the
Wei family, so that Xian'an Marquis and others won't bark in the court or disturb my mother
in the Cining Palace. This cancer, no matter how closely related to the royal family, should be
removed. If my mother can't understand it, I will talk to her."
Su Yan looked at him gratefully and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty."

Prince Yu looked at him and said, "So you still won't call me 'Jincheng'?"

Su Yan felt a little embarrassed by this fiery gaze, and looked away, his voice unconsciously
lowered: "Prince, I cannot address you by your name."

Prince Yu approached him again, almost trapping him between the pillars and his chest, and a
deep and gorgeous voice rang in his ears: "This prince does not care about taboos, I just want
to hear you call me 'Jincheng'. Come on, call me once, just once."

Su Yan's heartbeat quickened. He couldn't tell whether it was nervousness, panic, or some
other more complicated emotion that made it difficult for him to breathe. He opened his
mouth, wanting to say something but stopping himself, and finally said awkwardly, "I can't
say it."

Prince Yu's eyes darkened, and his tall figure wrapped in black clothes overturned, giving
people a sense of oppression that could not be escaped. This sense of oppression was both
male aggressive, dominant, tolerant and full of temptation, making Su Yan feel a little dizzy.

"Really... it's not suitable..." He stuttered, his back pressed against the cold, hard pillar,
wishing he could embed his entire body into it.

Yu Wang Chao blew his eyelashes slightly and said, "If you don't want to call me 'Jincheng',
then call me 'Azhen'."

"A Cong?" Su Yan felt numb all over as if he had been electrocuted. He seemed to be back in
the fear of being controlled by the beast's pheromones. He wanted to struggle but his hands
and feet were weak. He could only barely maintain his sanity and warn himself not to fall into
the beast's spell.

"It's my childhood name. No one else has ever called me that except my father, the emperor,
and my mother, the empress. Now I want you to say it."

This is too embarrassing. I won't call you Ah Cong, Ah Jiang, or Ah Suan. Su Yan shook his
head desperately, and his ears started to burn. He pushed the other person's motionless body
in vain: "Your Highness, please let go. There are so many people watching... You are
shameless, but I want more."

Prince Yu said, "Be good, call me and I will let you go."

Compared to the weird "Acong", "Jincheng" was not so hard to accept. Su Yan helplessly
whispered: "Jin...Cheng."
Prince Yu chuckled, as if extremely pleased, and replied, "My dear. Even if you cut open my
heart and liver, you can't take away the bones of my bones and the flesh of my flesh."

Su Yan was so embarrassed that goose bumps appeared on his arms. He struggled hard:
"What dirty words are you saying? Let go!"

Prince Yu let go and put on a serious face: "They are almost done packing up, let's set out
now and nail this matter down before the morning court tomorrow."

Su Yan's cheeks were still hot, he lowered his head to adjust his sleeves to cover it up, and
said, "I'll ride my horse, you ride your car, don't get close to me."

Prince Yu said with a smile, "I don't ride in a carriage, I ride a horse. Let's ride side by side,
okay?"

As he was speaking, a figure hurried over and shouted loudly from two or three feet away:
"Master Su! His Royal Highness Prince Yu!"

Su Yan turned around and saw Gao Shuo. He waved for him to come over and said, "You are
still injured. Why don't you go back and rest? What's the matter?"

Gao Shuo's face was gloomy: "Something happened to the Jinyiwei escorting the prisoner
car, and the prisoners in the prison car were kidnapped!"

Su Yan was shocked and asked, "Mr. He escaped? How is Qilang? Is he okay?"

Gao Shuo said, "Lord Shen is fine. He led the front team to clear the way. They were almost
at the Northern Pacification Office. When he saw that Captain Shi and his men had not been
seen for a long time, he led the team back to look for them. Finally, they were found in an
alley. All the Jinyiwei were drugged, including the leader Captain Shi. They woke up only
after being poured with cold water."

Su Yan asked: "What did Captain Shi say?"

"She said she only smelled a faint fragrance. Because there were flowers and trees inside the
walls on both sides, she didn't pay much attention to it, and she fainted without realizing it."

"Where's the prison van? What does it look like?"

"There are many marks of sharp weapons on the iron locks, which shows that there are quite
a few people who hijacked the prisoner car. Lord Shen guessed that it was the remnants of the
Zhenkong Sect who came to rescue their leader. He immediately ordered that the city gates
should not be opened until the thieves were caught, in order to prevent the imperial prisoner
from escaping."

"Do you want to seal off the city?"

Gao Shuo shook his head. "The city gate guards are under the jurisdiction of the Wucheng
Bingma Division, which is under the Ministry of War. Without an imperial decree, they may
not listen to the orders from the Jinyiwei. Even if they listen, it will take some time before the
orders are carried out, and by then, the opportunity will be gone."

Su Yan frowned, thinking as he said, "The Vacuum Sect has been hiding in the dark for many
years, and there are so many followers that it is difficult to strike them all at once. It is not
surprising that they came to rob the prison van. But they arrived so timely, I guess Mr. He
must have made arrangements beforehand... This guy is really a man who plans three steps
ahead, and he is not easy to deal with! Once he escapes from the capital, it will be difficult to
catch him again."

Gao Shuo nodded silently.

Prince Yu patted Su Yan on the shoulder and said, "You are a defeated general, why should
you be afraid? The wanted order has been issued to all prefectures and counties, and you can
just catch him again. Don't worry too much."

Su Yan sighed, "I'm worried about Qi Lang. After all, the prisoner escaped while being
escorted by the Royal Guards. I'm afraid he, as the chief officer, will inevitably be held
responsible."

Prince Yu hoped that Shen Qi would be punished and demoted, and it would be best if she
was sent to the miasma-ridden land of Lingnan to feed mosquitoes, and never come back in
this life. However, he said impartially: "He has meritorious service in catching the criminal,
and faults in dereliction of duty, so his merits and faults offset each other. According to my
brother's temperament, at most he will be given a few words of admonition, and no reward or
punishment will be given."

Su Yan breathed a sigh of relief and asked Gao Shuo, "Where is Qilang? I'll meet him first
before going into the palace. The emperor must have been up all night waiting for me to
report."

Gao Shuo said, "Lord Shen went to negotiate with the Military Department and has not
returned yet. But he left a message telling Lord Su to do his own thing and not to wait for
him."
Su Yan nodded: "According to convention, the city gate will not open until the bell rings
tomorrow morning. I will try to ask the emperor for an order to see if I can order the city to
be closed before the city gate is opened."

He thought for a moment, then added with a wry smile, "But I don't think it's likely.
Searching for food would disturb the people, like fishing for grains in the ocean. You may not
be able to catch anything. Besides, the circulation in and out of the city involves the
livelihoods of thousands of households. Even if the city is really closed, it won't last long."

Prince Yu said, "Qinghe's concern is quite reasonable. Maybe the bird will have escaped
before the city gates are opened tomorrow morning. How can a person who takes one step
and plans three steps be stopped by the city gates?"

Su Yan thought about it and couldn't come up with a solution, so he simply put it aside and
said, "I will go to the palace now and sue the Wei family first. Mr. He and the leader of the
Seven Killings Camp were both found in the Marquis's mansion, and they are still hiding in
the secret room used by the owner of the house. No matter how they argue, they can't escape
the blame. What's more, Concubine Wei——"

He suddenly stopped talking.

Prince Yu nodded: "I will go to the palace with you."

Chapter 245 I Will Make a Key
2023-8-21 11:50 Category: Reincarnation of the powerful ministerTurn off the lights

Su Yan saw the bright lights in the Yangxin Palace from afar, and it was indeed on all night.

He went up the steps and saw Lan Xi standing under the eaves with his back to the palace
door. He seemed to be thinking about something secretly, and the whisk in his hand was
swinging back and forth nervously.

He called out "Eunuch Lan" twice before the other party responded and put on his habitual
smile: "Nephew, you came at the right time. The emperor has instructed that if you come to
report tonight, you can go in directly without being summoned."

The relationship between Su Yan and Lan Xi has always been a little subtle:

There is a little bit of family affection, but it is only a little bit. The so-called "uncle" and
"nephew" are more of a routine used to get closer when necessary.

There were some inconsistencies, because Su Yan realized very clearly that this eunuch was
an egoist. Not to mention that he had to put him on the dragon bed just to please the emperor,
even if he helped him sometimes, it was entirely out of consideration for his own interests.

Both parties are aware of this fake uncle-nephew relationship, so they use it whenever
possible. Unless there is a real conflict of interest, no one will take the initiative to tear each
other apart.

Su Yan also smiled and said, "Thank you, uncle. I wonder if I am still in the palace?"

Lan Xi said: "I just returned to the East Palace."

Su Yan asked: "It's been two hours and you're just leaving? Do you and your son have so
much to talk about?"

"Well, there, he didn't even get to say ten words, and he wasn't allowed to leave, he was
detained." Lan Xi sighed, "When I left just now, his face was black. I sent him out of the
palace gate, and I stood here wondering what was going on."

Su Yan guessed that perhaps he was worried about the prince's youth and impulsiveness, and
was afraid that he would rush to the Wei family to join in the fun, which would be risky and
not beneficial to the situation.

He bowed to Lan Xi and said, "Then I will go inside to report."

Lan Xi half-jokingly said, "Then we won't go in and cause trouble. We'll be kicked out
anyway."

Su Yan suspected that this guy was teasing him about his ambiguous relationship with the
emperor, so he pretended not to understand and walked into the palace calmly.

Emperor Jinglong was not in the palace. The eunuch stepped forward and said, "The emperor
has gone to the lotus pond to enjoy the scenery. Lord Su, please follow me."

Su Yan was a little puzzled: It was only the end of February, not to mention the lotus flowers,
even the lotus leaves hadn't sprouted yet. What kind of scenery was this supposed to be
viewed in the middle of the night?

Although it was strange, we walked through the winding corridor and arrived at the pavilion
beside the lotus pond.

The night breeze was cool, and the emperor was indeed sitting at the round table in the
pavilion, looking through the gold book and iron certificate in Mr. He's box under the bright
palace lanterns.

There were two young eunuchs standing outside the pavilion. When Su Yan walked over, he
felt vaguely that the two looked familiar, and without thinking too much, he performed the
ritual of meeting the emperor.

The emperor motioned for him to sit at the round table as well, and waved his finger at the
two eunuchs outside the pavilion. The eunuchs moved away, but not too far away, at a
distance where they could hear some voices but not the specific words if they listened
carefully.

"...Found it out?" The emperor looked at Su Yan's face.

Su Yan showed regret in his eyes: "We found them and caught them, but unfortunately one
died and the other escaped."

He recounted in detail what had happened tonight.

After hearing this, the emperor said in a deep voice: "What a wolfish ambition!"

"Mr. He was found in the private chamber of Marquis Feng'an, and he is also a retainer of
Marquis Xian'an. The leader of the Seven Killings Camp failed in his attempt to assassinate
the Crown Prince tonight and fled to the Marquis's mansion. He was finally captured at the
entrance of the tunnel privately dug by the Wei family .
"Starting from Wan Xin's testimony, all the human and material evidence have been put
together to form a complete chain of evidence. The two marquises cannot escape the charge
of colluding with cults and assassins to murder the East Palace. I ask the emperor to make a
decisive decision and bring Wei Yan and Wei Jun to justice." Su Yan bowed.

The emperor pondered for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Prince Yu has also entered the
palace?"

Su Yan was slightly startled, then nodded and said, "Yes."

"He went to the Cining Palace in the middle of the night . He knew for sure that his mother
couldn't sleep." The emperor hinted at something.

Su Yan hesitated for a moment and said tentatively: "I know that the Queen Mother has a
close relationship with the Wei family, but the country has its own laws. Besides, the prince
is also her grandson. If the flesh on the back of his hand is injured, he will feel pain..."

A trace of almost mocking sneer flashed across the emperor's eyes. He seemed to have been
planning for a long time, and seemed to have made up his mind at this moment: "Pass my
order to Tengxiangwei, arrest Wei Yan and Wei Jun, and put them in prison. Instruct the
Northern Pacification Office to investigate every single thing they have done!"

Su Yan immediately accepted the order. Then he asked worriedly, "As for the Queen Mother,
the Emperor plans to..."

The emperor smiled at him. Su Yan looked at this faint smile and suddenly felt that there was
nothing to worry about - the emperor was here, and no matter how big the commotion was,
the sky would not fall.

"You will have to ask for leave for the morning court tomorrow. Your explanation to the
public... is that you were injured while protecting the prince when the leader of the Seven
Killings Camp attempted to assassinate him tonight."

...Protecting the emperor? Su Yan recalled that it seemed that Zhu Helin was protecting him.
After all, he was the only one who didn't know martial arts among the hundreds of people on
both sides of the scene. As for the injury, it was even less worth mentioning. Would a scratch
on the lip count?

The emperor seemed to have heard his inner complaints, glanced at his lips that were
beginning to scab over, and added: "-internal injuries."
Su Yan suppressed his laughter and said, "Yes, that's right. I was hit in the chest by the
assassin's palm wind and suffered internal injuries. I will be unable to move for at least a day
or two."

He also thought about how the Crown Prince Yu Yishan was assassinated again and nearly
died, and then the second marquis of the Wei family was surrounded and arrested overnight.
This wave of events followed one after another, and it was bound to cause an uproar in the
court, and he, Su Yan, was the one standing at the center of the storm.

Su Yan, who had seen the fierce style of the court in Daming, could fully imagine what the
court meeting would be like tomorrow. The emperor asked him to pretend to be injured and
not attend the court in order to avoid the first wave of winds from the east, west, south and
north. He could come out when the winds died down a little and make the final decision.

"I have another question. It concerns the harem, so I dare not ask..." Su Yan looked at the
emperor and leaned forward across the stone table. He suddenly lowered his voice in the
second half of the sentence, which seemed very unserious, but intimate enough. "But I want
to ask."

The emperor seemed to have expected this question. He also lowered his voice and leaned
forward slightly, turning the intimacy between the emperor and his subjects into a kind of
tacit flirting between secret lovers: "Qinghe, ask whatever you want, and I will tell you the
truth."

Su Yan suppressed the sweet feeling in his heart and said seriously, "Will you go to
Yongning Palace again in the future?"

The emperor replied: "Yongning Palace will be a cold palace from now on, and no imperial
concubine will live there anymore."

Concubine Wei secretly had an affair with another man. Regardless of whether this green hat
was substantial or not, according to the palace rules, the one thing about being unfaithful to
the emperor alone was enough to get a set meal of poisoned wine and white silk. But
Concubine Wei gave birth to a prince after all, and the mother was honored by the son, and
the prince was still breastfeeding, so it was reasonable to reduce her crime by one level, and
lowering her rank and sending her to the cold palace was a very merciful treatment.

Su Yan did not ask for further severe punishment. It was not his style to kill all women. As
long as Wei Yan and Wei Jun were dealt with, even if the Wei family was completely
overthrown, a concubine who was living in the cold palace would not be able to cause any
waves.
The emperor saw that he did not continue to ask questions and seemed to be quite accepting.
He felt a little dissatisfied in his heart - he was dissatisfied and unsatisfied. So he asked again:
"If you don't go to Yongning Palace, there are other palaces. Are you willing?"

Su Yan suppressed the bitter taste in his heart and answered "with deep understanding", "The
harem is the responsibility of the emperor, and it is also one of the hard indicators of the
stability of the court and the political situation... Well, in short, even if it is just a decoration,
the three palaces and six courtyards are necessary to exist."

After filtering this slightly odd cliché, I found that the key point was the word "decoration" -
it turned out that he still cared about it, but under the guise of a proper official, the sour juice
oozing out from inside might even make the cabbage slip. The emperor couldn't help but
chuckle: "The harem is indeed a decoration, I still love the previous dynasty."

Su Yan pretended not to understand and said, "I have another question."

"Just ask."

"What does Your Majesty intend to do with this golden certificate?"

The emperor knew that he was also asking about the past of Taizu and the Zhenkong Sect, so
he told him the secret story in short: "When Emperor Taizu started the rebellion, Wen Xiang,
the then leader of the Zhenkong Sect, came to join him. There were indeed many believers in
the army who regarded the tyrannical Yuan Dynasty as a darkness that must be broken, so
they worshipped Taizu as the 'Great Light King'. Under the banner of 'light shining
everywhere', they absorbed more rebel troops and grew stronger.

"This is because during the turbulent times when people were fighting for supremacy, the
teachings of the Vacuum Sect coincided with the chaotic situation. The key lies in the word
'struggle' - Buddha fights against the devil, light fights against darkness, my power fights
against his power."

Su Yan figured it out: "When the dynasty was established and the situation gradually
stabilized, the priority should be to develop production and protect people's livelihood. But
the Zhenkong Sect still wants to 'fight'?"

The emperor said: "Wen Xiang asked Taizu to grant Zhenkong Religion the title of state
religion, so that everyone in the country would believe in it, and anyone who did not believe
in it would be a heretic."

When the situation could not provide soil for "struggle", the struggle shifted from political
power to the realm of spiritual belief. What Wen Xiang wanted to unify was not the land, but
the people's thoughts. He believed that only extremely firm and fanatical beliefs could make
an empire impregnable and all people indestructible from body to will.
Su Yan was good at drawing inferences from one instance. If he was given a pool of water,
he could turn it into an ocean. He immediately thought of the two sides of this double-edged
sword from the word "struggle" -

Revolution and unrest.

He said with emotion: "Emperor Taizu did not want to establish a state that combined politics
and religion like the former Beicheng, so the two had ideological conflicts. When the conflict
between the two sides became more and more acute, only the demise of one side could
completely resolve it, so Taizu finally betrayed his original promise and took action against
Wenxiang."

The emperor nodded: "In fact, when Emperor Taizu took action, he may have felt guilty. But
he was an emperor, and the country was the most important thing. He could not show this
guilt, and even could not let it arise. So Emperor Taizu suppressed it even more severely,
using the method of 'nine kills and ten deaths' to abolish the number of exemptions from
death in the Golden Book and Iron Certificate, and finally killed Wen Xiang and banned the
Zhenkong Sect."

Su Yan sighed: "This is the kind of man who can unify the world in troubled times."

Emperor Jinglong suddenly stared at him with a strange look in his eyes: "It seems that you
admire this kind of emperor more?"

...Here it comes, here it comes, the long-lost "Jinglong-style" life-threatening question! But
Su Yan was not scared this time, and even felt like laughing. He coughed a few times,
whetting the other party's appetite, and then slowly answered: "Emperor Taizu has made
great achievements and is admired by everyone, and I am no exception."

Looking at the emperor's increasingly gloomy expression, Su Yan couldn't help but curl up
the corners of his mouth, and suddenly changed the subject: "But if I can choose a master to
serve, I still want to choose an emperor like the emperor."

"Why?"

"Because... it's more humane."

"Humanity?" This answer was so simple and down-to-earth, unlike Su Yan's daily style, that
it surprised the emperor.

Isn't that right? That's the taste of love? Su Yan's brain twitched, and he ran away, and came
up with such an indecent thing, which shocked himself. He laughed dryly and said, "My
words are not expressive enough, please forgive me, Your Majesty."
Emperor Jinglong frowned and said, "Do you think that compared to Emperor Taizu, I lack
courage and iron-blooded tactics, and am not ruthless enough?"

No, no, no, luckily you are not cruel enough, otherwise I - and my two mistresses and
concubines, would have had trees growing tall and tall on their graves! Su Yan was busy
flattering him: "Your Majesty, this is good. If you were a little more lenient, it would be too
soft. If you were a little more harsh, it would be too cruel. It's just right, not too much, not too
little! I admire your Majesty for being like this."

The emperor's expression was still stern, but he couldn't help but let out a smile. He shook his
head and said, "It's a lie."

"Really! More real than pearls!"

The emperor asked in return: "We have the word '仰', but what about '慕'?"

Admiration is respect, and adoration is love. Su Yan couldn't help but reflect on himself,
feeling that he and the emperor had never been able to cross that line, perhaps because
admiration was greater than admiration.

Love is a poisonous flame that burns reason. Once it spreads, it will not care about life or
death, honor or disgrace, heaven or earth, just to live together. But he has many concerns -
many concerns for others and for himself. In the final analysis, he still doesn't love enough
and dares not to love.

I haven't fallen into the pit of the love between the monarch and his subject, so I still have
some sanity and room to save myself - this conclusion made Su Yan breathe a sigh of relief,
but at the same time, he fell into an indescribable loss.

The feeling of loss was not sharp, but it was like being in a drizzle, soaking through every
part of your body.

“Qinghe, hurry up, don’t keep me waiting too long.” His words are still ringing in my ears.
Every time I think of them, my heart aches. How can I remain indifferent?

The more Su Yan tried to sort out his thoughts, the more confused his mind became. Finally,
he forced a smile and said, "One word is another word. Your Majesty, please don't be picky
about words."

The emperor sighed lightly, and suddenly raised his hand and threw the golden book and iron
certificate far into the lotus pond, splashing a large amount of water.
Su Yan was slightly startled. The emperor said, "I am not Taizu. Although I don't know if this
is too lenient or too weak, I really don't want to see you cry in grievance, and I don't want the
light in your eyes to go out."

Su Yan's defense core was hit by these words. In an instant, he jumped 180 degrees back and
forth between "Your Majesty knows me" and "Your Majesty, fuck me". And because he
realized that he was not without love and desire for the king in front of him, his whole body
was a little stiff.

The emperor looked calm, but inevitably revealed a bit of boredom. The contrast brought
about by this kind of vulnerability that occasionally appears in a strong controller caused Su
Yan to suffer another critical blow.

He stammered, "Either I... I will..." But he couldn't say it out loud.

Emperor: "I won't force you."

Su Yan: "Not forcing it, not forcing it."

Emperor: "I will wait for you to speak voluntarily."

Su Yan: "Waiting, waiting too long is not good... If you say voluntary... Actually, I have been
volunteering since I was a child, donating money, paying fees, I am used to it, it's nothing..."

The emperor said: "You are so frightened that you are incoherent. It is my fault."

Su Yan was about to cry: "Your Majesty is very good, too good, I am not worthy... I will just
give you a key."

Emperor: "Which key do you want to have? The national treasury or my private treasury? I
thought you were not interested in managing finances, and seemed to be more interested in
the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Works. So you want to go to the Ministry of
Revenue? Well, it's not impossible. Let's discuss how to proceed later."

Su Yan: "...I was wrong. I'd better shut up and get back to work. I'll leave the palace and pass
on the order."

The emperor lowered his eyes to look at the tassels on the edge of the table and curled the
corners of his mouth calmly.
Su Yan wanted to leave and end this conversation that made him confused. Because he stood
up too quickly, his thigh hit the edge of the table. He rubbed it with his hand and
subconsciously thought: There will be another big bruise when I turn around.

The emperor stared at his thighs protected by the cloth and suddenly asked, "Is the seal still
there?"

“Yes, yes.”

Su Yan was so scared that he broke out in a sweat, fearing that the other party would say,
"Take off your pants and let me check them."

Fortunately, the emperor spared him at the critical moment - maybe he let him go for a longer
time, who knows, anyway, it's good enough to get by for a while - Su Yan was so moved that
he bowed and was about to leave.

But the emperor suddenly raised his voice: "In addition to the decree just now, you go and
tell Shen Qi a message, and severely reprimand him on my behalf. Tell him that I will punish
him for his incompetence and for causing him to escape."

Su Yan's heart trembled, but it was not as frightened as when he was asked about the seal just
now. It was because he suddenly remembered who the two familiar eunuchs who served in
front of the pavilion were.

It was he who hid behind the screen door of the Yangxin Palace, listening to the Emperor
forcing and scolding Shen Qi, and then became angry at him for being stubborn and insisting
on being a beast chain for Shen Qi, and was so angry that he smashed the door. It was
Eunuch A and Eunuch B who lay in the corner of the palace the whole time, trembling while
listening.

The emperor did not blame them at the time and sent them away.

Normally, the emperor would not like to use palace servants who were not obedient, but this
time he kept them to serve him, and he did not even order them to leave the garden just now.
They were just waiting there not too far away.

What does the emperor mean by this?

Deliberately let them see and hear, but not be able to see clearly and hear clearly?

Is there something wrong with these two people?

Su Yan immediately became alert and decided to follow the path of the emperor to plead
guilty and seek mercy for Shen Qi.

Sure enough, the emperor got angry, and left after saying "If you want to talk about personal
feelings, you will be punished together with him".

Su Yan knelt outside the pavilion for a while, and when he saw that the emperor did not
return, he stood up and brushed the dust off his knees. One of the two eunuchs chased after
the emperor, while the other, who had a small black mole on his nose, kindly came over to
help him up.

"Lord Su, don't be too frightened. The emperor is merciful and will not punish you for a
disagreement." said the eunuch.

Su Yan's face was still a little pale: "I hope so. But I don't know if there is still room for
maneuver on Shen Qi's side... What is your name, eunuch?"

The man said, "My lord, you can just call me 'Yongnian'."

"Thank you, Eunuch Yongnian, for your comfort. I will take my leave."

Yongnian touched the small mole on the side of his nose and said with a smile, "You are too
polite, sir. During that time in Yangxin Palace, Lord Su even pleaded for us two. I have kept
it in mind and want to return the favor."

Su Yan seemed to be preoccupied with something else. He bowed absentmindedly and left.

As he walked, he thought: Whose man is this, Mr. He? The Wei family? The Queen Mother?
Or...
hapter 246 The Queen Mother's Secret Weapon (Part 1)
2023-8-21 11:51 Category: Reincarnation of the powerful ministerTurn off the lights

The next morning, Su Yan first asked Su Xiaojing to go to the Ministry of Personnel to apply
for work-related injury leave on his behalf - tentatively for two days, and then see how his
recovery goes.

Then he asked Su Xiaobei to go to the Northern Pacification Office to inquire: What is the
current situation of Shen Qi who led the team to chase the escaped Mr. He last night? Has he
returned?

He stole half a day's leisure from his busy life and placed a reclining drunkard's chair under
the old peach tree in the yard . He lay down comfortably on it, brewed a pot of pine moss tea
with olives, and read a book while drinking tea. He couldn't be more comfortable.

An hour later, the news from the Northern Pacification Office had not yet arrived, but the
prince arrived first.

Zhu Helin was wearing casual clothes, and came on horseback with only a few guards and
medical officers. Because he was in a hurry, the beads of sweat on his forehead gleamed
slightly in the scattered sunlight filtering through the peach tree canopy.

"I heard that you suffered internal injuries? Let me see how serious your injuries are!" The
anxious voice came before the prince approached.

"It's okay, it's okay - be careful with the steps! Ouch my little master -" He hit his knee so
hard that it hurt him. Su Yan covered his face and said, "I'm really fine, at most I just bruised
my lips. I just want to avoid the limelight and find an excuse to rest for two days."

Zhu Helin rushed to his side despite the pain, and after looking him up and down, he was
relieved: "I'm glad you're okay. Couldn't you have informed me in advance?"

"It was my negligence that made me worry." After Su Yan handed the teapot over, he
realized that he was drinking from the spout, which seemed inappropriate, so he pulled his
drink back.

Zhu Helin was not polite at all. He took the kettle and gulped down the wine. Then he sat on
the bluestone bench beside him and took a breath. "My father kept me from leaving the
palace. I was worried all night. I couldn't see you at the morning court. After the court was
dismissed, I went to the Ministry of Personnel to inquire and found out that you had applied
for injury leave."
Su Yan was touched and said with a smile, "Don't worry, young master. With so many
Jinyiwei and Tengxiangwei and Prince Yu's support, nothing will happen to me."

Zhu Helin knew this, but he was not on the battlefield at the critical moment, and let the
Fourth Prince escort him to improve his favorability, which made him feel unhappy. He also
felt that his father had confined the Fourth Prince to the capital and made him a troublemaker.
It would be better to let him go to his fiefdom. He was really worried and stopped him from
leading troops.

However, since he claimed to be a mature man, it would be inappropriate to dwell on the

details in front of Su Yan, as it would not appear generous, so he nodded and said, "Although
I am worried, I believe you can accomplish it."

Su Yan sighed, "It's a pity that there was only one flaw in the ointment, Mr. He escaped. He
was put into the prison van, but he was still robbed."

Zhu Helin said: "The Zhenkong Sect has been operating secretly in the capital for many
years. Its power is secretive and complex, and it is difficult to wipe it out in a short time. It is
inevitable that there will be some remnants who will stir up a few waves. There is no need to
be too regretful. We just need to continue the nationwide wanted notice, and he will have no
place to stand in Daming. He will be caught sooner or later."

Su Yan had some doubts in his heart: Shi Yanshuang was the chief of the criminal
department, a capable general under Shen Qi, and the Jinyiwei who escorted the prisoner car
were also well-trained elite cavalry, how could they be easily deceived by the remnants of the
Zhenkong Sect? Also, when the other party robbed the prisoner car, they did not attack the
unconscious Jinyiwei, so they were not worried that they would wake up early?

Although he had doubts, he did not express them in front of the prince. He thought he should
wait for Qilang to come back and find out the situation first.

Seeing that he remained silent, Zhu Helin thought that he was still worried about Mr. He who
had escaped, so he used the things in the court to divert his attention: "Fortunately, you didn't
come to the court meeting today. The emperor ordered the detention of Marquis Xian'an and
Marquis Feng'an, which was like throwing a big stone into a pond. The court was in chaos.
Some led their teams to attack, some fought one-on-one, and some set fire to each other from
a distance. It was really a riot of demons."

This was not far from what Su Yan had expected. After all, he had seen the Prime Minister
and the imperial relatives rolling up their sleeves and fighting in the first day of the palace
examination, which showed how tough the officials of this dynasty were.
I remember that it was recorded in history books that civil officials even beat to death a
Jinyiwei commander who had offended the public in the Jinluan Palace. It can be seen that
the old saying that a random punch can kill a master is not in vain.

"I have seen the eloquence of civil officials since I was a child. I know they love to curse and
can curse, but I didn't expect them to be so good at cursing. Without using a single dirty
word, they cursed the other party's ancestors for eighteen generations."

Su Yan: Uh, I seem to be one of those civil officials with sweet words?

"At the beginning, we were able to discuss the matter objectively. The main point of
contention was whether there was solid evidence that the Wei family intended to murder the
Eastern Palace, and whether you, as the head of the special case team, were eliminating
traitors for the country or taking revenge for personal gain. Later, things gradually went
astray, and many people had their own agenda, trying to drag dissidents into the water. So
officials took the opportunity to impeach each other. One said that the other was a minion of
the Wei family and must be dealt with together; another said that this one was flattering the
Eastern Palace and must have a rebellious heart. So everyone brought up old accounts and
tried to pull the wool over their eyes. The vortex became bigger and bigger, as if everyone
had a bad record and had bad intentions..."

Su Yan silently held his forehead: Just by listening to the prince's description, I can imagine
the chaos at that time.

The civil officials of this dynasty have high status, great say, and are more dignified and
proud, and of course they are better at manipulating state affairs. If you encounter an emperor
who doesn't like to meddle in things, even if he is a hands-off manager for his whole life, he
only needs to promote a powerful cabinet team to lead the officials, and the country can run
smoothly for decades.

Unlike the later dynasties in history, where officials always called themselves "servants" and
dared to offend the emperor, the emperor would kill them with a knife and replace them with
someone else. Officials were weak in the knees and naturally obeyed the emperor's orders. If
they met a wise emperor, they would follow the rules, but if they met a foolish emperor, they
would be doomed together.

The problem is, our emperor is the one in charge, and he appears lenient on the outside but
strict on the inside, and he has a strong desire to be in control. It must be very frustrating for
him to face this group of troublemakers day after day.

It is no wonder that he wanted to manipulate the emperor's mind and use checks and
balances, and even went so far as to go against the long-term advice of civil officials and
retain the Jinyiwei organization and grant eunuchs some political authority, just to increase
the bargaining chips for imperial power.
"How could the quarrel be like this? The emperor didn't stop it?" Su Yan asked.

Zhu Helin said, "No. I am a little surprised. Normally, when the ministers are too
presumptuous, the emperor will always suppress them and punish the leaders, so that the
situation will be quiet for a while. Even Prime Minister Li was imprisoned for a few days, not
to mention other ministers. But today, the emperor ignored it and just asked me to watch and
listen carefully."

Su Yan asked again: "So what did I see and understand?"

Zhu Helin was startled, raised his eyebrows and pursed his lips to think for a moment, then
said, "Is the phenomenon of forming cliques among court officials serious?"

"Be more confident and remove the questioning tone." Su Yan coaxed, "What else?"

"The officials in the court often form factions to strengthen their power. The sage said, 'A
gentleman gathers in groups but does not form a party.' However, I have seen many officials
in the court forming factions and attacking each other in order to fight for power, rather than
truly serving the country and the people."

Factional fighting and party struggle, grasp the core words - I said this child has a future,
right? He is born with wisdom! Su Yan controlled herself not to show a gratified smile like
an old mother, and continued to ask: "What else?"

So when you become the emperor in the future, how do you plan to rectify this corrupt court
atmosphere? Will you use the power of others to fight against the power of others like your
father did, or will you use other methods? Tell me, just say it.

"And..." Zhu Helin pondered, and suddenly his eyes lit up, "That's right! I found that among
the court officials, those who came from the same hometown love to stick together, and they
also like to give nicknames to outsiders to mock them. Officials from Shu are called 'Sichuan
Rat'; people from Chu are called 'Dried Fish'; and those from Jiangxi are called 'Preserved
Chicken', because they always like to give preserved chicken as gifts during the New Year,
and they have even paid tribute to my father. Speaking of which, I am a little worried that
someone will do the same to you, calling you 'Spring Pancake' or 'Buddha Jumps Over the
Wall' or something like that..."

Su Yan: ...

The focus has strayed, okay, little sir? Although I don’t want to be called spring pancakes and
Buddha jumps over the wall, the point is not here!

So you are still a younger brother! Su Yan held his forehead and sighed deeply.
Zhu Helin burst out laughing: "I was just teasing you." He leaned over to Su Yan's ear and
said in a deep voice, "Even if the Wei family falls, the court will not be peaceful. If we want
political clarity, we should not rectify one or two corrupt officials or relatives, but the long-
standing corruption in the government."

Su Yan was surprised and stunned for a moment, then nodded slightly: "I understand what
you have seen and heard. But rectifying the administration of officials is not something that
can be accomplished overnight. Even the emperor is cautious about making a move, so I, as
the crown prince, must not act rashly. Let's take it step by step and completely overthrow the
Wei family first."

Zhu Helin also nodded: "Before leaving the palace, I heard that Concubine Wei knelt at the
palace gate to plead for her father's crime and beg for pardon."

"Kneel at the palace gate?"

"Yes, it's the Zunyi Gate outside the Yangxin Palace. Concubine Wei washed off her makeup,
let her hair down, and wore a white middle dress. She knelt at the palace gate." Zhu Helin
looked at the sun, "She must have been kneeling for more than an hour by now."

"...Then your Majesty?"

Zhu Helin smiled with satisfaction: "My father didn't summon her, and asked the eunuch to
send her back to Yongning Palace, but she didn't listen. My father then said: If she wants to
kneel, let her kneel."

Concubine Wei knelt at the palace gate, crying and muttering to herself, sometimes
reminiscing about the warm times of her wedding, sometimes begging the emperor to forgive
the Wei family in consideration of their past merits and affection.

She cried so hard that her eyes were wet and she was almost dead. But Emperor Jinglong
seemed to be determined this time, and her crying, making a scene and threatening to hang
herself were no longer effective.

The palace maid's repeated attempts to persuade the prince failed, so she came up with
another idea and asked someone to bring the second prince over.

The second prince is almost one year old. Because he learned to talk before walking, he is
considered to have a “sign of great nobility”. The Queen Mother also asked masters to tell
fortunes for him, who said that “the Purple Star will illuminate his fate” and so on, so she
loved him even more.
Concubine Wei also valued this only son very much. She was afraid that someone would
murder him, so she hired five wet nurses, but still felt uneasy. She simply took him to her
side day and night to look after him, which was also a way to relieve the loneliness in the
deep palace. Therefore, the second prince was very attached to his mother and would look for
her if he didn't see her for a while.

He hadn't seen her for a long time, and when he saw her, he felt so aggrieved that he hugged
Concubine Wei and cried.

Concubine Wei stripped off her son's dragon-patterned outer robe and pinched him secretly,
causing his sobbing to suddenly turn into loud crying.

The mother and son hugged each other and cried face to face. Their lonely and helpless
appearance and their cries that overwhelmed the Great Wall were so heartbreaking that
anyone who heard them would cry.

Now the Queen Mother could no longer sit still.

Originally, Prince Yu went to the palace last night and had a long talk with the Queen Mother
for more than an hour. He managed to persuade the Queen Mother not to interfere in this
matter on the grounds that "the Wei family is domineering and if they are not given some
hardship, they may disrespect the majesty of heaven and hold the emperor's will hostage in
the future", so as to avoid estrangement from the emperor and his mother.

Although the Queen Mother protected the Wei family, she also had concerns in her heart:

First, worrying too much is as bad as not worrying too little. When the second prince
becomes the crown prince in the future, the Wei family will be at its peak, and he may
develop the ambition to manipulate the king.

Secondly, she was worried that the mother and son would be alienated. Last time, she used
her illness to put pressure on the emperor. Although the emperor gave in and showed no
dissatisfaction, she knew her son well. Her son was a reserved person with a reserved mood.
His heart might not be as calm as his appearance. If a rift was created because of this, it
would not be good for her.

The Queen Mother thought about it and felt that there must be a balance - to strike back
within a limited range so that the Wei family would not suffer any serious damage, while at
the same time learning a lesson.

Both of Prince Yu's points touched her heart, so the Queen Mother held back and only asked
her personal maid, Gu Qiong, to come forward and send back the Wei family members who
came to ask for help.
Even though Concubine Wei knelt at the palace gate and cried bitterly, the Queen Mother
was not necessarily heartbroken.

But when the empress dowager learned that her little grandson was kneeling and crying in the
hot sun, she felt so distressed that she could no longer sit still.

She got up the phoenix chariot and went to the Yangxin Palace in person to bring her
grandson back. She also reminded the emperor to stop when she was satisfied.

In her opinion, the murder of the crown prince was the work of the Zhenkong Sect and the
Jianghu sect. The Wei family was also deceived and mistakenly accepted the traitor as a
retainer. If they did not investigate the crime, they could just lock up the two marquises for a
while, give them a punishment, and reduce their salaries. Anyway, the son of Zhang (the
former queen) was fine and still in the East Palace.

As a result, when she met Emperor Jinglong, she found that the situation was much more
serious than she thought.

This time the emperor actually intended to kill Wei Yan and Wei Jun. The promise he made
to her before was no longer valid as times have changed!

The Queen Mother was greatly disappointed and felt that her dignity was damaged. At the
same time, a trace of suspicion in her heart surfaced: The Emperor was so intolerant of the
Wei family, was he trying to make an example of them? She was in the harem, so it was
inconvenient for her to directly intervene in some matters of the previous dynasty, so she
deliberately used the Wei family as a spokesperson in the court. The Wei family also won
over many officials, and her influence gradually expanded invisibly. Could it be that the
Emperor was afraid of this and wanted to suppress her?

They are biological mother and son! Filial piety is the way of heaven. If a biological son does
not obey his mother's orders, how can we expect him to be filial to us all his life?

The Queen Mother was disappointed and heartbroken, and she believed that this was no
longer a problem for the Wei family alone. This was disobedience and unfilial piety, and it
was treating her, her own mother, as a political enemy who must be guarded against and
suppressed.

She did not argue with the emperor face to face. Instead, she turned around and returned to
the palace, taking the second prince away with her.

As for Concubine Wei, when she saw that her aunt didn't care about her and took away her
life, she fainted from crying and was carried back to Yongning Palace.
Zhu Helin, who was in the Su Mansion, was unaware of the following events. After visiting
Su Yan, he had to rush to finish the investigation of the disaster relief grain substitution case.

So that afternoon, Su Yan received an imperial decree, and the Empress Dowager summoned
him.

Although he was summoned, he had no choice but to move. The guards who came with the
eunuch who delivered the order were already ready to go. They dragged him into the carriage
and took him away.
Chapter 247 The Queen Mother’s Secret Weapon (Part 2)
2023-8-21 11:51 Category: Reincarnation of the powerful ministerTurn off the lights

The moment Su Yan received the imperial edict, alarm bells rang in his mind.

He knew that he and the Wei family had formed an irreconcilable feud, and that he had also
severely offended the Wei family's backer, the Queen Mother, so he had always been very
careful about his own safety.

In the three months since he returned to Beijing, he never goes out for a stroll unless he has
nothing to do, and tries to avoid going out alone.

He had anticipated many means of revenge by the Wei family, including but not limited to
disfigurement, assassination, framing, traps, etc., but he had not expected that the Queen
Mother would condescend to do it herself.

——At this critical juncture, the Queen Mother's sudden summons of him certainly had bad
intentions. Could it be that she was just chatting about family matters?

Su Yan's mind was full of thoughts, but he looked calm. He said to the eunuch who delivered
the imperial edict, "It is not appropriate for me to enter the palace to meet the emperor in my
home clothes. Allow me to change into the fourth-rank regular clothes." As he said that, he
was about to go into the house.

The Cining Palace guards held out their hands to stop him, "No need. The Queen Mother has
ordered that you be summoned immediately. Sir Su, please follow us into the carriage."

Su Yan added: "Then let me tell the servants at home to prepare dinner."

The guard was unmoved: "No need. The Queen Mother has ordered that we not delay for a
moment, please."

Su Yan was helpless and was almost forced onto the carriage. He sighed: Ah Zhui ran away,
Qilang went out of the city to chase the enemy. If only Gao Shuo, who was lying on the roof,
was still there.

Unfortunately, even Gao Shuo went home to rest because of the arrow wound on his back.
Shen Qi knew that Su Yan didn't like being monitored, so she didn't send any more spies to
watch him.

The carriage had been driving for a while when Su Yan felt that the direction was wrong. He
looked out the window and found that they did not enter the palace from the Meridian Gate ,
but turned outside the Six Departments' Direct Room and went to the Imperial Ancestral
Temple.

...What does the Queen Mother mean? Is she afraid that someone will tip off the Emperor if
she enters the palace?

Su Yan had a more and more ominous premonition, but the situation was pressing, so he
could only take one step at a time and was escorted into the Ji Gate by the guards.

Crown Prince Zhu Helin had knelt before the tablet of the god in the central hall of the
Imperial Ancestral Temple, and Su Yan had accompanied him. But this time, he was not even
qualified to enter the main hall.

Just outside the front side hall not far from the Jimen Gate, palace servants held up a canopy
with a phoenix pattern, set up a wide chair, and helped the empress dowager to take a seat.

The square was surrounded by heavily guarded guards. Su Yan knelt on the stone floor in
front of the phoenix carriage and performed an impeccable kowtow.

The Queen Mother did not ask him to stand up, but ordered: "Lift your face up."

Su Yan frowned, raised his face, and looked at the Phoenix Throne calmly.

This was his first close encounter with the Queen Mother. If he had just come here, he might
have been as nervous as when he first met the Emperor, but now he was calm as a mirror.

The Queen Mother stared into his eyes for a while, then suddenly chuckled, "Su Yan?"

Su Yan cupped his hands: "I am here."

The Queen Mother said, "I have been in the palace for a long time and don't care much about
the affairs of the previous dynasty, but the name of 'Su Twelve' has been around in my ears
every day. I heard that you just touched the threshold of Fengtian Palace on the first day, and
you made a splash in the palace examination? What a good trick."

Su Yan said: "That was a misunderstanding. I was hard of hearing and misheard the question.
I didn't mean to criticize. There were civil and military officials in the palace, and I didn't
recognize any of them at that time."

"Then the beating of the drum outside the Meridian Gate to overthrow Jinyiwei Commander
Feng Qu'e was also a misunderstanding?"
"That's not intentional. On the one hand, I want to avenge my teacher and eliminate traitors
for the country, and on the other hand, I want to protect myself."

The Queen Mother was quite surprised and pulled the corner of her red lips: "You are a
straightforward person, that's good, it's easy to talk this way. I'm really fed up with those
people who pretend to be gentle and demure on the surface, but are actually full of
scheming."

I have reason to suspect that you are dissing the late emperor's concubine Mo who competed
with you for favor, and the prince's biological mother, the late Empress Zhang. Su Yan
secretly complained.

But he soon stopped complaining because the Queen Mother continued, "I also heard that you
were beaten by thieves last night because you were protecting the Crown Prince. Protecting
the Emperor is a great achievement, so why didn't the Emperor even send you a doctor?
Someone, come and give Su Shaoqing a good treatment."

Two imperial doctors immediately stepped forward, one on the left and one on the right,
holding Su Yan's wrists, observing his spirit, color, pulse, and bones. After a moment, they
reported to the Queen Mother, "Su Shaoqing has no internal injuries, and everything is fine."

The Queen Mother sneered: "Well, what a straightforward person who deceives the emperor
and pretends to be rewarded."

Su Yan secretly complained. Last night, Emperor Jinglong asked him to pretend to be injured
and avoid the limelight, but now it has become a proof of his hypocrisy. But in front of the
empress dowager and so many palace servants and guards, he can't sell out the emperor,
right? Even if he sells him out, no one will believe it! He can only grit his teeth and take the
blame.

"My lord, I was affected by the Qisha Camp leader's energy and fell down the stairs with the
crown prince. I coughed up blood immediately. The East Palace guards and Jinyiwei who
were present saw it with their own eyes. I did not lie to you. Because I was not feeling well, I
just wanted to take two days off to rest. I did not ask for any reward. Even if the emperor and
I wanted to reward me, I would not accept it without any merit. I dare not accept it."

When he fell down the stairs, he and Zhu Helin bumped their mouths and bled. It would not
be a fabrication to say that it was internal injury and hemoptysis, but hopefully it can be
fooled. In addition, he did not report to the emperor for merit, nor did he receive any reward
from the emperor or the prince. This is not a lie, right?

The Queen Mother did not accept this explanation: "You are obviously in good health, but
you pretended to be injured and asked for leave, which shows that you are a cunning and
opportunistic villain. You said you don't want the reward, but the reward has not been given
yet. If the Emperor wants to reward you, will you refuse it?"

Yes, it hasn't happened yet, so how can you assert that I won't refuse?

Besides, what’s wrong with me taking two days off? I worked for a whole month without a
break while being sick, and you didn’t give me a raise!

Of course, these words can only be said in modern times, in companies. What era is this? An
era where "the king wants his subjects to die", serving the royal family is called loyalty, and
not serving is called treason. How can we reason with this?

The court of this era had strict rules, which were ridiculous. Officials who attended court
were not allowed to walk randomly. If anyone spitted on the ground, the Jinyiwei would take
him out and beat him with a stick. But the rules were full of loopholes, which was true. As
long as the emperor was a little lax in attendance, some officials would not even attend the
morning court and would sneak out of the court. Even if they were found out later, because
there were too many people, the law would not hold them all responsible, and the case would
be left unresolved.

So tell me, is my fake injury leave a small matter or a big deal?

Aren't these all excuses you use to control me? Since you intend to punish me, will it be
useful for me to give in? Will it be useful to beg for mercy?

So Su Yan said calmly, "I am weak and I asked for leave because I felt unwell. If the Queen
Mother thinks that I should not ask for leave even though I chased thieves all night and fell in
the rain, then please order the Ministry of Personnel to punish me according to the law."

Issue an imperial decree? She was the empress dowager, and she issued an imperial decree to
punish an official who asked for two days off after completing his work and was suspected of
being lazy? Isn't this a joke! Even if others speculated that she was taking the opportunity to
discipline her officials, she should have picked a decent reason. Using such a trivial reason to
make a fuss would only make her lose face.

This person is not only cunning and cunning, but also dares to speak back. It is really hateful!
Wei Lan said before that he seduced the master with his beauty, and I thought it was
unfounded. Now looking at his appearance and temperament, it is almost true. The Queen
Mother's dislike for Su Yan at this moment has reached the extreme. She frowned and called
out: "Auntie Qiong!"

The head maid, Qiong Gu, stepped forward, stood in front of Su Yan, and asked slowly, "Su
Yan, do you admit your guilt?"
Su Yan said: "I have done my job as an official and I have no regrets. I don't know where my
crime came from."

Aunt Qiong raised her voice slightly: "You committed treason and falsely accused relatives
of the emperor, causing discord between the emperor and his concubines. This is crime one;
you colluded with the remnants of the Hidden Sword Sect and kept assassins. This is crime
two; you led troops to besiege the Marquis's mansion in the middle of the night and usurped
power. This is crime three; you encouraged the prince to not do his job properly and harbored
evil intentions. This is crime four; you impeached officials at will and excluded dissidents.
This is crime five. These five are all serious crimes. Do you still dare to deny it?"

Su Yan responded loudly: "First, I am not only the Right Junior Secretary of the Dali Temple,
but also the Supervisory Censor of the Metropolitan Censorate. It is my duty to supervise all
departments and officials and to influence the public opinion. Censors have the right to report
on rumors, and what's more, every time I impeach, I have solid evidence. What crime have I
committed?

"Secondly, when I took in the guard, I did not know his past identity, nor did I instruct him to
do anything illegal. He was just a common man, and at most he could only be used as a
bodyguard or a carriage driver. How could I have seen someone keeping only one assassin?
Moreover, I still owed him half a year's salary, which led to his resignation in anger. As a
person like me, who can't even afford a salary, how can I have the extra money to keep
assassins?

"Third, the soldiers surrounded the Marquis's residence to search for the imperial criminal. I
am acting in accordance with the imperial order. Otherwise, how could I command the
Tengxiang Guards? The imperial order is in my arms. Please check it, Your Majesty.

"Fourth, what is the prince's main job? In terms of studying, his studies have not been
interrupted. Sometimes he did not go to Wenhua Palace , but it was also approved by the
emperor. If he skipped classes without reason, Li Taifu would be the first to forgive him. But
recently, I have only heard that Taifu praised the prince's academic progress and did not have
any other complaints. If it is said that he has been out of the palace frequently recently, it is
also because he was ordered to do things and investigate cases, let alone not doing his job.
Since the prince has not made any mistakes, I naturally cannot be accused of the crime of
"instigating".

“Fifth, the principle is the same as the first.

"I cannot accept these five false charges!"

The Queen Mother slapped the armrest and stood up suddenly: "How dare you! Who allowed
you to speak to the Queen Mother like that? This is simply treasonous and arrogant!"
Su Yan cupped his hands and said, "I am not being arrogant, but I am arguing with reason. As
the mother of the country, you should convince people with reason and law, rather than force
them. Please allow me to remind you that it is against etiquette for the Queen Mother to
summon foreign ministers privately. I hope the Queen Mother will think twice."

The Queen Mother sneered, "I knew you, a sharp-toothed monkey, would be waiting for me
here. Look at where this place is."

"The Imperial Temple."

"Take another look, what is this being worshipped in the Imperial Temple?"

A guard stepped forward, holding a tray with a blunt cylindrical object that was neither
square nor round. It was golden and looked quite heavy.

Su Yan tilted his head and looked left and right, then answered uncertainly: "The tower...the
tower that Li Tianwang is holding?"

The Queen Mother thought he was being sarcastic and said angrily, "This is the golden mace
left by the late emperor! With this golden mace, you can beat the tyrant emperor and the
slanderous ministers. I will use this mace to beat you today. Is this against etiquette?"

Su Yan's mind buzzed and he thought: I thought the golden mace of the Eighth Wise King
was just made up in the storytelling, but who knew this thing really existed!

No wonder they brought me to the Imperial Ancestral Temple. Beating someone with the
golden mace left by the previous emperor here is not called private punishment, but a
punishment under the pretext of honor. According to the Queen Mother, even if it was the
Emperor or a member of the royal family, she would still beat them if she couldn't bear it.

——Did the late emperor become confused due to illness before his death, so he left the
golden mace to such an unreasonable empress dowager?

Su Yan was speechless, and then he looked at the golden mace. It was thick, hard, and long.
It was simply the most valuable weapon in the world! It was much harder than the wooden
cane used in court. If it was hit by the mace, wouldn't it cause a comminuted fracture?

My life is over! Adulterers... no, brothers... no, anyway, anyone will do - come and protect
me!

Su Yan roared wildly in the depths of his soul, but his body was as fearless as ever. He stood
up, straightened his clothes and hat, and bowed in the direction of the Fengtian Hall in the
northwest, saying solemnly: "I want to borrow a poem - the noble spirit is still in the void,
and the loyal heart shines through the ages."

The Cining Palace guards standing nearby changed color and said silently: He was a civil
servant with integrity and principles, what a pity.

"A Jiang, fuck your mother. A Cong, fuck your mother."

Guard: ...

Guard: Can you take back what you just said?

The Queen Mother covered her chest with her hands, feeling that her heart disease was about
to flare up. The maid next to her immediately helped her sit down, massaged her chest to
relieve her breathing, and brought her water and medicine.

"Please, golden mace." The Queen Mother panted.

"Please give me the golden mace!" the guards shouted in unison.

A muscular man strode forward, took out the golden mace from the plate, and held it tightly
in his hand.

"The criminal must kneel down and receive the mace!"

Su Yan gritted his teeth and said, "I haven't committed a crime, so how can I be called an
'offender'? The Queen Mother's perverse actions have damaged the reputation of the royal
family and the emperor's good name. Today, I, Su Yan, will die here, and tomorrow, all the
civil officials in the court will be in danger, because from now on, there will be no more laws
and rituals. The Queen Mother can decide the life and death of civil officials and military
generals with just one word. What's the use of the emperor?"

Things have come to this point, it is imperative, this Su Yan must die, he must not be spared!
The Queen Mother has made up her mind, and said sternly: "Nine hits of the mace!"

Nine is the extreme number, which means that he must be beaten to death. The guard
immediately raised the golden mace and smashed it down on Su Yan's back.
Chapter 248 Shameless
2023-8-21 11:52 Category: Reincarnation of the powerful ministerTurn off the lights

Su Yan heard the wind behind his head and subconsciously lunged forward, supporting
himself with his hands and doing a standard side roll to avoid the blow from behind.

The guard holding the mace took a moment to speak, a little surprised: just a moment ago,
this Su Shaoqing was reciting poems and standing upright, clearly a mighty and unyielding
hero, how come he resorted to such rough methods the next moment, losing all his civility?

Su Yan didn't care whether he was a gentleman or not. With his small body, a blow from the
mace would break his spine. It would be foolish to grit his teeth and resist. He would dodge
as much as he could.

As the saying goes, the anger of a common man can make blood splash every five steps. If he
is pushed to the edge, he will do anything to the death. The Queen Mother was only a few
steps away from him. He took the old woman hostage without warning and dragged her away
until the rescue came. At worst, he would give up his official position and stay in the Central
Plains. He would pull a sampan across the strait and open up the Ryukyu Islands.

Su Yan got up and rushed to the steps, holding the corner of his robe. The Queen Mother was
still calm, surrounded by three or four palace maids, but Qiong Gu was standing at the bottom
of the steps because she was delivering a message. Seeing this, she thought he was trying to
escape the whipping and shouted loudly: "Hurry up and take him down, or he will offend the
Queen Mother!"

The guards recovered from their shock and rushed towards Su Yan. One of them had long
arms and grabbed his legs and feet and pulled him down. Su Yan rolled down the stairs with
his hands on his head and ran towards the Ji Gate again.

At this moment, the guard holding the mace rushed behind Su Yan, kicked him in the back,
knocked him to the ground, and hit him on the head with the golden mace in his hand.

Su Yan relied on the technical moves he had learned on the court in his previous life to burst
out with speed and strength beyond his imagination at the critical moment of life and death.
Unfortunately, the potential of this body is really limited, and it has almost been exhausted at
this moment.

The kick from Vest was so powerful that it made his heart and lungs vibrate and he spurted
out blood, leaving the stone floor covered with red marks.

The sound of wind filled his ears, but he was powerless to dodge the blow and could only
endure it with his eyes closed in despair.
Suddenly, another whistling sound came from the front, with a sharp sound like a sonic
boom, as if it just passed over his head, making his scalp numb.

Before he could open his eyes, he heard a cry of pain from the guard behind him, followed by
the clanging sound of a golden mace hitting the ground.

Su Yan endured the pain in his chest and breathed rapidly. The blood foam in his mouth
choked into his trachea, and he started coughing violently. While coughing, he stood up
tenaciously, and continued to rush out the door even if he had to roll and crawl - until he
bumped into a solid and warm embrace.

"Qinghe! Qinghe!"

...It's Prince Yu! Su Yan's heartstrings suddenly relaxed when he heard the familiar voice. He
grabbed the other person's collar and wanted to speak, but he opened his mouth and coughed
up blood foam.

When Prince Yu saw the dusty and muddy footprints on the back of the guard's robe, his face
darkened and he raised his leg and kicked the guard holding the mace in the chest, almost
kicking him away.

"Get out of here!" The guards of the Cining Palace shouted in shock and confusion , and
turned around to hand Su Yan over to the guards of the palace who came behind them.

He picked up the golden mace, strode towards the phoenix carriage, saluted hastily, and
asked directly: "What is mother doing? You actually used the golden mace to beat a minister
who has made no mistakes. Are you trying to take advantage of your power to vent your
anger?"

The queen mother's face turned red and white, and she said angrily, "How dare you talk to my
mother like that? Get out of here and go back to your palace!"

Prince Yu refused to give in. "If your mother is angry because the Wei family was convicted,
it was the will of your brother. Why would you vent your anger on an innocent minister who
was acting according to your orders? If this gets out, people will say that the Queen Mother
and the Emperor are at odds. This will not only damage the reputation of the royal family, but
will also make the court officials worried and unsure about whose orders to obey in the
future. I hope your mother will think twice."

The Queen Mother took a deep breath, suppressed the anger in her heart, and slowed down
her voice: "Cheng'er, this matter has nothing to do with the Wei family. The person that the
Queen Mother wants to punish today is a sycophantic minister who flatters the emperor and
deceives the emperor. Su Yan seems to be righteous, but he is actually a rogue. He often
enters and leaves the inner palace at night and has an ambiguous relationship with the
emperor. If he is not removed, he will be a disaster to the emperor and the court sooner or
later!"

Prince Yu frowned in disgust, "Why do you say that, mother! You know, he has been an
official for less than a year, but his achievements are far better than those old men who have
been mediocre for half their lives! With a weak body, he has devoted himself to the cause of
saving the country. He punished treacherous officials and cruel officials, reorganized the
Jinyiwei, founded the Tiangong Academy, repeatedly broke up conspiracies and resolved
diplomatic crises, reformed the horse administration, eradicated evil cults and stabilized the
capital. Such a young pillar, you say he is a treacherous official?"

Su Yan stopped coughing, and the pain in his chest got better. He looked at Prince Yu in
surprise: He knows everything? Not only does he know, but he remembers every detail
clearly.

It turned out that in the eyes of Prince Yu, Su Qinghe was not just a good-looking scholar
who was good at chatting about love and romance. His ambitions, hard work and dedication
were all seen and truly recognized.

The Queen Mother was choked for a moment, and then continued: "You are a prince, how
can you know so much about a mere fourth-rank official, and even protect and praise him like
this? I have heard that you have "confidants" all over the court, and Su Yan is one of them.
Now it seems that the rumors are true... It's really shameless!"

Prince Yu said sternly, "Mother, please do not believe the rumors. There is nothing wrong
between me and Su Shaoqing. We have never been involved in any affair, let alone crossed
the line."

Su Yan: ...

Su Yan: Oh my, so shameless.

The Queen Mother slapped the armrests hard and said, "Get out of the Imperial Temple right
now! Otherwise, I will personally use this golden mace to teach you a lesson!"

Prince Yu lifted the hem of his robe, held the golden mace in his hand, and knelt in front of
the Queen Mother: "Your son is willing to accept your mother's teachings. As for Su Yan, he
can't even withstand a kick from the guards, let alone the golden mace. If your mother insists
on killing him, don't blame your son for being unfilial and disobeying orders!"

The Queen Mother was so angry that her head hurt. She gritted her teeth and said, "You have
always done what you want, but today you have no say. Someone, send Prince Yu to the
central hall and let him kneel before the late emperor's tablet!"
Prince Yu smiled and said, "I am willing to kneel and be beaten, but I must let the palace
guards take Su Yan away before I leave. I'm sorry, mother."

The Queen Mother was so angry at her bastard son that her eyes went dark. She snatched the
golden mace and hit Prince Yu on the shoulder. Prince Yu took the blow without changing
his expression, but smiled despite the pain: "Your Majesty, you have taught me a good
lesson. I have changed my ways and will no longer hang out with officials. I also ask your
Majesty to be a role model for you, be fair and just, and stop the gossips of the world."

Although the mace didn't hit him, Su Yan felt as if he had felt the same pain and gasped in
pain.

"This matter has nothing to do with His Royal Highness Prince Yu. The Queen Mother wants
to punish me—" He tried to step forward, but Prince Yu turned his head and glared at him,
and the guards of the palace immediately dragged him back.

Seeing that Prince Yu was determined to protect Su Yan, the Queen Mother wanted to hit
him again but couldn't bring herself to do it, so she put down her golden mace and slapped
Prince Yu hard.

Seeing the Queen Mother's red eyes and trembling lips, she looked extremely sad,
embarrassed and angry, and hurriedly shouted to the audience: "You palace guards are all
thinking of rebellion! Should we obey the Queen Mother's decree or the order of Prince Yu?
You can't figure it out?"

The palace guards looked at Prince Yu, hesitant.

But a sharp and bright voice came: "Then Aunt Qiong, why don't you tell me first, are you
going to obey the Queen Mother's decree or the Emperor's decree?"

Lan Xi's voice... The Emperor is coming?! Su Yan turned around and saw Emperor Jinglong,
accompanied by a group of eunuchs and Jinyiwei, quickly walking in from the Jimen Gate.

The emperor did not ride in a sedan chair. Perhaps he came on horseback from the palace.
His usually calm and elegant gait seemed unusually hurried.

When he passed by Su Yan, he just took a quick glance, frowned slightly when he saw the
bloodstains on Su Yan's collar, and walked away.

"May your Majesty be well." The emperor went up the stairs alone and saluted to the empress
dowager.

The Queen Mother took a deep breath and said, "The Emperor is here to blame me too?"
"I dare not. I have something to report to you, mother." The emperor gestured to the side hall
behind her, "Please follow me into the palace to discuss in detail."

The Queen Mother could teach Prince Yu a lesson in front of everyone, but she didn't want to
conflict with the Emperor, so she stood up from the couch and walked towards the palace
door with the help of Aunt Qiong.

The palace door closed behind the two of them, blocking the mother and son who were
having a private conversation from the twilight.

Prince Yu took the opportunity to stand up, hurried down the steps and walked to Su Yan's
side, asking with concern: "Are you seriously injured? Where does it still hurt?"

Su Yan's chest had improved a lot from the sharp pain like a hammer just now to the dull pain
that made him want to vomit. He forced a smile and said, "Not bad."

Prince Yu looked around and saw two imperial doctors hiding quietly in the corridor as if
they were afraid of getting into trouble, so he called them over to treat the patient.

Being named by the prince, the two imperial doctors had no choice but to come over and
examine Su Yan again.

"This time he really suffered internal injuries." One of the doctors said helplessly, "The kick
on the back caused the internal organs to vibrate, and the agitation of the heart caused him to
cough up blood."

Seeing Prince Yu's face suddenly change, he quickly added: "Fortunately, the injury is not
serious. Let the two of us discuss and prescribe a prescription to disperse the blood stasis and
nourish the internal organs. He will recover slowly in a few days."

The imperial physician went to write a prescription. Prince Yu asked someone to bring
a chair and let Su Yan sit down to catch his breath.

Su Yan rinsed off the bloody taste in his mouth and drank some hot tea. He felt much better
and asked, "How did the prince get the news and rush over?"

Prince Yu said, "Thank goodness your servants are clever. They guessed that the queen
mother had bad intentions in summoning them. As soon as you left, they went out to find
someone for help."

Shen Qi hadn't returned yet, so they didn't dare to go to the palace. The only person they
could look for was Prince Yu. Moreover, the Chengqingfang where the prince's mansion was
located was relatively close to Huanghuafang where they lived. Su Xiaobei had once been
ordered by him to deliver blood-replenishing herbs (for women with constant vaginal
discharge) to Prince Yu's mansion, and she was familiar with the gatekeeper, so she quickly
contacted Prince Yu.

Prince Yu rode his horse at full speed to the Taimiao, just in time to see Su Yan being kicked
down. In a panic, he threw the whip infused with true energy and knocked the golden mace
out of the hands of the executioner.

Su Yan was very grateful: "Fortunately, Your Majesty arrived in time and rescued me,
otherwise I would have died here today."

Prince Yu sighed, "I didn't expect that Mother... Never mind, there is no point in saying more,
let's see how my brother handles it."

In the side hall, the emperor personally helped the empress dowager to sit down.

After the Queen Mother sat down, she brushed his hand away and said coldly, "Tell me, do
you want to plead for Su Twelve, or do you want to learn from your brother and disobey
me?"

"Your Majesty, your words are too kind. I asked you to come into the palace not because of
Su Yan, but for another matter." The emperor took out a roll of silk paper from his arms and
handed it over, "Please take a look at it, Your Majesty."

The Queen Mother took it with some doubts. As soon as she unfolded the paper, a string of
flying phoenix necklaces fell from the middle of the paper roll. Judging from the length of
this necklace, it is a personal ornament for women to hold down the width of their skirts;
judging from the style, it can only be worn by concubines in the harem. The more the Queen
Mother looked at it, the more familiar it seemed. Suddenly, she remembered: "I remember
that on Wei Lan's birthday, the Western Regions just happened to pay tribute to a batch of
necklace jewelry. She liked phoenixes, so she picked this one herself. What does the emperor
mean by this?"

Emperor Jinglong motioned for her to continue reading the paper: "These two items were
both found in the bedroom of Mr. Zhenkong Jiaohe, a retainer of the Xian'an Marquis's
residence."

When the Queen Mother saw it, she was at first bewildered, then shocked, and finally furious.

She crumpled the drawing into a ball and threw it on the ground, her face ashen and her lips
trembling.

The emperor stroked her back and advised, "Mother, calm down and take care of yourself."
The Queen Mother's bright red lips twitched uncontrollably, twisting into tragic arcs several
times, but she was unable to utter a word.

After a long while, she slumped back on the chair and sighed in pain: "This bitch... I treated
her so well, but she used a knife to cut my flesh and rip out my heart!"

"Wei Shi lost her chastity and morality. After I was angry, my heart was as cold as ice. I don't
want to see her again. If it weren't for Zhao Er's sake—"

The Queen Mother suddenly grabbed the back of the Emperor's hand, somewhat horrified:
"Zhao'er wouldn't..." She shook her head repeatedly, "It shouldn't be that way, it shouldn't be
that way."

The emperor said, "I wanted to announce her crime to the world, but I was concerned about
Zhao'er and was afraid that he would be gossiped about in the future, so I kept it to myself. I
ordered Su Yan to search the two marquisates of the Wei family, and they indeed captured
the leader of the Seven Killings Camp and Mr. He. The leader of the Seven Killings Camp
was trapped by Prince Yu, and failed to break out, so he committed suicide out of fear of
crime. Mr. He was taken to a prisoner car and then kidnapped by his followers. The Jinyiwei
are now chasing him."

The Queen Mother took a breath and said, "Last night was so dangerous? With so many
guards, why did Cheng'er have to do it himself? What if he got hurt?"

“The Prince of Yu is a man of great skill and courage. On the contrary, Su Yan, a scholar
who is barely able to even tie a chicken, dared to lead the troops to fight the enemy and
command them with such confidence, which surprised me a lot.” The emperor said
“surprised” but he was smiling slightly in his heart.

When the Queen Mother heard the Emperor mention Su Yan, her anger was still boiling, but
compared to the fact that Concubine Wei had committed adultery, her anger had obviously
been diluted. Her face turned pale and blue, and finally she gritted her teeth and said, "Grant
Wei Lan death. Wei Yan and Wei Jun failed to teach their daughter well and invited a wolf
into the house. They should be imprisoned!"

Until now, all the Queen Mother's anger was due to Concubine Wei's adultery and infidelity,
and the punishment of the Wei family was also for this reason, without mentioning the evil
deeds of the Wei family that harmed the country and the people. The emperor realized this
and felt even colder in his heart. He said lightly: "Zhao'er is not even one year old yet."

The Queen Mother considered it and changed her mind: "Then send her to the cold palace
first."
The emperor nodded and said, "The Yongning Palace will be sealed from now on. Zhao'er
will be sent to Concubine Shu first, and she will take care of him."

The Queen Mother wanted to take her beloved grandson back to the Cining Palace , but she
felt a little uncomfortable when she thought of the crime committed by his biological mother.
In the end, she kept silent, which was considered as her tacit consent.

The emperor sighed and said, "If this matter gets out, I will lose face."

The Queen Mother said sympathetically, "Just say that Wei was deposed from the position of
Imperial Concubine because she disobeyed the Emperor's will and bullied the concubines."

"As for how to deal with Wei Yan and Wei Jun... it is of great importance, so let's discuss it
later." She sighed deeply, as if she had aged ten years in a moment, revealing a bit of
loneliness and fatigue under her gorgeous makeup.

The emperor saw that the time was almost right and said, "Su Yan is a man of great
intelligence and courage. I am now in a position to use him, so I would like to ask my mother
for a favor."

The Queen Mother was greatly shocked and waved her hands tiredly: "I am too lazy to kill
him, but he spoke rudely to me, so he should be punished. Send him out of the capital and
appoint him to a minor official position in a remote place. Don't show up in front of me
again."

The emperor was silent for a moment, then said, "I will send him away, mother, rest assured."

The Queen Mother stood up, opened the palace door with the Emperor and walked out,
telling Aunt Qiong: "Return to the Cining Palace ."

Aunt Qiong looked at her in surprise and immediately lowered her eyes and said yes.

Based on her understanding of the empress dowager, she had a clear distinction between love
and hate, always acted based on her likes and dislikes, was stubborn and strong-willed, and
once she made up her mind, it was difficult for her to change her mind. It was really
unbelievable that she actually let Su Yan, who had completely angered her, go.

But she had been in the palace for many years and knew that talking too much would bring
disaster, so she just silently helped the empress dowager to board the phoenix chariot and left
the Taimiao under the escort of the guards.

Prince Yu came up to the emperor and asked, "What did my brother say? Why did my mother
suddenly stop talking?"
The emperor glanced at him and said: "He said he poisoned you. As long as he lives, you will
have the antidote to prolong your life."

Prince Yu: ...

It's really shocking that the emperor can tell jokes!

Prince Yu: "It is better to say that she is pregnant with my brother's child. Please, mother, for
the sake of your unborn grandson..."

The emperor gritted his teeth secretly, grabbed Prince Yu's neck, and pushed him down the
stairs: "Get out!"

Prince Yu was very agile, so he naturally didn't fall down after a few steps. Instead, Su Yan
was startled, thinking that he was deliberately provoking the emperor out of hatred again. He
hurriedly went up to him and saluted, saying, "Your Majesty, please be lenient and pardon
my crime of disrespecting the Queen Mother. I am very grateful."

The emperor lowered his head and looked at him for a long time. His expression was calm,
but his eyes were like a lake under the moon, flashing with a rich and unspeakable light. At
the end, he only said: "Go back and recuperate." Then he returned to the palace.

Su Yan was still wondering what secrets were hidden in the emperor's seemingly cold
attitude.

Prince Yu took the opportunity to put his arm around his shoulders, half supporting and half
hugging him as they walked out of the Imperial Ancestral Temple. As they walked, he asked,
"I haven't seen my mother so angry in many years. What disrespectful words did you say? Let
me hear them, too."

Su Yan rolled her eyes at him and said, "I thought I was going to die soon, so I didn't dare to
say anything. But you, you are also gossiping, are you a biological child?"

"Of course. My own child doesn't matter to me... Ha! You wouldn't..." Prince Yu showed a
look of surprise and admiration, "replying to my letter? Did you really say that?"

Su Yan kept a straight face and said nothing.

Prince Yu laughed softly, "That's right. Every time I offend you, you curse my parents.
You're really fierce."
Su Yan felt a little embarrassed and said stubbornly, "That's not called being shrewd, that's
called being true to one's nature."

Prince Yu leaned close to his ear and whispered, "I don't mind. The more you scold me in
bed, the more excited I am. Do you want to try again?"

Su Yan: ...

I felt offended, but it seemed to be just a teasing between friends, and it was hard to
determine whether it was sexual harassment.

Su Yan: "Get lost!

Chapter 249 Don’t Leave Tonight
2023-8-21 11:52 Category: Reincarnation of the powerful ministerTurn off the lights

Lord Su's lies became reality, and this time he was really injured. Not only was there a large
bruise on his back in the shape of a footprint, but he also had a dull pain in his chest, and
every breath seemed to pull at his lungs, and he couldn't even speak.

After Prince Yu helped him into the carriage, he sat in too.

Su Yan said: "The imperial physician said that the injury is not serious and a few doses of
medicine will be fine. Your Majesty does not need to escort me personally. I can go back by
myself."

Prince Yu was far from reassured and insisted on sending the person to the bed in the
bedroom before he would let go.

"I don't know how my brother persuaded my mother, but it seems that he has let you go for
now. If he causes trouble for you again in the future...why don't you stay in my palace for a
while?"

Su Yan shook his head: "It's not right, and it's just a waste of time. Whether it's saying that
I'm trying to curry favor with the royal family or that the prince is trying to win over the court
officials, it's not good."

The Prince of Yu's brain suddenly twisted, and he wanted to say, "It would be legitimate for
you to become the Princess of Yu", but he was worried that he would anger Censor Su, who
was very clear about distinguishing between public and private matters (only in front of him),
so he swallowed his words back.

"You don't have to be so nervous. I saw that the Queen Mother was angry before she left, but
she didn't seem to be targeting me. I think the Emperor convinced her with some reason." Su
Yan smiled, "Besides, if I worry about being punished by the Queen Mother every day, then
why should I be an official? I should just resign and go back home."

Prince Yu liked his carefree attitude, so he smiled and said, "Okay, just keep it in mind. I'll
leave a group of guards in your house. If anything happens, they can help me out and let me
know in time."

Considering that the injured needed more rest, Prince Yu did not bother him any more. After
giving him a few words of advice, he stood up and said goodbye.

Su Yan politely saw the guest off in front of the bed.

Prince Yu walked to the door, raised his eyebrows as if on a whim, then turned back, leaned
over and said, "This prince has saved your life again."

Was this a gesture of favor or a bid for credit? Su Yan curled his lips secretly, but after all, he
was saved by him, so he bowed and replied: "Thank you for saving my life, Your Majesty.
Whatever orders you have, as long as it is reasonable, I will obey you."

Prince Yu thought for a moment and said, "Awu misses you. Can you come to the palace to
visit him when you have time? Bring him some candied figurines and candied haws. He likes
those."

Su Yan suspected that little Awu had never remembered him at all. After all, they had only
been together for such a short time, how could a child remember someone? His unscrupulous
father was just using him as an excuse.

——You want to trick me into being your free babysitter again! But I had already said it, so I
had to agree: "When I have some free time, I will go visit the young master."

Prince Yu smiled with satisfaction, casually pulled out a sweat towel tucked under Su Yan's
pillow, put it in his arms and left.

Su Yan stared at his back: Did you take my two handkerchiefs? How can a prince always do
such ungentlemanly things?

Forget it, it’s just a handkerchief, he is too lazy to care about it.

Not long after, Su Xiaobei came in and reported, "Sir, Shen Tongzhi led his team back to the
city. I heard that they did not catch Mr. He who escaped."

Su Yan said: "It's fine as long as you come back safely. If you didn't catch him, then you
didn't catch him. Where is he?"

Su Xiaobei: "I went to the Northern Pacification Office."

Su Yan pondered and suddenly slapped the bed: "He must be feeling guilty! Otherwise, he
would definitely come to see me first. Xiaobei, run a trip for me and tell him... The emperor
ordered me to reprimand him for his poor performance and ask him to come over
immediately to be scolded."

Su Xiaobei concealed her smile and walked away.

The more Su Yan thought about it, the more uncomfortable he felt. Suddenly, he recalled an
old story - in Linhua Pavilion, Ruan Hongjiao once said that Changchun Courtyard was
spreading rumors about Shen Qi.

What kind of gossip could be used by a prostitute in a men's brothel to gossip about? It also
concerns reputation. He had wanted to find out the inside story for a long time, but he was
busy dealing with the bombing case at the time, and then one official business after another
came, so he put it aside.

Now that the suspicion had been revealed, Su Yan decided to go all out and called Xiao Jing
in, telling him to find a way to go to Changchun Courtyard to find out.

Su Xiaojing might not be reliable in other things, but he is more enthusiastic than anyone else
in this kind of gossip-finding work, and he patted his chest and promised that he would get
everything clearly.

After the two servants left, Su Yan thought about many things, including the Wei family and
the Queen Mother, the Emperor and the young master, the "chess player" who was hiding his
head and showing his tail, and the chess game that had not yet been finished. He also thought
about Ruan Hongjiao who was injured last night. He didn't know how serious the injury was.
He planned to go to Mr. Yingxu's medical hut to visit him tomorrow when he could move a
little.

At dusk, Shen Qi came, carrying a bag of Pinellia fruits.

He sat in front of the bed, carefully peeling the fruit with a knife, lowering his head and eyes
as if he was an honest young man from a good family. After peeling, he used the tip of the
knife to poke the flesh of the right size and brought it to Su Yan's mouth.

Su Yan turned his face away a little, didn't answer, stared at Shen Qi and asked: "How is
Captain Shi?"

"After the effect of the drug wore off, the man was awake and fine, but he didn't see anyone
coming to rob the prison van. The same went for the other Ti riders." Shen Qi patiently held
up the fruit pulp and waited for him to open his mouth.

Su Yan hesitated for a moment and said, "Fortunately, the remnants of the Zhenkong Sect
still have some conscience and only hijacked the prisoner van without harming the Jinyiwei
escorting it. Otherwise, Captain Shi and his men would be in danger of their lives."

Shen Qi's hand stopped in mid-air, staring at Su Yan, her expression somewhat gloomy: "If
you have any doubts, just ask directly. My husband has given you his heart, what else do you
need to tell him the truth? Why do we have to be so indirect?"
After hearing what he said, Su Yan felt guilty. He opened his mouth, took a piece of the fruit
flesh, and chewed it carefully.

The taste is much blander than later apples, only slightly sweet, but the aroma is quite unique.

After Su Yan finished eating, Shen Qi cut another slice, and this time used the tip of the knife
to cut a sharp arrow shape on the outer layer of the flesh, like two long pointed ears, and
pulled it up to become a little rabbit. He picked it up with the tip of the knife and brought it to
the other person's mouth again.

The rabbit pinellia fruit looks a bit cute, but its belly is pierced by a sharp blade, which is a
mixture of gentleness and brutality.

Su Yan sighed silently, opened his mouth and ate, then asked directly: "The remnants of the
Vacuum Cult hate the Jinyiwei to the core, how can they have any conscience? When robbing
the prisoner car, why did they leave Shi Qianhu and others alive? Aren't they afraid that they
would wake up early and ruin the whole thing?"

"Good question." Shen Qi said: "If it were me, I would finish off each person one by one
before I could save them at ease - unless there is no time left."

Su Yan pondered. Shen Qi continued, "I am leading the team to clear the way. We are not far
from the team escorting the prisoner van. We may turn back to check at any time. In this
case, the other party will naturally want to make a quick decision . We should quickly open
the prisoner van and move out of the city immediately after picking up Mr. He. There is no
time to waste on killing people."

——This speculation is reasonable. Su Yan nodded silently and asked again: "The prisoner
car for serious criminals was specially made by the Northern Pacification Bureau. From the
door locks to the shackles, everything is made of iron. How did they open the chains?"

Shen Qi said: "I checked the chain, and found many small gaps caused by hacking, which
means that the people who hijacked the prisoner car used brute force at the beginning, but it
didn't work. But the lock was still opened. I checked the keyhole and found small traces of
scratches by sharp objects, which means that there are masters of picking locks among them.
There are also masters in the Jinyiwei who are good at opening various locks. After showing
the lock to him, my speculation was confirmed."

Su Yan felt that this speculation was reasonable, so he nodded and said, "I'll ask you once
first, and then the emperor will interrogate you later to avoid you being hasty in your words.
Of course, if your explanation can't even convince me, the emperor will not believe it either."

Shen Qi paused and started cutting the rabbit's ears again: "Then do you believe me?"
Su Yan smiled: "If I don't even trust you, who else can I trust in this world?"

"...If you don't like to eat Pinellia fruit, don't force yourself." Shen Qi put down the fruit pulp,
wiped her hands with a cotton towel, wiped the blade again, and put it back to her waist.

"Who said that? I love it." Su Yan went to get the remaining half of the fruit flesh.

Shen Qi took the lead and stuffed the fruit flesh into his mouth. He gnawed it in a few bites
until only the core was left. He threw the core into the empty plate and said, "The fruits you
like to eat are either very sweet, very sour, or have a special flavor. You don't like this
tasteless fruit."

Su Yan held his hand, feeling a little sad: "Qilang, if you like someone, you can't help but
love what they love and hate what they hate. This is human nature. You have to give me a
chance to like it."

Shen Qi's fingers rubbed his palm, and said in a deep voice: "I just want you to follow your
heart, without any reluctance, even for me. I often eat Pinellia fruit, which is something I did
after I met you. It's not because I like its bland taste, but because of its name."

Pinellia fruit, acacia fruit. How can it be bland when an inch of acacia has thousands of
flavors?

Su Yan couldn't help but feel his eyes moist. He felt Shen Qi's fingertips slowly drawing a
familiar pattern in his palm - the heart shape he drew on Shen Qi's palm when he said
goodbye to her on the night of the Lantern Festival - now it was sent back exactly as it was,
and it also bloomed in his palm.

After Shen Qi finished drawing, she rolled up his fingers, grasped the heart, and said: "My
heart is still the same as yours - is this 'heart' the same as that heart?"

Su Yan stretched out his arms to hug him, choking with sobs: "Yes. Qilang, I shouldn't... I..."

Shen Qi responded with a tighter hug, and said softly: "No need to say it, I know. If you don't
even doubt this, then you are not the clear-headed and ambitious Su Qinghe I know."

Su Yan felt guilty and touched. He stroked his ravine-covered back and said in a gentle voice
with a hint of eagerness: "Don't leave tonight."

Shen Qi was aroused by this unprecedented active invitation. She kissed him deeply with her
lips and tongue intertwined, took off his clothes, and pressed him on the quilt.
After kissing for a while, Su Yan couldn't help wanting to cough. Shen Qi took a deep breath,
suppressed the heat in her heart, turned him over to lie prone, and checked the large dark
purple bruise on his vest.

"I heard that it was done by the guards of Cining Palace ." Shen Qi tried her best to calm her
breathing, took out a bottle of ointment from her bosom, applied it on the bruises, and rubbed
it gently with the base of her palm, "Today's Imperial Temple was really dangerous, and for
the first time I felt grateful to Prince Yu."

"...And the emperor," Su Yan said sullenly, "The emperor seems to be indifferent on the
surface, but if he had no intention of saving me, why would he rush here from the palace? He
has to save me, take into account the mother-son relationship with the empress dowager, and
take into account the reaction of the court. It's really difficult for him."

Shen Qi's hands paused for a moment, but she quickly continued to rub.

"I know that the emperor has always been on guard against you. Suspicion is a common
problem among emperors, and he is no exception. Especially since you and he have different
personalities, it is even more disadvantageous to you. But I will do my best to mediate and
make the emperor trust you and use you. Even if he is still wary of you, at least for some kind
of balance, he will no longer suppress you."

"I'm very happy that you have the heart to protect me." Shen Qi said, and couldn't help but
lower her head to peck his naked neck.

Su Yan felt that something was wrong, but at this moment, the tenderness and warmth
engulfed everything. He turned his head back and kissed Shen Qi.

Before Shen Qi left, she left two Pinellia fruits beside his pillow and said, "The ointment is a
bit spicy, maybe you will fall asleep better if you smell the fruity scent."

Su Yan had trouble falling asleep because of the chest pain, and after tossing and turning for
a long time, he finally fell asleep.

He seemed to have had a dream that was binding and difficult to escape from, but after
waking up, he had forgotten the content of the dream and felt a sense of emptiness.

After sitting at the head of the bed for a long time, he thought that he should first write an
"Impeachment of Wei's Twelve Crimes", organize the impeachment made at the court
meeting into text, and formally submit it to the emperor.
This memorial not only included all the crimes exposed by the Wei family, but also the trial
results of related cases, as well as a call to the court to "eliminate corruption and treachery,
and rectify the rules and regulations."

He knew that once this memorial was published in the official gazette and announced to the
world, the shocking waves it would cause would far exceed the one when Feng Qu'e was
toppled.

There is no way to dodge the thunder and lightning or the flashing swords and sabers.

From now on, he will truly stand at the forefront of the court, facing the attention of allies and
political enemies, relatives and enemies, people who understand and those who don't.

He wanted to stand there firmly, protect those who should be protected, fight against those
who should be fought against, repay those who should be rewarded, and finally achieve the
prosperous country in his mind.
Chapter 250 I'll Accompany You to the End
2023-8-21 11:53 Category: Reincarnation of the powerful ministerTurn off the lights

"Where is Zhao'er? Have you seen Zhao'er?" Concubine Wei woke up from a coma, with her
hair uncombed and face unwashed, and a pair of swollen walnut eyes. She just grabbed the
serving maid and asked for her son.

The maid said anxiously, "Your Majesty forgot that the Second Prince is in the Queen
Mother's Palace and has not returned yet..."

"——Go and bring Zhao'er back! Go!" Concubine Wei pushed her hard.

The maid crawled on the ground and pleaded guilty. Concubine Wei was so angry that she
kicked her. The maid didn't dare to move even when she was beaten. She just kept saying in a
terrified tone: "Your Majesty, please forgive me!"

"Okay, okay, since none of you are going, I will go alone!" In anger, Concubine Wei lifted
her skirt and ran straight to the palace gate, only to see several unfamiliar guards closing the
gate of Yongning Palace and putting on a heavy lock.

Concubine Wei was horrified and shouted: "What are you doing, you dogs and slaves!"

The guard said coldly, "In compliance with the imperial decree, the gates are closed and the
palace is shut down. The Emperor has ordered the Madam to cultivate herself and cultivate
her character. She does not need to leave this gate again, and does not need to worry about
the Second Prince."

"This...are they going to banish me to the cold palace? I don't believe it. The emperor won't
do this to me. I don't believe it!" Concubine Wei screamed and pulled the door open with all
her strength. "I want to see the emperor! Let me out!"

"The Emperor will not see the Empress again. Please let go, to avoid accidental injury."

Concubine Wei looked at the guard's stone-carved face and burst into tears. "The emperor
won't see me, but you can at least let me see Zhao'er? He's my own son! I went through ten
months of hardship and almost lost my life during childbirth to get him! Give Zhao'er back to
me, give him back to me!"

The guards pushed her away expressionlessly and continued to close the door. One of the
guards muttered, "Who isn't born after ten months of pregnancy? When you casually
executed the palace maids who made mistakes, you didn't seem to feel sorry for other
people's children."
Another guard leader glanced at him and said, "Stop talking nonsense."

Concubine Wei was shocked, angry, and heartbroken. She was desperate to the extreme. She
threw away all the etiquette she had learned to enter the palace, and sat down on the doorstep,
slapping her thighs while crying and cursing, tears streaming down her face: "My dear
mother, were you blind or heartless to send me to the palace so that I could suffer this old
punishment! Not only do I suffer the cold shoulder on weekdays, but now I am blocked by
people even when I go out... Zhao'er is the only one I have left to look forward to, and you
want to take him away. I won't live anymore..."

“…Stop howling!” The leader turned around and shouted to the other guards, “Send the
queen back quickly!”

Two guards immediately stepped forward, held Concubine Wei's arms, one on the left and
one on the right, and dragged her into the door.

Concubine Wei was struggling to fight when she heard the guard holding her say in a low and
cold voice: "Didn't you burn the only hope left by others? It's just karma, who can you
blame?"

Concubine Wei was stunned. She scratched him hard with her nails and gritted her teeth, "It's
the prince, isn't it? It's all that little bastard who's doing this behind my back... I want to see
the Queen Mother! Let go!"

The guard threw her to the ground in the courtyard and sneered, "My master asked me to tell
you a message - live well, there is a long way to go."

The palace gate slammed shut. Concubine Wei sat motionless, her expression dull.

The rattling sound of the iron chain outside the door suddenly woke her up from her trance.
She wiped her tears with her sleeve, gritted her teeth, and a sharp light of hatred flashed from
her two dark pupils: "Let's see who has a longer life!"

In the Cining Palace, the first thing the Queen Mother did after returning from the Taimiao
was to order the palace maid to bring the Second Prince over.

Zhu Hezhao was usually very doted on by the empress dowager. As soon as he saw her, he
stretched out his hands and acted coquettishly: "Grandma, hug me, hug me!"

The empress dowager took a step back silently, slowly half-knelt down, and looked at her
little grandson carefully. The sharp scrutiny in her eyes was frightening.
Zhu Hezhao tried to hug her neck, but she stopped him by holding her head and face with
both hands. She held Zhu Hezhao's little face like this, and her sharp eyes swept across his
eyebrows, eyes, mouth and nose one by one. After a long while, she breathed a sigh of relief
and whispered, "Resemblance."

The Queen Mother let go and stood up. Zhu Hezhao vaguely felt wronged, and he hugged the
Queen Mother's legs and cried. The Queen Mother was no longer in the mood to hug him,
and ordered the palace maid: "Coax him well. Also, tell the Emperor that Zhao'er should be
raised in the Cining Palace. The Concubine Shu has her own two daughters, and they will be
arranged to marry in a few years, so she is too busy to take care of them."

The palace maid obeyed the order and took the second prince away.

The Queen Mother sat back on the Arhat couch, letting Aunt Qiong massage her neck and
shoulders, and sighed heavily, "You are not good enough!"

Aunt Qiong thought about some rumors she had heard from the previous dynasty and asked
softly, "The Queen Mother...really won't save the Wei family?"

The Queen Mother leaned against the cushion, her eyes slightly closed: "How to save him?
The enemy has the evidence, and they have captured the criminal at the doorstep - how do
you save him!"

Aunt Qiong thought for a moment and suggested, "How about removing the fuel from under
the cauldron?"

The Queen Mother knew she was talking about Su Yan.

This boy is young, but he is very good at making trouble. He is not a law-abiding minister...
Unfortunately, the emperor dotes on him too much. If you insist on dealing with him, it will
be a head-on confrontation with the emperor, which is an unwise move.

It’s better to drive the person away as far as possible, out of sight, out of mind.

The Queen Mother waved her hand without commenting.

Qiong Gu asked again: "Has the Queen Mother ever considered changing the person she
supports?"

The Queen Mother sighed, "Among all the civil and military officials in the court, only the
Wei family has a natural advantage over me. They are not only my sister's husband's family,
but also the second prince's mother's family. For so many years, the Wei family has obeyed
my orders. After all, they are also aiming to make Zhao'er the crown prince. As long as
Zhao'er is the lifeline, the Wei family will never betray me. Those other ministers say that
they are willing to serve the Queen Mother at all costs, but how can they be so loyal and
reliable?"

"From what I have seen, Lord Jiao and Lord Wang among the elders are also loyal to the
Queen Mother."

It's about the second assistant Jiao Yang and Wang Qianhe.

"They?" The Queen Mother sneered, "Li Chengfeng is getting older, and the position of
Prime Minister will be vacant sooner or later. Their goal is this position. Since they are not
valued by the Emperor, they come to me to find another way. How can I not know what they
are thinking!"

Aunt Qiong reminded her: "There are still many old ministers who, although they appear to
be silent on the surface, actually still remember the Queen Mother's old friendship."

"You mean those old guys?" The Queen Mother said with emotion, "When the Emperor first
ascended the throne, some of the powerful officials who had been in power since the previous
Emperor took advantage of his young age and wanted to influence the government. I had no
choice but to personally contact the previous Emperor's old officials and help the Emperor
suppress and clean up those who were not obedient, so that I could gain the right to speak.

"As the past ten years have passed, the emperor's prestige has grown, and his dissatisfaction
and restrictions on me, his mother, have become more obvious. I summoned the master
several times, but he said he was an evil monk. I wanted to promote a few of our own people,
but he said their character and ability were not enough to be officials. He even objected to the
tribute of a few magnolias from various provinces and prefectures to make me happy."

The Queen Mother's tone became heavier as she spoke, and finally she patted the armrest and
questioned the Emperor: "Do you still remember what you said when you came to me the
night before you ascended the throne? You said you didn't want to be alone; you said that
whenever you encountered difficulties and obstacles and wanted to take a step back, you
hoped that there would be a hand firmly on your back, saying to you, 'No matter how rough
the road ahead is, I will accompany you to the end.'

"Over the years, when have I, as your mother, not supported you?

"You wanted to honor the late emperor's temple name, you insisted on not dismissing the
Imperial Guards, you established a new performance evaluation system for officials, and
those old officials came to me to complain because their interests were damaged, but I never
spoke for them. Even when you insisted on making Zhang, whom I disliked very much, your
empress, I finally nodded my head! Tell me yourself, how have I, as your mother, ever let
you down?
“But you, knowing that I have a grudge, knowing that your third brother died miserably,
knowing the results of the divinations by the masters—that Zhang is the reincarnation of Mo,
and that her son is here to take my life and collect debts—yet you still want to make Zhu
Helin the crown prince!

"You have few children. I tolerated your having only one prince in the past fourteen years.
Now that you have Zhao'er, there will be more princes in the future. But you refused to listen
to my advice and insisted on setting your eyes on this ugly boy!"

The Queen Mother took a long breath, still unable to calm down her excitement, and said
angrily: "At worst, Ah Wu is more suitable than him!"

Aunt Qiong was surprised and said, "Queen Mother, that is the prince's son, not the legitimate
son."

The Queen Mother sneered: "If I had pushed Cheng'er to be the emperor, wouldn't it be the
legitimate heir? What's the difference between the eldest son and the youngest son? The one
who is filial to me as a mother is my good son!"

——The Queen Mother said this in anger. Aunt Qiong knew it in her heart, but it was not
good to persuade her when she was angry, so she could only say: "Although the Emperor is
not as good at making the Queen Mother happy as His Royal Highness Prince Yu, he is also
very filial. The Queen Mother forgot that once you had a severe cold, the Emperor endured
the headache and stayed by your bedside all night, tasting every bowl of soup and medicine
before offering it to the Queen Mother."

The Queen Mother was silent for a moment, and seemed to be touched. Finally, she said, "He
wants to treat me as a clay sculpture and put me there. Clay sculptures cannot speak or
interfere, but I am unwilling to be the most noble clay sculpture in the world."

Su Yan handed the impeachment memorial he had written to the censor Chu Qiu who came
to visit him, and asked him to help submit it to the court.

Chu Qiu was deeply moved and said, "You have entrusted me with such an important matter,
and I will not betray your trust. Morality comes first, and I will punish evildoers for the
country and the people, even if I die."

This is the true character of a censor! Su Yan responded: "Please, Brother Lingchuan."

Not to mention how Chu Qiu, along with a group of censors from the Censorate, bombarded
the Wei family at the court meeting the next day, and also insisted on printing this memorial
in the official newspaper and distributing it throughout the country;
Nor does it mention that the "anti-Wei faction" united under the banner of Su Twelve, and
that the east wind gradually overwhelmed the west wind in the court.

Just talking about the imperial prison of the Northern Pacification Division, a prison visitor
came in late at night.

The jailer shouted, "The cells ahead are for important prisoners, visitors are not allowed in!"

The visitor lifted the hood of his cloak, revealing a head full of pearls and jade and a face that
resembled the empress dowager: "I am Madam Qin."

Everyone in the capital knew that Madam Qin was the Empress Dowager's dearest sister.
Even her maiden name "Qin" was retained with the Empress Dowager's special approval, so
she was no longer called "Madam Wei" after she got married. The Empress Dowager said
that Madam Qin had made great contributions to the late emperor.

It so happened that the previous emperor was given the title of "King of Qin" before he
ascended the throne, so the surname "Qin" became particularly honorable, and Madam Qin
was proud of it.

At this time, the "seriously ill mother" mentioned by Concubine Wei, although her face was a
little pale and haggard, had no obvious signs of illness. She came to the Jinyiwei prison alone
with a food box, which was dark from view.

In front of the jailer, Madam Qin showed the badge bestowed upon her by the Queen Mother.

"I won't make things difficult for you. I just want to visit your husband and uncle. This is
human nature, and even His Majesty will understand and agree. Please give me some
convenience." She said gently and handed over a large bag of treasure banknotes.

The jailer hesitated for a moment, put the banknotes into his arms, nodded and said, "One
stick of incense time, leave after you finish talking... I need to check your things."

Mrs. Qin agreed and handed him the food box.

After checking, the jailer confirmed that it was just food and wine, with nothing else mixed in
and no poison, so he let her into the cell.

Although her husband's cell was in front, Mrs. Qin went to visit her uncle first.
When Wei Jun, Marquis of Feng'an, saw her, he was very excited and said that the imperial
prison was not a place for human beings to stay. He asked her to plead with the empress
dowager to release him and his brother immediately.

Mrs. Qin ignored the request and said, "Your son is sick."

Wei Jun was the only son of a powerful tyrant in the capital, who was spoiled to the point of
lawlessness. He was shocked when he heard this: "What's wrong? Have you seen a doctor?
What did the doctor say?"

Madam Qin said, "It's no use looking for a doctor. Only your father can cure this disease."

"——I can cure it? What disease is it?"

"If you don't take responsibility for the entire Wei family, he will die of illness."

Wei Jun was stunned for a long while, shocked and angry: "You want me to take the blame
alone? How can I bear such a serious crime alone?!"

"You have to bear it even if you can't!" Madam Qin was unmoved. "If you bear it, your son
will live, and so will the rest of the Wei family. If you don't bear it, everyone will die. What
do you think we should choose?"

"The rest of the Wei family... aren't they just you and your wife?" Wei Jun was so angry that
he started coughing and wheezing loudly.

Madam Qin said, "You only have half your life left anyway, so why not use it to protect your
son and brother and sister-in-law? Don't worry, we will definitely treat your nephew as our
own son from now on. He will never lose a penny of what my nephew has."

After Wei Jun calmed down, he thought about it and couldn't find a second way out. He
asked unwillingly: "Can't the Queen Mother come forward to save the Wei family?"

Madam Qin said proudly: "My meaning is what the Queen Mother means."

Wei Jun was completely at a dead end. For the sake of his son and to ensure that his bloodline
would not be cut off, he finally made up his mind and said, "I'll take it!"

Madam Qin bowed to him and said, "On behalf of my husband and the entire Wei family, I
would like to thank my uncle."
Wei Jun gave a bitter smile that was uglier than crying: "You are doing this for you two."

Mrs. Qin added: "It's also for your son."

Wei Jun panted like a bellows, and waved his finger as if he was waiting to die with his eyes
closed: "Go now. Treat my son well, otherwise I will not let you and your wife go even if I
become a ghost!"

Madam Qin left Wei Jun's cell and went to Wei Yan's place to give him instructions.

The jailer came to urge her. Madam Qin pulled up her hood again, covering her head and
face, and quietly left the prison.

After she left, the jailer touched the bulging bag of silver in his arms. His legs suddenly
began to tremble and shivers spread all over his back that wouldn't go away.

——He thought of his chief officer Shen Tongzhi. He thought about what a tragic end it
would be if his actions today were known by the Seventh Lang of the Destroyer!

He trembled as he tightly grasped the large sum of money in his hand, silently reciting in his
heart: People die for money, birds die for food -

"What did you say?"

Su Yan's internal injuries had improved, and he was strolling slowly around the old peach
tree in the yard when Shen Qi came to see him and told him something he had never
expected.

He was quite surprised: "Wei Jun took all the blame on himself? He is not a man who values
friendship and loyalty. I believe he would never do such a thing as sacrificing himself for the
sake of others. I thought the two brothers would bite each other during the trial and compete
to drag each other into hell."

Shen Qi also agreed with his opinion, but this incident did happen.

"Wei Jun also wrote a very detailed confession, which basically cleared Wei Yan of all
charges. At most, he was accused of failing to manage the household and not disciplining his
children properly. Wei Yan also claimed that he was unaware of the accusations. The two
people's confessions were surprisingly consistent." Shen Qi said.

Su Yan frowned and asked, "Did these two collude with each other?"
"They were detained separately to prevent collusion." Shen Qi said, "The Ministry of Justice,
Jinyiwei, and Metropolitan Procuratorate held a joint trial. After receiving Wei Jun's
confession, the Ministry of Justice immediately reported it, and the entire court knew about
it."

Su Yan pondered for a moment, then shook his head and said, "Someone is trying to protect
the family and doesn't want to see it completely destroyed... What does the emperor mean?"

"No decision was made on the spot. But I heard that the cabinet is drafting an imperial edict -
written by the deputy minister Jiao Yang, and it is ready to be submitted to the emperor for
review."

This "person" who "heard from others" was most likely Shen Qi's spy buried in the cabinet's
writing clerks. Su Yan saw through it but didn't say anything, and asked again: "Where is
Lord Li?"

"Li Chengfeng fell down two days ago and had a minor stroke. Even his speech is not clear."
Shen Qi said.

Su Yan sighed, "The battle for the position of Prime Minister in the cabinet has already
begun."

Shen Qi asked suddenly: "Do you want to fight for it too?"

Su Yan was in a state of heavy emotion, but he still laughed: "Me? Compete for the position
of Prime Minister? Qilang, are you kidding me? How old am I? What qualifications do I have
to compete for a position that is second only to the Prime Minister and above everyone else!"

Shen Qi said firmly: "You will always get older, and you will always have more experience."

Su Yan shook his head: "Let's not talk about those things that have no shadow, let's just talk
about the current situation of Wei Jun. How does the emperor plan to deal with it?"

Shen Qi did not answer, nor could she answer.

After returning to the Northern Pacification Office, he brought out all the jailers who were
guarding the prison that day and interrogated them one by one. He soon caught the jailer who
accepted a large bribe and let Madam Qin in.

The jailer was so frightened before he could make any decision. He just said that Madam Qin
came here on the orders of the Queen Mother and he was just a lowly official and could not
disobey the order.
Shen Qi asked calmly: "Mrs. Qin cut out your tongue on the spot, so that you couldn't even
report the news to me?"

The jailer burst into tears and kowtowed to beg for mercy, saying that he was obsessed with
money and would never do it again.

"Since the tongue is useless, why keep it?" Shen Qi stabbed the torture cone in her hand into
his mouth, and then cut off his hands with the Embroidered Spring Knife, "I will use the
treasure notes you received to make a pair of golden hands, and use them for the rest of your
life."

Chapter 251 Unexpectedly, the Mountain Came to Me

2023-8-21 11:54 Category: Reincarnation of the powerful ministerTurn off the lights

"The imperial edict has come down. It was drafted by the cabinet, and the emperor had the
Imperial Household Department seal it after reading it.

"Feng'an Marquis Wei Jun was guilty of ten unforgivable crimes and should have been
sentenced to death by slicing, but considering his father's meritorious service in protecting the
country, the sentence was changed to immediate execution.

"As the clan leader, Wei Yan, the Marquis of Xian'an, was incompetent in governing his
people and allowed his younger brother and servants to break the law and harm the people.
Considering that he was the second prince's grandfather, he was stripped of his title of
Marquis and demoted to the Earl of Xian'an. He was no longer hereditary and his salary was
reduced by three ranks. His son, Wei Que, the Earl of Changning, was stripped of his title of
Earl and his salary was reduced by two ranks.

"Ninety percent of the manors and fields of the Wei family were taken over by the imperial
court, and all the looted property was returned. The family's wealth was used to compensate
the victims, and the rest was taken over by the state treasury.

"Noble Concubine Wei disobeyed the emperor's will and bullied the harem. She was stripped
of her position as Noble Concubine and demoted to Zhao Concubine. She was ordered to
reflect on her mistakes behind closed doors."

As Su Yan listened, he silently made a blacklist in his mind:

Wei Jun is dead. Goal achieved.

Concubine Wei was demoted, and Concubine Zhao was ranked last among the concubines in
the palace and was locked in the cold palace, where she would probably spend her whole life
in such a miserable state. Goal achieved.
The extra land occupied by the Wei family was confiscated, the private property was returned
to the original owner, and most of the family property was used to compensate the victims
and add to the national treasury. In this regard, we can sing a song: "If you eat my food, spit it
out. If you take my food, give it back to me." The goal was achieved.

Wei Yan didn't die, but was demoted to a one-time earl. His son lost his earldom, and his
grandson will be a commoner in the future. It is probably because of the second prince's sake
- his grandfather is a direct blood relative for three generations, and if he is convicted of a
serious crime, he will be implicated - this is probably what the queen mother insisted on, for
the second prince's future. The goal... is half achieved.

With this calculation, it is still barely acceptable. Of course, if Wei Yan is not killed, it is like
cutting the grass at the root, and it may come back again in the future.

You can't take it lightly, sooner or later you will have to weed out the remaining grass roots.

Su Yan was calculating in his mind, and the Imperial Censor Chu Qiu, who came to report
the good news, was in high spirits: "This campaign has brought down the treacherous
relatives who harmed the country , and my dear brother has made an indelible contribution. I
heard that the "Twelve Memorials to Impeach the Wei Family" has been submitted to the
court newspaper for publication, and my dear brother will soon be famous all over the
world!"

Su Yan sincerely thanked him for his great help. The two exchanged a few more pleasantries,
and Chu Qiu said goodbye and left.

Everyone thought that Su Yan had won a victory in the court, but he himself could not be
happy.

——I am not happy in any way, but I can’t tell. I am just depressed, and there is a big ball of
cotton in my chest. It is not heavy, but it is a mess and I can’t tell it clearly.

Su Yan sighed silently and decided to ask for the job of executioner. He wanted to be the
Black and White Impermanence who sent Wei Jun to his death and offend those who had
been offended long ago to the end.

Ah Zhui, I have avenged your sister... so can you come back to see me and burn some incense
for your sister together? Su Yan stood under the old peach tree in the yard, looking up at the
peach blossoms in full bloom on the branches, his eyes moist.

He blinked, tried to swallow the bitterness, and decided to go to Mr. Yingxu's medical hut to
visit Ruan Hongjiao.
When they arrived at the doctor's room, Chen Shiyu was not there. According to his
apprentice, he had gone out to see patients.

Su Yan put down the gift, walked into the backyard with ease, and entered the big house
where critically ill patients were treated. The medicine boy said that Ruan Hongjiao was in
the last room, and as Su Yan approached the door curtain, he heard voices from inside.

...It’s Gao Shuo.

Gao Shuo spoke for more than ten sentences before Ruan Hongjiao gave a lukewarm reply.

Normally, even a saint would have no interest in talking to such a cold person. But Gao Shuo
took the one-tenth reply as a reward and continued to talk, his usual sharp and capable spy
temperament gone.

Su Yan stood outside the door curtain and listened to a few sentences. He understood three
things:

Ruan Hongjiao knew that her cheek was injured and felt a little heartbroken and frustrated,
but she was not sad or desperate.

She did not resent Gao Shuo for ruining her appearance, but instead felt grateful to him.

At the same time, she felt that Gao Shuo's pity and flattery towards her was a kind of
contempt, just like those men who believed that women should pay attention to their
appearance and that women were born to be cherished and treated with love. It was also a
deep-rooted contempt, so she didn't want to pay much attention to him.

Poor Gao Shuo, a bachelor who didn't know a girl's heart, was like a fool. The more he tried
to show his affection, the more the other party retreated from him.

The road ahead is long and arduous. Keep working hard, Xiao Gao! Su Yan secretly
encouraged Gao Shuo and decided not to disturb their time together. He placed the fruit and
medicinal food together with the note to Ruan Hongjiao at the door and left the house.

As he passed the corner of the yard, he heard two boys pounding medicine chatting casually
under the shade of a tree.

Medicine Boy A was suspicious: "...Is it true? How is it possible! That's the emperor, like a
dragon from heaven. Oh, he came to our medical hut in disguise in the middle of the night
just to chat with Master? You are talking nonsense, and you are talking big."
Medicine Boy B was a little anxious: "It's absolutely true! Look at my eyes, aren't they
bright? That's right, I saw it with my own eyes, and when I brought tea to the room, I heard
the master call him 'Emperor' with my own ears. The emperor also brought two guards, like
the Vajra in the temple, standing on both sides of the door. You can't even look at the guard's
face carefully... Why? There is murderous intent in his eyes. Just one look at you is like a
knife scraping your skin. He must be a top master!"

Medicine Boy A said enviously: "Oh, then he really is the emperor. How lucky are you to be
able to see the emperor so close? The graves of your ancestors should be filled with smoke,
right?"

Medicine Boy B was proud: "One drop is not enough, it will become three flowers gathering
at the top of the head. I even secretly listened to some of their conversation."

Medicine Boy A was curious: "What did you hear? Tell me now!"

"I heard it. By the way, I told you this because you are my best friend. Don't spread it around!
Master has warned us that what happened that night must not be leaked."

"I know. Don't worry. It comes out of your mouth and goes into my ears. There is no third
person involved. Tell me now!"

Since it was about the emperor, Su Yan was very curious, so he hid himself behind a big tree
and stopped to listen carefully.

Who would have thought that the first sentence he heard would be something earth-shattering
—

"The Emperor's headache has worsened. I'm afraid it will affect his vision. He may go
blind..."

The little medicine boy didn't know the seriousness of the matter, and he added to the
fragments of words he overheard that night based on his own imagination. The more he
talked, the more serious it became, as if the emperor had a terminal illness that would keep
him from seeing the sun tomorrow, which made Su Yan so frightened that his soul was
scattered.

Su Yan held onto the tree trunk, but still felt weak on his legs. When he heard the last part,
his vision went dark and he almost fell down.

He took a deep breath and ordered himself to calm down. He must not believe everything he
heard. He had to confirm it with Mr. Yingxu first.
However, after waiting in the doctor's room for another half an hour, Chen Shiyu still did not
come back. Su Yan could not wait any longer, and decided to go to the palace to meet the
emperor and ask him what happened before it got dark.

——As for what identity he was asking, whether it was as a minister who was concerned
about the dragon's health, or something else, he had not figured it out yet, and he had no time
to think about it.

Now he just couldn't wait to see the emperor... to see the "Jin Yin" whose name was engraved
on his body and heart.

Su Yan left the doctor's office, hurriedly got on the carriage, and told Xiao Bei to enter the
palace from the Donghua Gate.

The Eastern Palace is inside the Donghua Gate. The badge given by the crown prince allows
him to enter the front court of the imperial palace from the Donghua Gate without hindrance,
but he can only enter the forbidden gate further inside with a summons from the emperor.

Su Yan informed the eunuch of his name outside the forbidden gate and waited for a reply.
After half an hour, he finally heard, "Eunuch Lan has ordered that the emperor has gone to
bed and will not see anyone."

It was only the end of the afternoon and the sun was about to set. Not to mention the emperor
who got up early and went to bed late, even ordinary people would not go to bed at this time
unless they were feeling unwell.

Su Yan was even more anxious, and couldn't help wondering if the emperor's headache had
recurred and he was feeling very uncomfortable at the moment.

He begged the eunuch who delivered the message to make another report and bring his
handwritten note to Lan Xi, but the eunuch obviously did not want to run errands and found
an excuse to slip away.

Su Yan could only sigh and look at the door. After hesitating for a while, he took the bus
back home in frustration.

As soon as he stepped into his own courtyard, he saw Su Xiaojing sitting in the gatehouse
like a frightened quail. After seeing him, she seemed to suddenly wake up, jumped up and
rushed over, covering her mouth with her hand and whispered in Su Yan's ear: "My lord...
here again!"

"Who's here again, Qilang? Prince Yu?"

"No... the emperor is here again!"

Su Yan suddenly remembered that the emperor had once visited his house privately. At that
time, he had a concussion due to a tunnel explosion and was recuperating at home. The
emperor quietly entered his bedroom and even had dinner with him.

Su Xiaojing had met Emperor Jinglong before. Unlike the relaxed attitude he showed when
facing the Crown Prince and Prince Yu, he had a natural fear of the emperor, like a young
deer seeing a tiger, so after receiving the emperor, he hid in the gatehouse and waited for his
master to come back.

"Is the emperor in our house? Which room?" Su Yan asked hurriedly.

Su Xiaojing said: "In the main house."

Su Yan straightened his clothes and strode towards the main house in the third courtyard.

As expected, there were more than a dozen imperial guards guarding outside the main house.
When they saw him, they all saluted and said, "The emperor is waiting for you in the house."

Su Yan nodded, pushed the door open, and closed it tightly behind him.

——In fact, it doesn’t matter whether it is turned off or not. The imperial guards are as hard
as iron. They can neither see what they shouldn’t see nor hear what they shouldn’t hear.
However, they can receive instructions at the first time and do their jobs according to orders.

As soon as the door was closed, Lord Su threw away his graceful manners and image, threw
away his outer robe that was in the way, and hurried to the inner room.

The emperor heard the noise, drew aside the painted curtain and came out, just in time to be
thrown into Su Yan's arms.

He put his arm around Su Yan's waist and said with a smile, "It's rare to see Su Qing taking
the initiative. Is this a hungry tiger pouncing on its prey or a young swallow escaping into the
forest?"

Su Yan panted slightly and didn't want to talk for a while. He also hugged the emperor's
waist, buried his face in his chest, and deeply breathed in the royal fragrance on his robe.

The emperor touched his shoulder soothingly: "What happened? I'm here."
I'm here, don't worry.

As long as I am here, I will be your pillar of support.

——But Your Majesty, who can be your support, so that you can occasionally get rid of the
heavy responsibilities and burdens and have a good rest?

Su Yan felt a blockage in his throat and uttered a sigh that was almost a groan: "My
Emperor..."

The emperor was startled for a moment, his smile faded, but his eyes seemed to light up. He
hugged the man in his arms tighter and whispered in his ear: "My beloved."
Chapter 252: I Offer Myself to You
2023-8-21 11:54 Category: Reincarnation of the powerful ministerTurn off the lights

Su Yan hugged the emperor tightly and did not move.

"What's wrong?" The emperor gently rubbed his forehead with his chin. He was very
satisfied with this proactive embrace, but he was also a little worried that the other party had
been wronged. "Do you have different ideas about the treatment of the Wei family? Don't you
think it's not enough to relieve your anger?"

"No, I know that His Majesty's order must take all aspects into consideration, and this is the
best we can do at the moment."

The emperor sighed softly: "I'm glad you understand."

Su Yan raised his head and looked at him: "How is your Majesty doing recently? Is your
headache still flaring up?"

The emperor said, "After using the prescription you gave me, I have fewer attacks now than
before."

"Your Majesty, did you lie to me?" Su Yan looked straight into his eyes.

The emperor's eyes were long and deep, his pupils were as black as ink, and the corners of his
eyes were slightly raised and stretched out diagonally upwards, which made him look very
noble. When he looked at people, he had an awe-inspiring air, just as the poem said, "A grind
of graphite turns it into a phoenix tail, and half a spoonful of cold spring water turns it into a
dragon's eye." He was the phoenix tail and dragon eye, which are of extremely precious
qualities in the physiognomy books.

Su Yan stared blankly for a while, then suddenly held up two fingers: "What's this?"

"…What do you mean? What tricks do you want me to play with you?" The emperor laughed
and grabbed his finger. "I came out of the palace incognito to see you today because I have
something to discuss with you—"

Su Yan interrupted him with rare stubbornness: "Did Your Majesty pay a private visit to Mr.
Yingxu's medical room late at night a few days ago? What was the matter?"

The emperor was slightly startled, frowned and asked, "What did Chen Shiyu say to you?"
"It has nothing to do with Mr. Yingxu. I found out about it myself." Su Yan felt a little
disappointed and let go of his hand and took a step back. "Your Majesty deliberately
concealed it. Does he not trust me? I can understand that Your Majesty does not want others
to know about this for the sake of stability inside and outside the court, but he refuses to tell
the truth even in private..."

"You!" The emperor gave a helpless smile and pulled him to sit on a round stool. "Okay, I'll
tell you the truth. My headaches have been quite frequent recently. Maybe it's because I'm too
busy with government affairs. I'm a little too tired. I'll rest more in the future. As for my
eyesight... I'm old, so naturally I'm not as sharp as young people. Some cataracts are
inevitable. Don't worry too much."

Su Yan became unhappy when he heard this.

He had previously said that the emperor disciplined him like a father disciplines his son, and
secretly complained, “Old man, why do you care? He’s still brooding over an unintentional
remark.” However, the one who is brooding over it now is himself - he cannot tolerate any
criticism directed at the other party, not even self-mockery.

"How old is he?" Su Yan jumped up, his tone fierce and offensive. He leaned over to touch
the emperor's eyebrows and temples, "His hair is darker and thicker than mine, and there is
not a single wrinkle at the corners of his eyes, how can he be considered old!"

Whether these words came from the heart or from the eyes of a lover, they were very useful.
The emperor deliberately said: "I have to admit that I am old. Sometimes I really can't see
things clearly."

Su Yan muttered, "What cataract? Which quack is talking nonsense! How can such bright
eyes be cataracts? I think it's floaters. You just read too many words and your eyes are tired.
Use your eyes less, go to the East and West Gardens or some garden to live for a while, look
at more flowers and trees every day, and it will get better naturally."

The emperor shook his head: "Qinghe, don't bother to comfort me. I know what my physical
condition is like now."

"What body? Chest muscles, abdominal muscles, waistline, a body that switches between left
and right hands twice. My hands haven't even gotten sore yet, but you're being pretentious!"
Sure enough, Su Yan was irritated and withdrew his hand to sit back on his stool.

The emperor's eyes sparkled with a strange light, and he held his wrist with a smile: "Why is
your hand sore? I don't understand."
Su Yan realized that he had let the cat out of the bag, and his ears turned red. He looked
around and said something else: "My hands...are sore from writing memorials! By the way,
the emperor just said that he wanted to discuss something with me?"

But the emperor was in no hurry to discuss the matter now. He took advantage of the victory
and said, "Since your hands are sore, why don't you try to exert your strength somewhere
else?"

Su Yan cursed himself for digging a hole for himself, and begged for mercy: "I am talking
nonsense, Your Majesty, just pretend you didn't hear me."

"It's too late. Not only did I hear it, I also remembered it. Since Su Aiqing's hands are easily
sore, it's not a bad idea to be a gentleman."

A gentleman... a gentleman doesn't use his hands, but his mouth. A drop of cold sweat slid
down Su Yan's forehead, and he subconsciously wanted to withdraw and retreat back to his
psychological safety zone.

The emperor held his wrist tightly and said, "I gave you a red jade flute as a return gift for the
music I presented to you on the birthday of my great-grandfather. Would you like to play it
for me, Su Qing?"

Su Yan wanted to cry but had no tears: "Your Majesty, I really can't play the flute..."

"I told you that I can teach you if you don't know how to do it. Go get it."

"I really can't do it...what? What can I take?"

"Flute."

Su Yan's face suddenly turned red.

It turned out that the emperor was talking seriously about the flute given by the emperor, and
he thought - cough, cough, forget it.

He lowered his head to hide his embarrassment, not noticing the emperor's meaningful look,
and went to the desk to open the locked drawer.

The red jade flute was placed in a box in the drawer.

Next to it was the emperor's private seal made of mutton-fat jade, "Jin Yin". Last time, he
was stamped on his thigh, and he felt embarrassed when he saw the seal, so he stopped
hanging it around his neck and put it in a drawer.

Under the emperor's gaze, Su Yan took out the red jade flute from the box a little stiffly and
held it in his hand.

"Play the flute horizontally and the Xiao vertically," the emperor instructed.

Su Yan gritted his teeth and put one end of the flute to his lips, pressed it against his lips, and
blew it with his lips pursed - there was no sound at all. He was unwilling to give up, so he
blew harder, and the hole of the flute made a "hissing" sound like peeing - it was better to
have no sound.

The emperor raised his lips in a smile, stretched out his fingers to gently hold the flute, and
ordered: "Open your mouth."

Su Yan followed his instructions and opened his mouth a little wider, still wondering if the
problem was with the tongue position or the wind in his mouth. Unexpectedly, the emperor
first rubbed the mouthpiece of the flute against his lips, and then slowly penetrated his mouth.

The flute made of ruby is crystal clear, and it contrasts with the pink lips and snow-white
skin, making it indescribably gorgeous.

Su Yan was forced to hold the flute in his mouth, still a little dazed, and could only hear the
emperor's low and gentle voice close to him: "Lick it first, don't bite it with your teeth."

He seemed to be bewitched by the persuasive tone, and his tongue unconsciously licked the
head of the flute: the jade was smooth, hard, and a little cold.

"Good boy," the emperor praised, "In addition to licking, you can also suck it. Try to swallow
it as deep as possible in your throat. If you really can't swallow it, spit out some and then
swallow it again."

Su Yan swallowed dizzily. The flute was a bit thick, and he choked. His cheeks flushed
instantly, and he just wanted to cough.

The flute head seemed to be intelligent and pulled out, then when he caught his breath,
pushed it in again. Su Yan felt his entire mouth was filled, and he made a "wuwu" protesting
sound.

"Pull your cheeks together and wrap them around it. Use your tongue to lick it in circles, or
you can..."
Su Yan finally came back to his senses, his cheeks flushed red, and he hurriedly grabbed the
flute and pulled it out.

The emperor did not force her and loosened his fingers. When the flute was pulled out of his
mouth, it still carried strands of transparent saliva, which seemed to hang down between the
corners of his mouth and the flute head, like a red flower spewing honey, fragrant and lewd.

The emperor put the flute against his lips again and rubbed it, and asked in a hoarse voice:
"Have you learned it?"

Su Yan couldn't utter a word. He just wanted to dig a hole under his feet and escape - or bury
himself on the spot.

"It doesn't matter if you haven't learned it yet. I have enough patience and can slowly teach
you until you can. Come on, try again."

Su Yan said hurriedly: "No need to try again, I have learned it, I really learned it."

"Really?" The emperor smiled faintly, "Well, I'll test it."

How to test it? What to test it with? Su Yan suddenly thought of the emperor's last sentence:
"Since it is a blessing from rain and dew, you can eat it next time."

...It’s really this “eating”!

Su Yan's face turned half red and half white. He thought quickly and lowered his head to
cover his mouth and began to cough violently.

The emperor put down his jade flute, pulled him into his arms, and patted his chest and back
to help him calm down.

"My internal injuries have not healed yet, and I can't help but cough. Please forgive me, Your
Majesty..." Su Yan said breathlessly.

The emperor knew that he was using his injury as an excuse to escape, and he felt sorry for
him. However, he also understood the character of his beloved minister. It was almost
impossible for him to take the initiative in love. You waited patiently for him, but he went to
another path. You called him, but he moved slowly and you could never meet him. You
wanted to move him, which was not difficult, but once he was moved, he would pour out his
loyalty to his subjects and friendship, but he would keep his lust tightly.

For people like this, you have to force them.

It is not good to press too hard, as it will trigger a backlash; it is not good to be too lenient, as
it will ruin all the previous efforts. You have to take three steps forward and one step back,
using the grinding process to grind away resistance and emotions layer by layer, and finally
peel out a precious true heart.

And now, it's time to peel out this heart.

"Qinghe." The emperor said in a suddenly calm tone, "I may not be able to wait until the day
you make up your mind."

Su Yan was shocked when he heard this, and said in a lost voice: "What nonsense are you
talking about? What can you wait for...May the emperor live a hundred years!"

"If you can't get the love you want, what's the point of living a hundred years?

“Forget it, let’s not talk about this.

"I once said that if you only want to stay in the realm of monarch and subject for the rest of
your life, I will not force you. Your words are not joking."

Su Yan looked at the emperor's unusually calm face, and felt panic in his heart: "Your
Majesty, really... I... "

"If the love between you and me is still not enough for you to decide to give your body and
soul to me, then that is my... my incompetence, and has nothing to do with you." The emperor
suddenly smiled, "Look, you are not coughing anymore, which shows that the injury is not in
your body, but in me."

Su Yan was almost swallowed up by the guilt that surged up in him. He suppressed his
uneasiness and unspoken secret expectations, and lowered his head and said, "No, the
emperor is very good, really very good. It's me... I have all kinds of worries out of selfishness
and can't let go completely."

The emperor sighed, "If the ambition to save the world is called self-interest, where is the
public spirit in the world? In fact, I also know that you may not be ruthless to me, but your
status as the king of this country has blocked our way. If this is God's will... forget it, forget
it.

"Today is the first day of March. In two days, on the third day of March, you will leave for
Shaanxi."
The new policy in Shaanxi was not yet stable, and he, as a reformer, needed to further
consolidate it. He set out in March, and when the dust settled, the court sent a special horse
policy supervisor to take over, and he returned to Beijing.

This was something they had discussed before the New Year. But now that he was speaking
it out, Su Yan suddenly realized that they were about to part, and he was enveloped by a deep
sense of loss.

Especially when he realized that this separation would not only separate them from each
other, but all the feelings between them that transcended the relationship between a ruler and
his subject would probably be severed one by one, he felt extremely uncomfortable.

He subconsciously held the emperor's hand.

The emperor did not refuse, nor did he respond more eagerly. They just held hands quietly.

"There is another reason for this hasty trip. Even if I don't tell you, you should know it."

Su Yan was in a state of confusion at the moment. He nodded randomly and replied
reluctantly, "Your Majesty, I am deeply grateful for your care."

"There have been frequent battles on the border recently. Please stay away from the Great
Wall."

"I understand."

"The people in the northwest are tough and there are many horse thieves. You must pay
special attention to your personal safety. If Chu Yuan and the others are useful to you, you
can continue to use them. In addition, the 1,000 soldiers of Tengxiang Guard will also be lent
to you as guards."

"I… thank you."

"You should keep the imperial edict from last year. It is still valid this year. You returned the
Imperial Sword earlier, but I didn't have anyone store it in the warehouse. It is still in the
Yangxin Palace. I will have the guards bring it to you later."

"Your Majesty... obeys your order..."

"In two days, you will set out with your team. I won't see you off."
Tears suddenly welled up in Su Yan's eyes: "Your Majesty..."

"Last year I said, 'The autumn moon over the cold river, seeing it is like seeing you.'" The
emperor leaned forward, as if he wanted to rub his earlobe, but restrained himself and took it
back, his eyes slightly moist: "Now is the season when flowers are blooming on the roadside.
I am afraid that after watching you leave, there will be no more seasons in the year that I can
avoid thinking about you."

At this moment, Su Yan seemed to have stopped breathing.

The emperor looked at him intently, smiled faintly, stood up and said, "I should go back to
the palace."

He took a few steps and heard a very faint gasp behind him, rapid and panicky, but it was
soon strangled and there was no sound anymore.

The emperor felt thousands of voices in his heart urging him to turn back, but he finally held
back.

——Perhaps, this is really God’s will.

No matter how hard you try, no matter how many plans you have, you can't force it.

Behind him, Su Yan was crying silently. He wanted to call out "Your Majesty", but he could
only move her lips in vain and no sound came out.

When the emperor lifted the painted curtain, he suddenly heard a faint, awkward, whimpering
sound of a flute, as if it was being played with great difficulty, but with all one's strength.

With his fingers clenched around the painted curtain, he turned back in the sudden ecstasy
and panic of disappointment.

Su Yan's face was full of tears. He put down the red jade flute, leaned forward and bowed
slowly, choking with sobs: "Your servant Su Yan... is deeply indebted to the emperor's
kindness and has no way to repay him. I would like to... offer myself to the emperor's bed and
beg him... to have mercy on me."

The emperor closed his eyes and shook his head slowly: "This is not what I want."

Su Yan stood up, took out the mutton-fat jade seal from the desk drawer, hung it back around
his neck, and smiled with tears in his eyes while sobbing: "What about Qinghe's heart? Do
you want it?"
Chapter 253: Engraved into the Flesh and Blood
2023-8-21 11:55 Category: Reincarnation of the powerful ministerTurn off the lights

The emperor staggered slightly, and the strength in his fingers went out of control in an
instant, almost tearing the curtain down.

...How long has it been since he was so emotional? Since he ascended the throne, there have
been only a few moments that could trigger his emotions, and they have been almost non-
existent in recent years, except when he encountered this young minister in front of him.

From the teasing that gradually grew out of interest, to the appreciation that grew with trust,
to the irresistible love and the utmost self-disciplined patience, he had waited too long and
endured too long.

He is not the holy image who has cultivated himself on the dragon throne and eliminated
human desires, nor is he a heartless and loveless god. At this moment, he is just a mortal who
is burning himself in fire.

Seeing the emperor in a daze, Su Yan wiped his eyes with shame and said, "It is your humble
servant who is so brazen..."

Before he finished speaking, Emperor Jinglong threw away the painted curtain in his hand,
strode towards him, picked him up without saying a word, put him on the desk behind him,
held the back of his neck with one hand, supported the table with the other, and kissed him
passionately.

Su Yan sat on the edge of the table, his legs hanging down from the hem of his robe woven
with cloud-like patterns. He was caught off guard by the kiss and could only stretch out his
hands dizzily to hold onto the other person's shoulders to avoid losing balance and falling to
the ground.

This was not the first time the emperor kissed him, but it was the first time that he felt like he
was about to be swallowed up by a erupting volcano and a raging boiling sea.

The kiss before was as gentle and restrained as the kiss now was fierce and chaotic. Su Yan
felt as if the boat was about to be broken apart by the angry flames and the mad wolf. In
between breaths, he called out, "Your Majesty—"

"...It's Jinyin." The emperor panted, every bone and every piece of flesh in his body being
torn apart by the poisonous love and desire. He almost used up all his strength to control
himself and not drag the other party into this overly thirsty pain.

He had to be more relaxed and calm so as not to scare his beloved.

The emperor tore his lips away from the other's trembling lips and kissed the red nose and the
eyelashes with the salty taste of tears: "Yes, how can I not want it? Your body and mind are
mine."

Their breaths blended together, and the heat steamed deep into the skin, bringing out a layer
of passionate rosy colors. Su Yan was bewitched and repeated: "All... are yours."

The emperor smiled silently, took Su Yan's finger and placed it on the belt around his waist:
"Then take it off for me to see."

The belt was untied, the collar was untied, and the crimson robe slid down to the table,
covering the green book and white pages. Su Yan's fingers reached into the thin silk and
touched his own hot skin, and he felt embarrassed as if he had just woken up from a dream.

"Your Majesty..." He pleaded helplessly, but he didn't know what he wanted to ask for.

——————A 7272-kilometer driving journey is hidden here. The driving recorder can be
found in the "Author's Words" at the end of the chapter——————

After his soul returned to his body, he quickly reached under his pillow to take out a
handkerchief to wipe the other person's hands. After touching it a few times, he pulled out
two flat, slightly fragrant Pinellia fruits.

Su Yan stared at the two Pinellia fruits, his face gradually turning pale. He opened his mouth
as if he wanted to explain something to someone, but no words came out of his lips. Finally,
an arc that looked like crying and laughing formed at the corner of his mouth.

Tears suddenly welled up in his eyes, but they flowed silently without making any sound. He
buried his face deeply in his arms, leaving several rows of messy teeth marks on his arms.

The emperor thought he was too tired to move, so he kissed his shoulder, tucked in the quilt
for him, then got up, dressed, walked out of the room, and ordered the guards to boil a large
bucket of hot water and bring it in and place it in the outer room.

Soon, the bathtub and hot water were ready, and the guards retreated in a well-trained
manner.

When the emperor picked up Su Yan and was about to wash him, he found that his arms were
covered with bloody teeth marks. The teeth marks were deep and messy, showing how
painful and uneasy he was. The soft light in the emperor's eyes dimmed, and he asked, "Do
you regret it?"
Su Yan shook his head, took a deep breath, and answered firmly: "When love is strong, there
is no regret."

The emperor relaxed, stroked his arm, and sighed, "Don't worry about it. Life is never
perfect. Being too demanding of yourself is also a torture to those who love you."

Su Yan sat in the steaming tub in a daze for a moment, then nodded and said, "Your Majesty
is right. I don't ask for perfection, but I ask for my best efforts. I've figured it out."

"Think out what?"

Su Yan tilted his head to look at him, and instead of answering, he asked, "The bucket is so
big, do you want to come in and wash together?"

The emperor accepted the invitation with a smile.

The two of them were cuddling in the hot water. Su Yan let out a long breath and leaned back
on the edge of the tub. The emperor reached out a step ahead and used his arm as a pillow for
him.

In the white mist, Su Yan felt unprecedented peace and tranquility in his heart, and said
softly: "When I was with the emperor before, I always had a trace of fear in my heart."

The emperor tightened his grip around his waist, but his tone was indifferent: "You are afraid
of being punished, or even losing your head. Do you think that living with the emperor is like
living with a tiger?"

Su Yan chuckled, "At first, it was, but then it gradually changed. What I fear is that once the
emperor and I cross that forbidden line, we can neither return to the relationship between the
monarch and his subject, nor maintain a relationship as lovers. In the end, because of too
many external forces and public and private affairs, it becomes a mess and has to end
miserably, or even pay a more painful price."

The emperor was silent for a moment, then asked, "What about now?"

"Strangely, I'm not afraid now." Su Yan turned his head and looked at him softly, "I found
the psychological balance line.

"Why can we only choose one of the following relationships: ruler and subject, friends,
family, lovers, etc.? Why can't we be both ruler and subject and lovers; both lovers and
brothers? The relationships between people are inherently complex and diverse. If we try to
make them too clear, it would be boring, just like breaking down the relationships one by
one.
"So in this room, we have a love for each other, and in the court, we have a loyalty between
the ruler and the subject. We owe nothing to the country and ourselves. What's wrong with
that?"

The emperor smiled happily and gratified, held him on his thigh and kissed him: "My dear
minister, what you said makes sense. I have learned your lesson."

Su Yan hugged the emperor's neck and pecked him as if asking for a reward: "I have
enlightened myself, what reward do you have for me, Your Majesty?"

The emperor asked: "What do you want?"

Su Yan said casually: "I want to be an official."

The emperor laughed and said, "Which of the six ministers is more suitable? What position
do you want to be in the cabinet? If you are not so good, there is still Lan Xi, the number one
internal official. It depends on whether you are willing to give it up."

The emperor took the opportunity to touch his legs. Su Yan laughed and punched his
shoulders. After he had laughed enough, he said, "I want to be the executioner of Wei Jun."

The emperor thought for a moment and said, "Okay. I'll move the sentence up to tomorrow so
it won't delay your trip."

The two chatted for a while while washing. When the water in the tub was no longer warm,
the emperor stood up, carried Su Yan out of the tub, wiped him clean with a large cotton
towel, and changed him into clean pajamas.

Su Yan had overindulged himself, and his legs were still weak. The emperor sent him to bed,
kissed his forehead, and said, "Have a good sleep. I'm going back to the palace. The morning
court will be postponed for an hour the day after tomorrow, so I can see you off."

Su Yan was reluctant to let go and held the emperor's fingers tightly, but he also knew that
life was full of separations and reunions. If love lasted for a long time, why would it matter if
they were together day and night? After rubbing their fingers against each other for a while,
they separated.

Before leaving, the emperor solemnly hung the jade seal back on Su Yan's neck: "After we
part, let it accompany you on my behalf."

Su Yan pinched the seal, his old face flushed, and he spat, "Wear it if you want, don't stuff it
everywhere, otherwise I will be really angry!"
The emperor couldn't help but kiss him again until he was out of breath, and walked out of
the room in joy.

Chapter 254 Giving You the Last Chance

2023-8-21 11:56 Category: Reincarnation of the powerful ministerTurn off the lights

In front of the Yangxin Palace, Emperor Jinglong got off the sedan chair. Lan Xi greeted him
as he walked up the steps, saying softly, "Your Majesty looks a little different today."

The emperor glanced at him from the corner of his eye: "What's the difference?"

Lan Xi smiled and said, "Your Majesty looks radiant. He must be in high spirits because of
the good news." Then he pointed to the side of his neck.

The emperor reached out and touched the side of his neck. The dry tooth marks still hurt a
little. He sneered, "You old eunuch, you have very sharp eyes."

Lan Xi saw that the emperor was not angry, so he continued to flatter him: "Congratulations,
Your Majesty, congratulations, Your Majesty, you have got what you wished for."

The emperor didn't want the bite marks to be seen, lest the palace servants get nervous and
start making wild guesses, so he said, "Use a scarf to cover it."

"The weather is getting hotter, and it's hard to wear a scarf... How about I go find a plaster to
apply on Your Majesty? After all, your skin is broken." Lan Xi suggested.

The emperor nodded and said, "No need to alert the imperial physician, go get it."

Lan Xi obeyed and left. The emperor walked up the steps and saw the prince at the palace
gate.

Crown Prince Zhu Helin stood by the palace gate with his hands hanging down, waiting, with
broad shoulders, long legs and a straight back, like a newly grown poplar.

The emperor was a little dazed for a moment, as if he saw the young He Lin running and
laughing, without any rules. Not to mention the Yangxin Palace, even the Fengtian Palace
where all officials held meetings was where he had fun.

In the past, when He Lin came to see him and saw that he was not there, he would sit in the
hall, eat tea and fruit, cross his legs, etc., and the ceremonial officer saw him and gave him a
lot of admonitions. But now the child seemed to have grown up all of a sudden, he was more
disciplined, more calm, but also... more distant.
The prince saluted from a distance and said, "Welcome, Father. I am here to pay my respects
to you, Father."

Emperor Jinglong walked up to him and looked at him carefully - it was indeed as Lan Xi
said a few days ago, the prince had become thinner and tanned, but he was still in good
spirits, and the arrogance on his face had faded, as if his sharpness had been hidden in a box.

The emperor was briefly in a trance.

The prince felt something was wrong and called out, "Father?"

The emperor came back to his senses and said calmly: "Okay, I'm fine, you can go back to
the East Palace."

The prince was very upset, but he did not lose his temper. He asked, "Father, why don't you
ask me how the case of the substitution of relief grain is going?"

The emperor nodded casually and walked into the hall.

The prince followed behind the emperor and accidentally saw a bloody tooth mark on the
side of his neck, which was faintly visible between his collars. His face suddenly changed.

Who dares to bite the emperor, especially in such an intimate part?

The harem? Those obedient concubines didn't have the guts to do that. The only one who
dared to take advantage of the favor, Wei, was now locked up in the palace.

Outside the palace?

The prince thought of someone and his face suddenly turned pale and blue, looking extremely
ugly.

He comforted himself for a moment: No, my father loves to put on airs, and he is self-
disciplined. Even if he has feelings for Qinghe, he will not easily cross the line between the
emperor and his subjects. But then he thought: I have been so arrogant for so long, what if I
can't hold it anymore? In this world, except Qinghe, who disregards the hierarchy, who dares
to bite the emperor!

Thinking about it over and over again, I became more and more anxious, as if my heart was
burning with anxiety, but I forced myself not to show it on my face.
The emperor sat down behind the table, picked up the freshly brewed Pu'er tea, and said
without even raising his eyelids: "Sit down and talk."

The prince tried his best to calm down, swallowed the choking feeling in his throat, cleared
his throat, and began to report what he had verified. He told the details of the relief grain
from Baizhifang from which level of the distribution began to be short-changed; which
officials were involved in stealing and misselling the grain; how little relief grain was left
after it arrived at the Yishan Bureau, how the Yishan Bureau official who jumped into the
well was coerced to use moldy old rice as relief grain, causing the victims to be poisoned...
all the inside stories were explained one by one.

Finally, the prince concluded: "On the one hand, this case is because some officials in the
Ministry of Revenue disregarded the laws of the country and the people's livelihood, and
ignored the repeated orders of the emperor, and embezzled relief funds; on the other hand, I
believe that another force took advantage of the officials' corruption and set up a trap to
coerce them. The purpose was not to poison the victims, but to use me to lead the stone pillar
out of the well."

Emperor Jinglong asked: "What do you think this 'other force' is?"

The prince answered calmly: "I have evidence and suspect it is a conspiracy of the Zhenkong
Sect."

The emperor did not ask him for evidence, but instead asked: "Do you know that the
Zhenkong Sect has been uprooted in the capital, and the current leader has fled after being
arrested?"

The prince insisted: "But this did not prevent him from making plans before his identity was
exposed."

The emperor continued to ask: "What is it for? Just to let you dig out a stone pillar with a few
nonsense words on it?"

The prince took a deep breath, looked directly at the emperor's majestic face, and said in a
sonorous voice: "It is to frame me and to sow discord between me and my father! It is to
fabricate prophecies and spread rumors, so that the people of the world will panic about the
coming catastrophe and shake the foundation of our people's hearts!"

The emperor closed his eyes and pondered, then opened them again and asked, "How did you
deal with the rumors about the stone pillars in the capital?"

"Kill one to warn the rest. I ordered secret agents in plain clothes to go deep into the streets
and catch many of those who took the lead in spreading rumors. After torture, they were
found to be members of the Vacuum Church. Their conspiracy of rebellion was exposed on
notices, and then they were beheaded in public. After several days of the heads and notices
being displayed, the rumors stopped." A sharp light of insight and decisiveness emerged on
the young face of the prince.

The emperor took a sip of tea and finally asked, "If you were in my position, how would you
deal with the officials involved in the case in the Ministry of Revenue?"

The prince visibly hesitated.

According to his idea, all officials involved in the case should be dismissed and imprisoned,
and those who protected the suspects should be thoroughly investigated, but he felt it was a
bit difficult. Even the Minister of Finance Xu Ruiqi was worried that the case involved too
many people and did not want him to investigate further, so he made all kinds of excuses.
The senior officials in the Ministry of Finance even came up with all kinds of tough methods
to wear down his spirit.

More importantly, his natural intuition told him that this question should not be answered in
this way.

After thinking for a while, the prince bowed and said, "When officials break the law, only the
emperor can deal with them. I am not in the position to make decisions, but I will follow the
orders of my father."

The emperor seemed to have a faint smile on his face. He put down his teacup and said, "I
will deal with this case separately. You don't need to follow up. Go back to the East Palace."

The prince stood up and left, walked a few steps, then stopped and turned around. He knew
he shouldn't ask this question, but he still asked: "Father, are you planning to let Su Yan go to
Shaanxi again?"

The emperor did not hide it from him and replied, "Yes. When he returned to Beijing to
report on the new policy at the end of last year, I discussed this matter with him."

The prince asked, "The framework of the new policy for officials and herdsmen has been set.
How long will it take for him to consolidate it before someone else can be sent to take over?"

"--How long do you want him to be gone?" the emperor asked indifferently.

We can't cross the line again! So far, there is still time.

The prince gritted his teeth. He knew rationally that he had to leave, but emotionally he
finally asked the question in his heart: "The northwest border is unstable and may implicate
Shaanxi. Why can't he stay in the capital?"
The emperor's tone became colder and colder: "Because this is my will. If you have any
dissatisfaction or objection, you can complain behind closed doors, and you don't have to
speak in front of me."

The prince clenched his fists in his sleeves, roaring in his heart: Once you get the person, you
can get enough of your pleasure and then throw him away without mercy, right? In this way,
you are still an impeccable and wise ruler, but what about him? Who cares about his safety?
Father, oh father, when did you become so cold and heartless - or is this your true nature
hidden under your wisdom and kindness?

The bitterness, anger and disappointment in his heart turned into a slightly frightened
expression on his face. The prince stuck out his tongue like a spoiled child begging for mercy
when he made a mistake, and said, "I'm not dissatisfied, I just don't want him to leave again
after just two months in Beijing. But since the emperor asked him to go, then let him go. I'll
go and see him off when I have time."

The emperor's tone softened a bit, and he ordered: "Su Yan holds two posts, the Junior
Minister of the Dali Temple and the Supervisory Censor, so there is no need to list him as the
tutor of the Eastern Palace. If you want a new tutor, pick one from the Hanlin Academy. As
for seeing him off... that's not necessary. You are the crown prince and he is a minister. It
would be disrespectful to honor him too much. Just concentrate on studying in the Eastern
Palace!"

After saying that, he waved his hand and motioned him to leave.

The prince took his leave and hurried out of the Yangxin Palace. Lan Xi came over with a
tray of plasters and smiled, "Young master, please walk slowly and be careful where you
step." The prince didn't want to pay attention to him, but still managed a stiff smile, "Thank
you for reminding me, my dear friend. I have already reported to my father and am about to
return to this palace."

"Farewell, Master."

The prince did not ride in a sedan chair, nor did he bring a palace maid with him. He walked
briskly along the corridor for a long time alone, and suddenly punched the red lacquered
wooden pillar next to him.

The red lacquer and wood veneer on the pillar surface cracked, leaving a dent. The skin on
his fist was also broken, and blood oozed out immediately.

The prince panted rapidly, staring at the cracks and fist marks on the pillar, letting the blood
stain his sleeves, and said hatefully: "I don't want anything but him!"

"Your Highness, please consider the overall situation."

"Zhu Helin, you don't have the right to choose now, and you have no way out. There are
some things that you must not say until you reach the top of the mountain and look down on
all the other mountains. Do you understand?!"

The words are still ringing in my ears.

The prince gradually calmed down, tore a piece of silk from his clothes, tied it around his
bleeding hand, held his head high, and strode towards the East Palace.

March 2nd, noon.

A brand new straw shed was built at the execution ground next to the Xisi Archway. It was
built by the Xicheng Bingmasi in order to please the executioner appointed by the emperor
himself. They demolished the old shed and built the new one.

Even after repeated washing, the beheading platform still could not wash away the bloody
smell over the years. The tall wooden pillars standing next to it were also stained with a
mottled brown color due to the frequent hanging of heads for public display.

According to custom, criminals to be executed in Xishi were executed at 3:30 p.m. After their
heads and bodies were separated, their heads were hung on top of a wooden pillar to deter
people from breaking the law.

For the common people in the capital, "watching beheadings" was a rare form of
entertainment in their dull lives. Every time an execution was carried out, the whole family
would come out to watch, surrounding the execution ground in three layers.

The person who was executed this time was actually a notorious relative of the emperor - Wei
Jun, Marquis of Feng'an. The people who had suffered greatly from him were so excited that
they ran around to tell others, and on the day of the execution, the streets were deserted.

Wei Jun was wearing a white prison uniform, with dishevelled hair and a prisoner's card
stuck behind his neck. He was tied up and taken to the execution ground. He had lost an arm,
was sick and emaciated, and was dragged along by the soldiers.

"You old bastard, give me back my wife's life!"

"God has eyes, God has eyes. My poor daughters can finally rest in peace today!"

"Beat him to death! Skin him and eat his flesh!"

Many people around him cursed loudly and threw tiles and stones at Wei Jun, hitting him
with blood all over his face. If the soldiers who were maintaining order had not stopped him,
he would have been beaten to death by the people before he could reach the beheading
platform.

On the other side of the execution ground, the official sedan chair landed. Su Yan got off the
sedan chair, wearing a fourth-rank scarlet robe of the Dali Temple Shaoqing and a black
gauze hat, and walked into the tent surrounded by guards and took a seat behind the table
covered with a curtain.

Wei Jun was kneeling on the stage with a numb face. After seeing the appearance of the
executioner, he suddenly struggled with a ferocious face and tried to rush over. The soldiers
beside him quickly held him down. Wei Jun screamed hoarsely like a dying beast: "Su
Twelve! You have harmed my entire Wei family. I curse you to die a miserable death, even if
I turn into a ghost..."

With his mouth blocked by a rag, he let out an unwilling "mmm" sound from his throat.

The official from the Ministry of Justice who was supervising the execution said awkwardly:
"It's just nonsense before death, Lord Su, don't mind it..."

Su Yan looked calm and solemn, and raised his hand to stop the other party from continuing.
"What time is it?" he asked.

The official took out his pocket watch and looked at it. He replied, "It's almost three quarters
past noon."

Su Yan called the guard forward and asked him to take the object in his hand and show it to
Wei Jun.

The guard walked up to Wei Jun and pulled off the cloth covering the object, which turned
out to be a spirit tablet.

Wei Jun squinted his eyes with trembling eyes and saw the following words engraved in not
very beautiful handwriting: "The shrine of my late sister Jing Hongtao".

He looked confused, as if he didn't remember who this "Jing Hongtao" was - so many women
had died at his hands that he didn't remember a single name.

Su Yanchi was shivering and said loudly: "You don't have to remember who she is. Just use
your blood and head to give her justice!"
Wei Jun struggled and tried to knock the spirit tablet away, but the guard quickly collected it
and returned to Su Yan, placing the spirit tablet on the desk.

Su Yan gently stroked the spirit tablet and whispered, "Sister, today I will avenge you on
behalf of Ah Zhui."

"The time has come--" the soldier who announced the time shouted loudly.

Su Yan drew out the order sign expressionlessly, threw it to the ground, and said in a loud
voice: "Behead!"

The executioner raised his knife and slashed it, blood splattered, and a human head flew a
few feet away, rolling on the edge of the platform.

The people watching the execution all clapped and cheered loudly, encouraging and
celebrating.

Su Yan felt happy, but more of a heavy heart. He glanced at the onlookers, his face suddenly
changed, and he stood up suddenly -

He rushed out of the tent and headed quickly in a certain direction.

The official from the Ministry of Justice who was accompanying the execution was shocked
and called out from behind: "Master Su? What happened, Master Su?"

The guards quickly followed.

Su Yan's official robes were very eye-catching. Wherever he went, there was no need for him
to push the crowds away. People would retreat to the sides and whisper to each other, "He is
Lord Su!"

"Is it that Su Twelve?"

"Are you a fool? You should call me Master Su!"

"It's him. He was the one who dealt with the living devil named Feng in the Jinyiwei. Now he
has even brought down the imperial relatives who took people's lives lightly..."

"This is the real Lord!"

Some people knelt down and kowtowed to Su Yan to thank him for his kindness, which
influenced more people, who also knelt down in the yellow earth.

Su Yan had no time to appease the people at this moment. His heart was pounding, and there
was only a familiar figure in his eyes. He finally caught up with the man, grabbed his arm,
and shouted: "A Zhui——"

The man turned around suddenly and saw the official robe on him. He was terrified and
immediately knelt on the ground: "Master, I have done nothing wrong, Master..."

Su Yan was stunned and unconsciously let go of his hand.

It wasn't Ah Zhui, just the back looked similar... No! He couldn't be wrong, he had clearly
seen Jing Hongzhui's face through the gap in the crowd just now! Ah Zhui hadn't left, he was
still in the capital!

Yes, how could he miss the day when his sister's murderer would be executed? He would
definitely come to the scene to comfort his sister's soul in heaven.

Su Yan looked around and continued to look for Jing Hongzhui's figure. After a moment, his
eyes lit up and he chased after him again. The guards were smart this time and stopped the
man before he could take action himself.

The man turned around in fright, gesticulating and screaming "Ahhhhh". It turned out to be a
strange mute.

Su Yan gritted his teeth, his eyes turned red, and his nose felt sour. He was sure that Jing
Hongzhui was nearby, but where? Why was he hiding from him?

He looked around - it was bustling with people, people everywhere, except for his personal
bodyguard, his family "concubine", and his Ah Zhui!

"... Ah Zhui," Su Yan murmured, "If you come back now, I will beat your head off. Did you
hear me? I will only give you one last chance. I will count to three.

"One... two... two, two..."

Su Yan counted "two" more than ten times, and the light in his eyes finally faded away. He
said in a tired and weak voice: "Three."

"Are you looking for someone, sir? Do you need me to notify the Five Cities Military
Command, seal the city gates, and search every house?" asked the guard.
Su Yan slowly shook his head: "No need. He doesn't want to see me, and I can't find him...
Even if I find him, what can I do? People's hearts are the last thing you can force."

He vaguely identified the direction and walked east.

The guard brought a horse over and said, "Since you don't want to ride in the official sedan
chair, you can ride a horse."

Su Yan got on the horse, thinking absentmindedly: Where should I go?

Go home, yes, go home.

He whipped the horse and it neighed and galloped away, carrying him home.

Outside the gate of the Su Mansion, Su Yan dismounted and galloped towards the old peach
tree in the yard - he remembered that in Qingshuiying, Lingzhou, before Jing Hongzhui
committed suicide in pain because he had violated him due to being possessed by the devil,
he had said that she had secretly buried his sister's urn under the peach tree.

After they returned to the capital, they wanted to build a tomb and set up a monument for
their sister, but Jing Hongzhui changed his mind, saying that his sister loved peach blossoms
when she was alive, and she would definitely like the scenery in this courtyard. So he asked
him to accompany his sister more, and after the revenge was taken, it would not be too late to
choose a beautiful place with mountains and rivers to build a tomb.

"Sir?" Xiaobei and Xiaojing came forward upon hearing the voice.

Su Yan panted and said, "Hoe, give me a hoe!"

Su Xiaobei immediately found a long-handled hoe from the nursery and handed it to him. Su
Yan picked a vacant lot under the old peach tree and swung the hoe to dig the soil. The soil
seemed to have been loosened, and he soon dug out a big hole - there was nothing
underneath.

Jing Hongzhui even took away her sister's urn...

I have no grudges against you, and we will never see each other again in this life.

Su Yan leaned on the hoe handle and gasped for breath, beads of sweat appeared on his
forehead, his eyes were red, and tears fell silently.
Xiaobei and Xiaojing had never seen him cry before. They were terrified and asked
helplessly, "Sir? Sir, what's wrong with you?"

Su Yan just shook his head.

Footsteps were approaching hurriedly from the direction of the courtyard gate, and a pair of
warm arms reached out from behind and embraced him.

Shen Qi hugged him tightly, his face was as gloomy as iron, and he gritted his teeth and said:
"Don't cry."

Su Yan was shocked and asked, "Qilang, did Ah Zhui really leave voluntarily?"

Shen Qi hugged him tighter: "Yes. No one forced him, this is his own choice."

After Su Yan was silent for a long time, he let out a long sigh as if he was discouraged.

"My husband will always be here." Shen Qi wiped the tears from his face with her sleeves
and said in a deep voice, "My husband will be with you forever."

Outside the city gate, a young man in plain clothes and wearing a bamboo hat, holding a
small white porcelain jar in his arms, was walking on the official road leading to the capital.

His steps were a little unsteady, his face was pale, and his lips were chapped, as if he had not
had a good rest for a long time. Only his eyes still shone with a cold and sharp light from the
shadow of exhaustion.

He stopped in front of the street stall and said to the vendor, "Give me some wine."

"Okay, sir, how many gourds would you like?" The vendor pointed to the wine gourds on the
ground.

"I want both."

The young man threw out a piece of silver, picked up three wine gourds and hung them
around his waist, then continued to stagger forward.

The gourd filled with wine weighed heavily on his waist. Once this weight seemed lighter
than a hair to him, but now it felt like it was being dragged down into the dust.

He didn't know where to go, so he touched the urn in his arms and asked, "Sister?"
The urn likes the old peach tree in the yard of the Su Mansion.

The young man pursed his lips as if he was stung, and pleaded in a low voice: "Sister..."

He never received any response again - just like an empty heart, silent and desolate in the
spring breeze blowing across the wilderness.
Chapter 255 Let Both Sides Go
2023-8-21 11:56 Category: Reincarnation of the powerful ministerTurn off the lights

"Are you leaving tomorrow?" Shen Qi asked with a frown under the peach tree in the
courtyard.

He knew that Su Yan had to go to Shaanxi again, and the departure time would be around
March, but no matter how mentally prepared he was, when the moment of departure really
came, it always made people feel hard to accept.

Su Yan nodded and held his hand: "Don't worry, I estimate that this time I will be gone for no
longer than last time, at least three to five months, at most half a year and I will be back."

Half a year after half a year, how many half a year can there be in life for two people to worry
about each other? Faced with this situation of being apart more than together, the two of them
fell into silence at the same time.

Su Yan felt the atmosphere was dull, so he joked, "Why don't you quit your job and become
my bodyguard?"

Shen Qi pressed the handle of the knife and was about to stand up. Su Yan asked: "Where are
you going?"

Shen Qi replied: "Study room, write a letter of resignation."

Su Yan was startled and quickly grabbed his arm: "I'm kidding, how is this possible? It's so
hard to get to this position-"

"——So what?" Shen Qi asked back.

Su Yan's expression turned serious: "Qilang, you and I both know that we can't do this."

Of course Shen Qi knew. If he gave up his official position now, he could certainly stay with
his wife for a while, but what about after he returned to Beijing? He still had such a long
career to go. Without enough status, how could he and Qinghe support each other in the court
in the future?

Su Yan was thinking: "You have gone through so much hardship along the way, handled so
many major cases, and offended so many people. Once you lose power, the revengers may
hear about it and come, and you will never have peace in the rest of your life.
"What's more, under your leadership, the Jinyiwei Northern Pacification Division has become
much cleaner than before. Even though the trials and sentencing are sometimes too harsh,
they don't confuse right and wrong or cause any unjust, false, or wrongful convictions. If you
resign and someone like Feng Qu'e replaces you, the people and officials will suffer."

Shen Qi lowered his eyes and thought for a moment, then said: "In the current situation,
neither you nor I can retreat - the so-called retreating in rapids, because at that time we can
still reach the shore. But if we retreat, we will be smashed to pieces by the oncoming rapids."

Su Yan sighed: "It seems that we can only go upstream together."

Shen Qi held his fingers in her palm, rubbing the soft flesh on his fingertips like a cat's paw.
Su Yan was tickled by him and wanted to pull his hand back, but was held tightly.

"Hold your hand and grow old with you." Shen Qi said in a calm voice.

Su Yan's face turned red, and then he didn't know what he was thinking about, and suddenly
his face lost some color. He wanted to say something but stopped, and finally made up his
mind not to hide it from Shen Qi: "Yesterday, the emperor visited privately..."

Before he finished speaking, Shen Qi stood up suddenly, expressionless and said: "I suddenly
remembered that I have an urgent business to deal with. I'll take my leave first and come back
to see you off tomorrow morning."

Su Yan subconsciously grabbed his sleeve: "Qilang! Let's go inside and talk."

Shen Qi asked: "...Which room? The one for receiving the emperor?"

Su Yan's face turned pale.

Shen Qi regretted the moment he said it - he spoke as if anyone in this world could disobey
the emperor's order and still have a head on their neck!

Qinghe is alone holding one end of the rope, and on the other end of the rope is the supreme
imperial power, the unfathomable scheming, the soft and hard tactics and the strategy of
attacking the heart step by step. Even if he really wants to resist, how long can the stalemate
last?

If you are unable to protect the one you love, what right do you have to blame the other
person for failing after trying hard to resist?
"In this tug of war, the power disparity between the two ends is huge. If you fail due to
exhaustion, I won't blame you." - When you say this, are you deceiving yourself or is it true
understanding and heartache?

Shen Qi's eyes were red, and he gritted her teeth and said nothing.

Seeing Shen Qi like this, Su Yan felt extremely sad. All his decisions to "do his best" could
not make up for the guilt at this moment. The words he vowed at the beginning, "But no
matter how moved I am, I will never climb onto the dragon bed voluntarily", were like a slap
in the face that rolled back and hit him hard.

Su Yan was extremely ashamed. He suddenly squatted on the ground with his hands on his
head, like a turtle retreating into its shell, and remained silent.

After a long time, Shen Qi sighed and squatted down, letting the gorgeous hem of the Feiyu
suit drag in the dust. He asked Su Yan: "Do you still have me as your husband in your heart?"

Su Yan didn't cry, but his face turned pale and almost transparent. The sunlight shining
through the leaves of the peach tree seemed to shine into his internal organs through the
transparent ice and snow. He wanted to cut his heart out and show it to Shen Qi.

"Qilang," Su Yan murmured, "Why did my soul come to this world? Why did I meet you? Is
it because God wants me to recognize my weak nature? If one day, I can go back, will
everything here return to its original state?"

Where do human souls come from? Where do they go back to? To the underworld, or to the
even more illusory heaven? Shen Qi's expression changed.

He grabbed Su Yan's wrist, his strength a little out of control: "Where are you going back to...
No, no, don't say it! The secret cannot be revealed... I won't force you, just stay in the world,
who do you have in your heart... Talk about it later."

Su Yan could not feel the pain in his wrist, and stroked Shen Qi's face with his other hand: "I
don't know, if the opportunity to go back is in front of me, will I hesitate and waver... But at
least every day here, I can't live in vain, and I can't let you down for the efforts and sacrifices
you have made for me."

Shen Qi heard the crackling of the wrist bones in her hand, and immediately relaxed her
strength, pulled Su Yan up, and sat together on the stone bar under the tree, still holding his
shoulders. "Don't leave, or I will chase you to the end, whether it's the ninth heaven or the
underworld!"
Su Yan looked up at the sky. It was cloudless. Not to mention the wormhole that is standard
in science fiction, there was not even a gust of wind and clouds. He couldn't help but laugh at
his own wild imagination and shook his head, saying, "I'm afraid I won't be able to leave in
this lifetime."

Shen Qi was delighted, and then she heard him continue: "Do you still remember the Plum
Fairy Soup? From that time on, I had a premonition that I could never go back."

Of course Shen Qi remembered that when Su Yan first arrived in Jingji, she rushed over
exhausted. It was also in Meixiantang that Su Yan took the initiative to respond to his
feelings for the first time...Now his wife said that it was after that time that he decided to stay
in the human world, not to return to the underworld, spit, not to return to heaven...or
anywhere else, in the end, he would not go anywhere!

He couldn't hide his joy and asked, "Is it because of me?"

Su Yan asked back: "Do you think I have you in my heart?"

Yes, but there are others too. Shen Qi smiled, but her heart sank. he hugged Su Yan and
whispered in his ear: "Go to your room."

Didn't you say it was the reception room? Su Yan rolled her eyes at him.

Shen Qi gritted her teeth: "My husband will clean you thoroughly from the outside to the
inside, and let the whole house be stained with our scent."

Su Yan's ears started to heat up and she patted his arm: "It's broad daylight, what the hell are
you dreaming of! Didn't you say you had an urgent business to deal with?"

"Have it?"

"So you were just lying to me."

Without saying anything, Shen Qi pressed the man against the trunk of the peach tree and
kissed him first. Su Yan paid some attention to see if the two servants were at home.

There was no one in the courtyard. When the two of them started to chat and hug each other
under the tree, Xiaobei and Xiaojing had tactfully moved away and were now preparing
lunch in the kitchen.
Su Yan was kissed until his bones and legs were weak. When he was carried up, he punched
the other person's back: "I still have to go to the doctor's room. You...you can come back at
night." -

In the medical room, Su Yan walked into the clinic and saw one of Chen Shiyu's apprentices
bringing a medicine boy to change the bandage on Ruan Hongjiao's face.

Su Yan stopped and tried to avoid her out of politeness.

Ruan Hongjiao called him. "Sir!" She spoke in a weak but anxious tone, her voice trembling
with pain, "Doctor, please speed up the bandage. I want to talk to Master Su."

The doctor said, "Miss, just keep talking. Tell me there's a hole on your cheek wound so I can
sew it up for you again. It's just a practice of needlework."

Su Yan felt the tone of voice sounded familiar, and after a closer look, wasn't it the middle-
aged doctor who had bandaged Shen Qi's broken wound and scolded him for "new buds
sprouting from dead branches"?

He bowed helplessly: "Thank you for your hard work, doctor. I will just say a few words to
Sister Ruan and I will pay attention to the injury."

The middle-aged doctor bowed, walked out of the room with the medicine boy and a tray of
bandages stained with blood and medicine.

Su Yan stopped Ruan Hongjiao from getting up from the bed, and sat on the round stool in
front of the bed, looking at her head and face which were tightly wrapped in bandages. He
said with regret and sadness: "If it weren't for me, Sister Ruan wouldn't have been injured. I
really..."

Ruan Hongjiao interrupted Su Yan and said, "I am not doing this just for you, sir. I am doing
this for what I think I should do. Besides, since we are siblings in private, we shouldn't be so
distant. As a sister, isn't it natural for me to do something for my brother?"

Su Yan was very touched, but also worried about her future: "But the wound is on her face.
What are Sister Ruan's plans for the future? Will she go back to Rouge Lane?"

Ruan Hongjiao sighed, "Even if I am willing to go back, my mother doesn't want me to. I
have thought about it. Since the wound on my face is a foregone conclusion, I might as well
take this opportunity to quit my career as a prostitute and live a quiet life for a few days."
"What do you mean by 'a few days'? From now on, Sister Ruan's affairs are my Su Qinghe's
affairs. I will propose to the court to commend your righteous deeds, remove your status as a
slave, and let you live a worry-free life for the rest of your life without suffering from fate."

Ruan Hongjiao's eyes were filled with tears: "Thank you, sir..."

"Also, you are a single woman, and it may be difficult for you to adapt to life away from your
familiar place. It just so happens that I got the deed of a large house next to my house a few
days ago. It has been cleaned up, but it is still empty. Why don't you move into that house,
Sister Ruan?"

"I am a girl who came from a brothel. How can I live in your house and ruin your reputation
for nothing?"

Su Yan pretended to be angry: "I always call you sister, but you don't even want to help me
with this little favor. I'm about to leave for Shaanxi, and if the house is left vacant, it will be
infested with snakes, insects, rats and ants. What's wrong with you moving in to help me add
popularity?"

Ruan Hongjiao was surprised and disappointed: "Young Master is going to be sent out again?
He has only been back in Beijing for a few days!"

Su Yan comforted her and finally persuaded her to move into the house first and make plans
after he came back from Shaanxi.

The clinic and beds in the clinic were limited, and Ruan Hongjiao wanted to make room for
other seriously injured patients, so she took a bunch of medicine prepared by Chen Shiyu
himself, paid the medical fees, and took Su Yan's carriage home.

Su Yan specifically instructed Xiao Bei and Xiao Jing for this purpose. One should go to the
madam to discuss Ruan Hongjiao's redemption, and the other should contact her maid to pack
up all her personal belongings and send them over.

While he was busy with Ruan Hongjiao, the news reached the ears of Prince Yu.

It was said that Su Yan used the house he lost in a gambling to keep a mistress, and that the
woman he kept was a courtesan.

When Prince Yu heard this, he stood up and rode his horse straight to the Su Mansion. When
he arrived at the door of the house next door, he saw Su Yan squatting by the small stove in
the yard, boiling medicine for someone! Prince Yu strode over and asked, "I heard that you
took a concubine again? I came to ask for a glass of wedding wine."
Su Yan glanced at him sideways: "Your Highness, what are you talking about! This is my
adopted sister."

In this day and age, sworn relatives are not recognized casually. Some of them are very close,
and their feelings are no different from those of blood relatives. Prince Yu smiled and said,
"So it's my eldest aunt. I should pay her a visit."

"What do you mean by 'eldest aunt'? It has nothing to do with you. Don't blindly recognize
relatives!" Su Yan slapped his arm with a palm leaf fan. "It's Ruan Hongjiao. Your Highness
has heard of her before."

On the night when the Prince's Yishan Bureau was assassinated, Prince Yu, Shen Qi and Su
Yan were all present. They learned what happened from Gao Shuo, including Ruan
Hongjiao's courageous act. When Prince Yu learned that it was her, he was also in awe and
clapped his hands and said, "She is a woman who is as good as any man. I will ask the
steward in the palace to send some medicinal herbs over, and also ask the doctor to come
over the next day to check on the injury."

Su Yan asked the servant to bring the boiled medicine into the house, and then bowed to
Prince Yu: "I thank you on behalf of my sister."

Prince Yu took advantage of the situation and pulled him to the back garden of the large
courtyard, and asked as they walked, "Are you going to Shaanxi tomorrow?"

"yes."

"... and didn't even say hello to this king."

"Your Majesty, you already know everything."

"Is it the same if I know it from the palace or you tell me in person?"

Su Yan smiled and said, "I should personally bid farewell to the prince. It's not too late now."

Prince Yu frowned and said, "Two words, 'farewell', and you want to get rid of me?"

Su Yan was helpless: "What does the prince want?"

There was no one around, so Prince Yu suddenly turned around and pulled him into the large
hollow rockery made of Taihu stones.
Su Yan asked cautiously: "What are you doing!"

"Let me show you a treasure."

"...Don't look at it! It's an eyesore...I'm warning you, Zhu Xujing, don't try to act like a
hooligan again!"

Prince Yu lifted the hem of his outer robe and took out a small, exquisitely shaped crossbow
from his thigh.

Su Yan was slightly startled: "'Baby' refers to this."

Prince Yu sneered: "If you want to see another stronger one, that's not impossible."

Su Yan pouted.

"I captured this strange-shaped crossbow from several Western Yi mercenaries on the
battlefield in my early years. They called it the 'Scorpion Crossbow'."

Su Yan saw that the crossbow was arched and lying on the ground, which did look a bit like a
scorpion.

Prince Yu said, "This scorpion crossbow has a long range and is also very accurate at close
range, so its power should not be underestimated. However, it is a bit large, so it requires
three or four people to operate. Later, I thought about it for a while and modified a small
handheld scorpion crossbow that can be operated by one person, and its power is not much
inferior. It's just right for you to bring it for self-defense."

Su Yan likes hot weapons, but he also likes sophisticated and efficient cold weapons.
However, this thing looks like the favorite of Prince Yu, so he feels it is inappropriate to
accept it, so he shook his head and declined: "Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness. I
haven't even learned to use a bow yet, so forget about this crossbow, Your Highness, keep it
for self-defense."

Prince Yu was not angry at being rejected, and chuckled: "Not only can you not use a bow,
you can't use any of the eighteen weapons, such as swords, spears, swords, and halberds. You
can only use the musket with some accuracy, but you don't have enough strength, and you
almost broke your wrist when you fired a shot."

Su Yan was humiliated and said angrily, "Oh, I am just a weak scholar who can't even tie a
chicken. Am I eating your rice for free?"
Prince Yu laughed: "It would be great if you were really willing to come and eat!"

Su Yan turned to leave, but was pulled back by him. Prince Yu put the small scorpion
crossbow in his hand and coaxed him, "Look, it's not very heavy, and the shooting technique
is much simpler than the bow. You can get the feel of it after practicing. You have good aim,
this crossbow is quite suitable for you, take it."

Su Yan turned the small scorpion crossbow over and over again, and liked it more and more.
He just couldn't bring himself to put it away.

Prince Yu said again, "It's not a gift for nothing. Can you please come to the palace tonight
for dinner? Why don't you visit Ah Wu? He misses you so much that he has cried several
times, calling you 'godfather'."

Su Yan: ...

Su Yan: I don’t believe you!

Su Yan said, "I bought some gifts and will have them delivered to the palace for the young
master. Forget about dinner, I have an urgent business to attend to."

Prince Yu sneered, "We're leaving tomorrow morning, what business can we have tonight?
Fine, then I'll sit in your courtyard and wait for you to come back after you finish your
business - you won't stay out all night, will you?"

Su Yan: ...

Su Yan: What should I do? Even if I ask Qilang to go out, Prince Yu will still stick to me.
But if I accept the invitation to the palace, Qilang will definitely be angry.

Su Yan thought about it, but couldn't come up with a way to have the best of both worlds, so
he said helplessly: "There will be a circus performance in the East Market tonight. Ball
jumping, tightrope walking, and dragon dance are all children's favorites. I will take the
young master to watch the circus, and the prince doesn't have to come to join in the fun.
Anyway, you will lose a child if you are asked to take care of him."

Since no one side will give up if you stand them up, why not let them go at the same time?

——Isn’t the young master cute?

Chapter 256 Only Lovesickness Resembles Spring
2023-8-21 11:57 Category: Reincarnation of the powerful ministerTurn off the lights

Su Yan, holding the one-year-old little prince in his arms, shuttled through the bustling crowd
in the East Market.

Fireworks, acrobatics, various toys and snacks dazzled Ah Wu's eyes. He was extremely
excited, clapping his hands and laughing, and sometimes hugging Su Yan's neck and
shouting, "Dad! Ah Wu wants to eat, godfather buy it."

Su Yan bought him a lot of snacks and toys, which were too big and small to fit in the bags,
so he asked two palace guards to carry them behind him.

——As for His Royal Highness Prince Yu, he had been so persistent that he insisted on going
shopping together, and Su Yan had no way to deal with him. Unexpectedly, the carriage had
stopped at the street corner, and an order from the palace called him over.

Prince Yu had a dark face and said to the eunuch who delivered the order, "I won't go! I'll just
say that I'm not feeling well. Please forgive me, brother!"

The eunuch smiled apologetically: "Your Majesty, please don't embarrass me. I kowtow to
you."

Prince Yu had no choice but to leave a few guards behind. Before leaving, he reminded Su
Yan: "The kid is very heavy, don't hold him for too long. If you can't hold him anymore,
throw him to the guards."

As a result, not long after he left, Ah Wu was so excited that he used up all the energy in his
small body. His eyelids struggled up and down, and he fell asleep on Su Yan's shoulder. He
slept unconscious and couldn't be woken up no matter what position he was in.

Su Yan smiled and pinched his chubby face, then handed him over to the guards and took
him back to the palace along with the gifts he had bought.

The guards wanted to leave two behind to continue protecting him, but Su Yan refused,
saying that he wanted to walk around alone.

So he enjoyed the little feeling of solitude in the bustling market, and slowly strolled from the
first street of East Market to the end of the street.
There were fewer shops at the end of the street, fewer pedestrians, and even the street lights
were not very bright. Going further ahead, you would reach the Tonghui River that runs
through East City.

Last year, the Lingguang Temple case caused hundreds of dead babies to float in the river.
Just after the New Year, it was reported that two Jinyiwei were assassinated and died in the
river. The people made up many bizarre stories, which became more and more terrifying. As
a result, the area closed its doors every night and no one dared to wander the streets.

Su Yan saw that the road ahead was getting darker and darker, and was about to turn around
and leave, when he suddenly saw a stall under the dim light on the corner of the street. It had
an old sign that said "meat wontons", a smoked black stove, and a sloppy boss standing next
to the stove. There were a few greasy square tables and benches along the street, but there
were almost no diners.

——I say "almost" because there was another man in a dark blue tuxedo and a big hat, sitting
on a bench next to the table with his back to him.

Su Yan looked from a distance and felt that the man's back looked very familiar. The more he
looked, the more he looked like... Qi Lang? -

Because Prince Yu shamelessly asked the young master to block the door, clamoring for
"godfather to take Ah Wu out to play", Shen Qi left angrily in Su Yan's helpless eyes.

He originally wanted to go back to the Northern Pacification Office to handle some official
business, and wait until the brat got tired of playing and left before coming back to find Su
Yan to renew their previous appointment. However, he walked into an alley with flowers and
trees on both sides of the wall and suddenly remembered something.

That was the conversation between Mr. He and him after he left the prison van.

——

Mr. He smiled knowingly: "Lord Shen is very interesting. He is an ambitious man who will
do anything to achieve his goals, but he is also the most infatuated man in the world. I dare to
assert that he will make great use of you in the future."

"Who is he?" Shen Qi asked, "I won't serve an invisible shadow."

Mr. He said: "When the time is right, you will naturally meet him. Now you should return to
the court of Emperor Jinglong, continue to serve as the co-director of the Jinyiwei , and wait
for the next 'gatekeeper' to contact you."
Shen Qi sneered and asked: "Without any evidence, how can it be used as a token of trust?"

Mr. He thought for a moment and replied, "Go to the stall and have a bowl of wontons later."

——

Shen Qi pondered for a moment, then turned his horse's head and headed for the East Market.

There was no customer at the wonton stall, and the boss was dozing off behind the stove.
Shen Qi walked over and sat down on the bench next to the table. The boss didn't even raise
his eyelids, and asked lazily: "What kind of wontons do you want, and how many bowls?"

"A bowl of pork wontons without filling, with a spoonful of chopped green onions and three
drops of vinegar."

When the boss heard his voice, he suddenly opened his eyes, stood up behind the stove
surrounded by mist, and straightened his hunched back: "Master Shen, long time no see."

Shen Qi said: "Not long ago. The Seven Killing Camp and the Vacuum Sect have been driven
out of the capital like dogs that have lost their homes. Why didn't you run away with them?"

The boss smiled, didn't answer, and started adding wood to the fire.

"So you are neither from the Seven Killing Camp nor from the Vacuum Sect. There is
another master behind you, the 'gatekeeper'." Shen Qi said.

He suddenly remembered the analogy Su Yan had once used, "Zerg".

Su Yan said that the Seven Killing Camp is a "worm nest" and the camp owner is a "brain
worm".

"Above the Cerebrate, there is the Overmind. It is the supreme leader of the Zerg and the core
of power of the Zerg. It hides in the dark, is huge in size, and possesses extremely high
intelligence and control. The Cerebrate is just a tool for it to more conveniently manipulate
the Zerg.

“Perhaps there is more than one hive and more than one brain worm, but there is only one
Overlord.”

Maybe the Vacuum Master is just a "brainworm". Then, who is the "master"?
The boss still didn't answer, and continued to talk to himself: "In fact, Lord Shen can try the
wontons with pork filling. 'Wontons without filling' is just a code word, just follow it, there is
no need to force yourself to eat wonton skin every time."

Shen Qi sneered: "I don't dare to eat the meat-stuffed wontons on your stall. Who knows what
kind of meat it is."

The boss agreed with a smile, cooked a bowl of wonton wrappers, sprinkled balsamic vinegar
and chopped green onions on them, and placed it in front of him.

Shen Qi did not eat the wontons, but instead used a pair of chopsticks to poke the boss's dirty
wrist. The movement seemed light, but with just a little force, the chopstick tip would pierce
deeply into the bone.

The boss stopped smiling because of the threatening aura, and a small shudder spread under
the tip of the chopsticks: "Since we serve the same master, why does Lord Shen have to scare
me every time?"

Shen Qi said coldly: "The man who hides his head and face is your master, but not mine. He
and I use each other to get what we need. Mr. He asked me to ask you for a token so that we
can contact each other in the future."

The boss slowly rummaged around in his arms with his other hand and pulled out a black
metal tube as thick as his arm, which was covered with complex uneven patterns.

"This is half of a mechanism sleeve. It cannot be opened normally. If you pry it open
forcefully, it will explode. Only after it is connected to the correct other half and the message
falls from the other end to this end, can the sleeve be opened and the message be obtained."

A gleam flashed across Shen Qi's eyes, and just as she was about to reach out to take it, she
suddenly heard a voice not far behind her calling: "Qi Lang? Is that you?"

With a shudder in his heart, Shen Qi quickly put the half-cut metal sleeve into his sleeve after
a brief moment of shock.

He glared at his boss as if warning, then turned around with a look of surprise:
"Qinghe...didn't you take the prince out to play? Why are you here?"

Su Yan came over and said with a smile, "Kid, you are energetic but you get tired quickly.
You fell asleep in no time. I asked the guards to take you back to the palace. I was just
walking along the streets of East Market and happened to meet you. What's going on? Are the
wontons here delicious? But I don't see many customers."
Shen Qi immediately stood up and said, "I was just trying it casually, but I didn't expect that
they cut corners and the whole bowl of wontons was just skin. Let's go and find another
stall."

He threw a few copper coins on the table and said nonchalantly, "Boss, if you continue to
cheat people like this, you won't be able to stay in Beijing anymore."

The boss picked up the coins one by one, and said incoherently: "I can't wait any longer, I
can't wait any longer, sir, next time you come, you won't see this stall of mine."

"It's not easy to run a small business." Su Yan sighed, put another ingot of silver on the table,
patted Shen Qi's arm, and said, "Let's go."

The two walked towards the light, and the dim light cast long silhouettes behind them, which
soon disappeared into the dark and deserted alley.

Shen Qi was silent all the way. Su Yan noticed that he was distracted and asked softly,
"What's wrong? Are you worried?"

"...Is there anything you've hidden from me?" Shen Qi asked suddenly.

Su Yan was startled, then smiled and said, "If it's something related to Qi Lang, I shouldn't
have concealed it. There are some other things that I don't know if I need to mention. If you
ask, I will answer truthfully."

Shen Qi asked again: "What if I have something...that I hide from you?"

Su Yan stopped and looked at him carefully.

Shen Qi's sight was passing over the roof, looking at the crescent moon in the sky. The lights
of the night market illuminated his profile, while the other half of his face was hidden in the
darkness, making his expression look particularly stern.

"Qilang." Su Yan called.

Shen Qi turned to look at him, her eyes gentle yet solemn.

"I want to ask Shichiro a few questions."

Shen Qi nodded.
"If you are hiding something from me, is it the result of your careful consideration?"

"……yes."

“Is the choice between ‘hiding’ and ‘not hiding’ a choice between two evils?”

"yes."

"If one day I find out what you have been hiding, can you bear the consequences?"

This time Shen Qi was silent for a moment before answering: "No matter what the result is, I
will take full responsibility."

Su Yan smiled: "Then this is what you have decided in your heart and what you must do.
What does it matter whether I know about it or not?

"Maybe one day in the future, you will be willing to tell me. Maybe I will be very angry then,
but I will not block your way now and ask you to say: 'Qi Lang, you have to listen to me'.

"Everyone has to walk their own path. We are lucky to be able to walk hand in hand, but we
can't walk for each other."

Love brings us together as one, but beyond love, there are so many ups and downs in life that
allow us to remain ourselves.

Shen Qi was stunned for a long time.

He wondered how such a person could exist in the world? Even the four words "intelligent
and beautiful" were not enough to describe him.

And this person is standing next to him at this moment, and he is willing to keep each other in
his heart.

Shen Qi ignored the passers-by and hugged Su Yan tightly.

Others seemed to be whispering something, Shen Qi didn't want to be disturbed, so she

suddenly jumped up, hugged Su Yan and climbed onto the top of the wall, then jumped onto
the roof, causing a burst of exclamations.

Passing over numerous roofs, Shen Qi and Su Yan sped in the night wind, and stopped at a
rooftop several feet high, with a deep and secluded garden below.
"No one can see here." Shen Qi said.

Su Yan carefully sat on the tilted green tiles and found that the tiled roof was much more
solid than it looked. He looked up at the starry sky and exclaimed: "This is probably the place
closest to the sky in the entire capital, except for the imperial palace."

Shen Qi leaned forward and half-knelt, slowly pushing his upper body backwards.

Su Yan held Shen Qi's shoulders and said in surprise: "Here? Qi Lang, this is too... No way!"

Shen Qi only replied with one word: "Okay."

In the bedroom of the main house of the Su Mansion, Su Yan cursed Shen Qi in his heart
while applying a herbal ointment to reduce swelling and itching on the mosquito bites all
over his body.

Shen Qi said guiltily that she would prepare moxa sticks and light them next time.

Su Yan rolled his eyes, put on his clothes again , and said, "Don't go out of the city to see me
off, lest you run into the emperor and cause trouble."

Shen Qi let out a sharp "huh".

Su Yan comforted him helplessly: "It's the same if you send it here."

After Shen Qi saw that he was dressed neatly, she personally hung the flint she had given him
around Su Yan's waist. She tied it up and down, but she always felt that it was not proper.

Su Yan held his hand and smiled bitterly: "It's okay, Qilang. Don't worry, there are still a
thousand Tengxiang Guards escorting you on the way."

Shen Qi then stopped her paranoid behavior, looked at him deeply, and sighed for a long
time: "It's a long way to go, take care of yourself."

Su Yan took a carriage with two servants, said goodbye to Ruan Hongjiao who lived in the
house next door, drove to the city gate, and met up with a thousand Tengxiang guards.

The Tengxiang Guard was still led by Commander Long Quan. Several old faces such as Chu
Yuan were also present, but they were all the emperor's personal guards. There were no
people from the Northern Pacification Office, and Gao Shuo naturally did not accompany
them.
Emperor Jinglong and Su Yan, who were seeing him off incognito, temporarily left the main
group and walked slowly in the green wilderness of mid-spring.

The ground was covered with clusters of wild flowers, their colors as delicate as the thoughts
of spring. The two walked slowly on the dew on the grass leaves. No one spoke, but they held
hands unconsciously.

After walking four or five miles, the emperor was about to reach the post station. He sighed
and said, "Only my longing for you is like the spring scenery. I will take you south and north
of the Yangtze River."

Su Yan replied: "It is rainy and dewy now in Shengdai, so don't hesitate to break up for now."

The emperor shook his head: "The river is not so stormy, but it is difficult to travel on the
earth."

Su Yan smiled and said, "I will write to my old friend one by one to boost my morale."

The emperor finally stopped, wiped away a piece of flying flowers on his temples with his
fingers, and said solemnly: "Write fewer memorials and more letters."

Write less memorials, so that people don't have to work; write more letters, so that you can
express your love. Su Yan's eyes were wet, and he replied, "I obey your order. Your Majesty,
please stay!"

The emperor kissed his misty eyelashes and said, "I will walk with you for a while."

The two men walked to the boundary marker of the capital, until Wuliyi was right in front of
them. On the official road, the Tengxiang Guards were lined up in an orderly manner, and a
few eunuchs came up with fear in their eyes and respectfully invited the emperor to return to
the palace.

Su Yan bowed and said, "I will take my leave now. I wish the emperor a long and healthy
life."

The emperor looked at him deeply, then turned and got into the carriage.

Su Yan looked at the shadow of the carriage going away, sighed for a long time, and walked
towards the post station with a feeling of separation.

Suddenly, a deep and rich voice sounded from behind: "The two of them exchanged poems
along the way, which was really elegant."
Su Yan turned his head suddenly - and looked up - and saw Prince Yu in a dark narrow-
sleeved battle robe, sitting on one knee bent on the top of the boundary monument of
"Important Areas of the Capital", with the other long leg lazily hanging down on the
monument.

"...The prince is here early in the morning?" Su Yan asked.

Prince Yu slapped the top of the stele and jumped down gracefully: "Wrong, I have been here
all night and have never left."

Su Yan recalled the time when he and he crossed the city gate late at night and drank under
the boundary monument of the capital. He couldn't help but laugh and said, "Is it comfortable
to be bitten by mosquitoes in the wild all night?"

Prince Yu suddenly hooked his finger on his collar , revealing his colorful mosquito bites. Su
Yan slapped the back of his hand and pulled his collar straight with a stern face. Prince Yu
raised his eyebrows: "You smell like green herbal ointment all over your body. I guess you
have been bitten more than me."

Su Yan asked: "Your Majesty, are you here to see me off, or to laugh at me?"

Prince Yu said, "I want to leave the capital with you and head northwest."

Su Yan was shocked.

Prince Yu sneered and said, "I know this is impossible, I'm just talking about it."

Su Yan sighed: "Your Majesty... take care."

"I should say these two words to you." Prince Yu took another step closer.

Su Yan subconsciously took a step back to avoid being too close to each other and causing
embarrassment. However, Prince Yu ignored him and forced him to take a few more steps
back. Finally, he leaned his back against the boundary stone and said with a bit of a bad
smile, "Take care, Qinghe."

Su Yan tried to get out from under his arm, but the other party pulled back and waved his
hand, saying, "Okay, I'm done. I'm going back now."

"——That's it?" Before he finished speaking, Su Yan wanted to bite off his tongue. If not
this, what else did he want?
Prince Yu laughed: "So you can't bear to leave me?"

Su Yan pouted: "Shameless!"

Prince Yu smiled and said, "Thank you very much. In addition to seeing you off, I also want
to tell you that Ah Wu was very happy last night. He even called me 'godfather' in his sleep.
It seems that he really likes you."

Speaking of Awu, Su Yan unconsciously relaxed a little, and sincerely advised: "Awu is very
smart. Your Majesty should spend more time on educating the prince in the future, and don't
abandon him in the streets or throw him to outsiders for custody."

Prince Yu thought for a moment and said, "You are his godfather, not an outsider. If you are
still not close enough, how about being his stepmother?"

Su Yan was speechless for a moment.

While he was secretly annoyed, Prince Yu laughed, turned around and walked away. After
walking a long distance, he deliberately put two fingers together to form a sword and drew it
forward in the air.

Su Yan guessed the meaning of this action: move forward courageously and be invincible!

He looked at Prince Yu's receding figure, a smile gradually appeared on his face, and he
replied softly, "Yes! General Jingbei."

The prince did not come.

However, Su Yan could imagine the prince's angry look when he insisted on seeing her off
but was ordered by the emperor not to leave the palace. Just thinking about it made him feel
funny and distressed.

"... Young master, take care." Su Yan blessed from afar.

The motorcade of Shaanxi Governor and Censor Su set off.

Looking down from the sky, the long team looked like an arrow pointing straight to the
northwest.
In the northwest, there are large rivers, plains, grasslands and Gobi Desert. Further north,
beyond the majestic Great Wall, there is a vast sea of desert and the even more vast northern
desert grassland.

Northern Desert.

At the foot of the Altai Mountains, there are vast forests and fields, and beside the Selenge
River, there is abundant grass and water. The tents of countless Oirat herdsmen and cavalry
surround the huge and magnificent Golden Horde in the center.

The Wala cavalry patrolled the edge of their territory, ready to strike at any invading enemy -
whether it was a group of savage beasts or raiders from other tribes.

A cavalryman was setting up a tent and looking into the distance. Suddenly, he shouted
loudly in Wala language: "What is that? It's coming towards us... Is it the enemy?"

The cavalrymen became alert, gathered into a team, and galloped towards the moving dot.

The small dot moved closer and turned into a large human-shaped outline. Getting even
closer, it was a man as tall as a pile of stones. He wore an eagle hat and a feather robe made
of countless ribbons. The ribbons were hung with gold beads, bronze mirrors and various
animal bones.

In his left hand he held a four-foot-long pole bell with many golden bells on the top, which
made crisp sounds as he walked. In his right hand he held a long curved knife and a drum was
hung on his waist.

The cavalrymen saw his attire and couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. They also
shouted excitedly, "It's the Shaman!"

"Look at the magic bell and the magic sword, it's the great wizard!"

"He doesn't seem to be from our tribe. Why is he walking alone on the grassland? Could he
have rebelled from another tribe?"

"Great witch, do you want to come to our Wala?"

The man called the Great Wizard raised his head, revealing a dark face hidden under the
eagle's wings.

The man's skin color was very dark, between brown and charcoal black, and shiny, totally
unlike any of the desert people on the grassland. His facial features were deep and three-
dimensional, and his golden eyes were clear and rich, as if they were condensed from
thousands of rays of sunlight, faintly flowing with brilliance.

The cavalrymen seemed to be shocked by his golden eyes and were speechless for a moment.

The man spoke, his voice deep and wild, reminiscent of a lion or tiger that had just woken up:
"Where is Khan Hukuoli?"

The Wala cavalrymen were immediately on guard. They drew their swords and longbows and
pointed them at him: "Who are you? How dare you inquire about the Khan's whereabouts!"

The man asked again: "Is Heiduo Shaman still in the tribe?"

A cavalryman raised his voice and said, "Of course! Now you should call him the Great
Elder. Even the Khan is very respectful to him. How dare you call him by his name!"

The man chuckled, a sound that could not be determined whether it was anger or disdain.

"Who are you?"

The man reached out and untied the heavy ties on his body, and the robe fell to the grass. His
majestic body, like a god, and the blood-red tattoos on his black skin were exposed to the
sunlight.

It was a towering tree with luxuriant branches and leaves. Its crown climbed over his chest
and shoulders, and its twisted trunk and vines coiled around his abdomen and took root below
his lower abdomen, which was covered by his trousers.

The cavalrymen looked at this powerful tree-shaped tattoo and exclaimed, "—It's the sacred
tree!"

Ordinary Wala people were not qualified to have such a huge and complex sacred tree tattoo
on their bodies. Once they were found to have violated the rules, they would be sentenced to
death. Moreover, such a tattoo required the joint efforts of many skilled tattoo artists, and the
labor and time required were beyond the reach of even the nobles.

Only the royal family has the qualifications and ability to bear the blessings from the sacred
tree.

The man said in a deep voice: "Look at me, don't you recognize me, warriors of Wala?"
The cavalrymen stared at him with wide eyes.

"I am the eldest son of Khan Hukuli, the son of the sacred tree, and your crown prince!"

The cavalrymen fell into a strange silence. Suddenly, a roar broke through the vast and
peaceful grassland.

"Altan!"

Then, whistles arose:

"Altan!"

"Altan!"

"Our golden prince is back!"

Chapter 257: The King is Sick
2023-8-21 11:57 Category: Reincarnation of the powerful ministerTurn off the lights

Su Yan put down his pen, gently blew dry the ink on the paper, folded the newly published
"Accusation of the Twelve Crimes of the Wei Family" and placed it on the corner of the
table, rubbing his chest which was still aching a few times.

Xiao Bei came in holding a wooden tray and reminded, "Master, it's time to take your
medicine."

It was only one word different from "Da Lang, it's time to take medicine." Su Yan twitched
his lips: "It sounds a bit unlucky, how about another way of saying it?"

Su Xiaobei was a little puzzled, but still changed his words obediently: "Master, drink the
medicine while it's hot for better effect."

Mr. Su took the medicine bowl with satisfaction, pinched his nose and took a sip, then picked
up a piece of preserved fruit to relieve the bitterness and put it in his mouth.

"Xiao Jing hasn't come back yet?"

"No. He is still a child, and loves to play. He may have gone to the market to hang out and
buy food."

As he was speaking, he heard a voice coming closer from outside the door: "Sir! Sir, I have
heard that——"

Xiao Bei couldn't help but shook his head: "I thought he had calmed down recently, but when
he gets excited he still looks so nervous!"

Su Yan smiled and said, "He was only fourteen years old, and you are forty."

Su Xiaobei snorted softly, picked up the empty medicine bowl and tray and left, to show that
he was superior to the other insignificant servant.

Su Yan smiled and said to his back: "Add some sugar to the medicine tonight?"

Xiaobei didn't agree and went to prepare lunch. After Xiaojing entered the room, he went
straight to Su Yan's desk, with a strange look on his face. It was hard to tell whether he was
shocked, puzzled, excited or mocking.
He panted and said, "Sir, I have heard that—"

"Wait a minute!" Su Yan interrupted Xiao Jing, feeling uneasy, and couldn't help but
guessing: Shen Qi is a frequent visitor to Changchun Courtyard? With which young prostitute
did she have a shocking love affair? Bah, this is impossible! Maybe Changchun Courtyard is
one of his secret sentry bases, and those rumors were deliberately spread by his political
enemies in order to slander him...

After several rounds of mental preparation, Su Yan felt that he was immune to whatever
explosive news Xiao Jing would utter next, so he said, "You continue."

Xiao Jing leaned close to Su Yan's ear and covered her mouth, saying, "Mr. Shen, the co-
director, is - impotent!"

Su Yan: “…”

Xiao Jing: "Really, the guys in Changchun Court all said so privately. They said that Shen
Tongzhi looked cold and aloof, and that ghosts and gods would scare him away. But I didn't
expect that he had an unspeakable illness and strange habits. You can't judge a person by his
appearance."

...Fuck! Su Yan was angry and amused. He thought it was a shocking or conspiracy-filled
inside story, but in the end he got such a ridiculous answer.

And "unspeakable hidden illness"! If Shen Qi is really impotent, then what is it that makes
him suffer so much every time, a phantom limb? An air stick?

Su Yan's mouth twitched twice, and he coughed dryly to cover up his unspeakable feelings:
"What is the so-called weird... cough, hobbies? What are you asking about? Don't talk
nonsense."

Xiao Jing said, "He is the person involved! I paid for the tea, and the prostitute just told me
about it as a thrilling experience during the chat. He said that it was the time when he lost his
virginity - probably in March last year, Lord Shen broke into his room with a knife, and
scared the prostitute's legs so much that they went limp.

"He thought he was favored by the Jinyiwei captain, and was secretly delighted, but
unexpectedly, Lord Shen sat on the chair by the window, with the embroidered spring sword
across his thigh, and a murderous look on his face..."

Shen Qi asked fiercely: "You, are a chick?"

The young waiter replied with a secret delight and shyness: "I have indeed never been caged
before, Master Qianhu..."

Shen Qi ignored him and asked the middle-aged prostitute: "How is your experience?"

The middle-aged prostitute held up his trousers with both hands, wanting to cry but unable to
cry: "I am a newbie, this is my first time here, really, I didn't know that soliciting prostitution
is illegal, ignorance is not a crime, sir..."

The young man was upset when he heard him lie. He also wanted to show off his honesty and
innocence to attract a rare financial backer, so he asked in confusion, "Why did Master Wang
say that? Daddy said that Master Wang loves to deflower people. He has plucked many
virgins in Changchun Courtyard. Why did he lie to the captain and say that this was his first
time?"

Shen Qi was just about to kick the trembling client out and replace him with someone else,
but upon hearing this, she changed her mind and pulled out the sharp half of the blade. She
said coldly to the client who was still trying to defend himself, "No need to waste time, just
do it now."

"What...what?" The client was so frightened that his mind went haywire.

"Of course you are the one who has sex with him, how could he have sex with you!" Shen
Qi's eyes were cold, "If you make this prostitute feel comfortable, I will spare your life; if he
feels pain or cries, I will cut a knife on your back. If he bleeds a drop of blood, I will send
you to be a eunuch."

The client's mouth was open and his jaw was about to drop to the ground.

The young waiter was ecstatic at first, thinking that he was being cared for, but suddenly he
felt something was wrong - if he really liked and cared for him, why didn't he kick this
annoying Master Wang out and do it himself?

Shen Qi was impatient to see them dumbfounded, so she grabbed a bottle from the table and
threw it over: "No? Then drink up this bottle of medicine!"

This is the aphrodisiac prepared by the courtyard for each room. It is very strong. A few
drops are enough to make you feel restless all night. If you drink the whole bottle, you will be
burned to death. The prostitute's face turned pale and he kept saying, "It works! It works!"

He threw the young waiter over, and he was trembling for a long time without being able to
stand up. Seeing Shen Qi unsheathing his sword and trying to stand up, he was so scared that
his soul left his body. He gritted his teeth and drank half a bottle of medicine in one breath -
and it worked immediately.

This young prostitute is really a virgin. He thinks he has someone to back him up, so he
screams at the slightest pain. Once he screams, the prostitute feels as if there are thorns in his
back, as if the cold knife light is scratching his back. His whole body is frozen by fear, and
heated by the drug, falling into a hell of ice and fire. He wants to faint several times but fails.

The client was under tremendous pressure and tried his best to please a young male prostitute.
The young male prostitute groaned in pain, which was more heartbreaking than if his own
father were seriously ill. This situation was unprecedented and unparalleled, it was really a
wonder!

Fortunately, the fear of becoming a eunuch overcame everything, and the client almost
collapsed in the end, and he finally accomplished his mission.

The client was lying on the ground gasping for breath, and the prostitute came back to his
senses with a groan, and put on a sad look to seduce a new patron - although this man had
strange habits, he was rich, handsome and powerful, and was truly a rare rich man.

Unexpectedly, Shen Qi ignored it completely, hung the Embroidered Spring Knife back on
her waist, and left the room.

The young man suddenly noticed that he had watched the entire process without even
reacting at all.

"What...reaction?" Su Xiaojing asked as if he understood.

The young man laughed and touched his crotch mischievously: "You look about the same age
as me, don't you know anything about sex?"

Su Xiaojing was so embarrassed that she covered her crotch with her trousers and slipped out
of Changchun Courtyard. When she was no longer angry, she came back to report to her
master.

"After this matter spread in Changchun Court, the young men found it unbelievable. After
much thought, they could only come up with one guess, which was 'Lord Shen has a hidden
illness and because he is impotent, he can only rely on peeping to satisfy his desire'." Su
Xiaojing thought for a moment and added, "But the strange thing is that Lord Shen never
went to Changchun Court again.

"Because Lord Shen was generous and the bystanders also gave him money for defloration,
the prostitutes actually looked forward to his coming. Many even hoped to use their bodies as
medicine to cure his hidden illness. So even after almost a year, people still occasionally
mention this matter, and even joke that the girl in Yanzhi Lane who had received Lord Shen
was so boastful that she might have received the scabbard of the master that had turned into a
spirit!"

Su Yan didn't know whether to laugh or cry, and knocked Xiao Jing on the head with the pen:
"I really regret letting you go to that kind of place to inquire about information. You learned
bad things in an instant!"

Su Xiaojing touched his head and laughed: "What are you talking about, adult? Do you think
I'm a child? The son of the owner of the stinky tofu stand across the street is about my age
and will be getting married at the end of the year."

Su Yan said, "You want to get married too? Sure, in two years, I'll find someone to find a
good marriage for you two."

Su Xiaojing protested immediately: "I don't want to get married, it would just be a waste of
food. I just want to be a servant to the master, it's more comfortable than being the head of
the family."

Su Yan thought he was just a kid talking nonsense and coaxed him out of the house with a
few words.

The servants all left, leaving Lord Su alone, thinking about his brother Shen, who was
"hiddenly ill and unable to get an erection, but loved to watch women in action".

"No..." Lord Su muttered, "It doesn't make sense at all!"

This doubt had been rolling in Su Yan's heart for a long time, and finally, on the rooftop with
the first moon hanging slantingly, he asked it casually while they were lingering before
parting.

Although Su Yan succumbed to reality and became gay, his straight male style was deeply
rooted. He asked: "Qi Lang, do you think voyeurism and NTR preferences are normal?"

Then he used about a hundred words to explain these two non-mainstream sexual fetishes in a
language that people at that time could understand.

Shen Qi was stunned at first, but then her face turned as green as the grass on the prairie. She
gritted her teeth and bit his waist hard.
Su Yan felt pain, but didn't dare to scream, fearing that he would attract the owner of the
garden where the high-rise building was located. So he pinched the other person's chest
muscles angrily: "Why are you biting like a dog again!"

Shen Qi felt embarrassed and angry as if his weakness had been exposed. Thinking back to
the situation at that time, he found it somewhat funny. He rubbed the angry Lord Su until his
juices overflowed, and then he whispered in his ear: "At that time, I was afraid that I would
hurt you if I really got into trouble."

Is that why you went to Changchun Institute to observe and learn on site and accumulate
indirect experience?

...No. We had only known each other for a few days, but he was determined to get serious.
What a shameful, outright robbery!

Su Yan panted and said, "So you don't actually have these two habits, right? Then I feel
relieved."

Shen Qi wanted to beg for a pair of ears that had never heard "hmm...hmm what?" He patted
Su Yan's buttocks threateningly, baring his teeth and sneering: "Whatever tricks my wife
wants to play, I will accompany her to the end, but there is only one thing, it can only be
between you and me. Whoever interferes, I will deal with him - even if not now, sooner or
later!"

Su Yan looked up at the crescent moon in the sky, wondering: Who is he holding a grudge
against? Or all of them?

Lord Su, who is too soft-hearted, feels that his future days will not be easy.
Chapter 258: Kusari Pearl
2023-8-21 11:58 Category: Reincarnation of the powerful ministerTurn off the lights

The lights in the Yangxin Palace were brightly lit. Emperor Jinglong and his cabinet
ministers were discussing matters. Lan Xi came in quietly and whispered in his ear, "His
Royal Highness Prince Yu has been summoned and is waiting for your order outside the
palace."

Emperor Jinglong nodded: "Let him in."

Prince Yu was watching acrobatics with his son and his son's godfather in the East Market
when he was suddenly summoned to the palace. He was furious and suspected that the
emperor had sent people to follow him out of jealousy to deliberately disrupt the situation.

Unexpectedly, when he entered the hall and saw the ministers sitting upright, he couldn't help
but be stunned.

The emperor didn't exchange pleasantries with him and said directly, "Come on, take a seat."

After Prince Yu bowed and sat down, he heard the emperor say, "I summoned you here
because there is an unresolved matter and I want to hear your opinion."

Lan Xi handed over a few pages of paper. When Prince Yu saw the traces of the pages being
rolled up, he realized that this was a secret report from the army, and his expression became
serious. He unfolded the secret report and read it carefully, frowning and asking: "Geng Le,
the commander of Datong Guard, died? When did it happen?"

Cabinet official Jiao Yang replied: "Three days ago. The news just reached the court."

Three months ago, at the end of last year, the Tatars invaded Datong.

The Tatar Grand Master Tuohuotai personally led his troops to ambush the elite at
Dachongling, and used more than a hundred old and weak cavalrymen as bait to lure Datong
General Lin Yue out of the city. In this battle, General Lin Yue and the deputy general were
ambushed and killed, and the entire army was defeated.

This incident caused quite a stir in the court, and Prince Yu also knew about it. On the
surface, he didn't care, but at night, full of resentment, he used his long spear to cut a deep
crack in the bluestone ground of the martial arts field - if he was still guarding the border, he
would never let Datong suffer such a defeat!
Tuohuotai allowed his soldiers to kill people and loot livestock. Fortunately, when the army
reached Yanmen Pass, it was defeated by the army led by Geng Le, the commander of
Datong Guard, and finally retreated back to the northern desert.

The imperial court sent a new general and deputy general to Datong. Because the two
generals still needed to familiarize themselves with local military affairs, Geng Le was
allowed to continue to hold the power of military decision-making for a period of time.

As a result, Geng Le became complacent and, relying on his military achievements, delayed
handing over power to the new general, which led to a rift between him and the two generals.
After a fierce conflict, Geng Le was accidentally killed by the new general.

This ridiculous incident resulted in one of Datong's two senior generals being killed by his
own family members, and the other being punished by military law and demoted.

Now, the court had to dispatch a new general and a commander of the guards to guard
Datong. And because of the unstable situation on the border, the appointment had to be made
with great care. The Ministry of War, the Ministry of Personnel and the Cabinet had different
opinions, so no candidate had been decided yet.

Emperor Jinglong was faced with the list of candidates presented by his ministers. Some of
the names of the candidates looked familiar, while others were unfamiliar. But even for the
familiar ones, it was difficult to judge the overall ability of each person, and which one was
more suitable to guard Datong.

After all, no one is perfect and everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses. If the
weaknesses are right in the common ground, wouldn't that be another Geng Le?

The emperor was hesitating when he suddenly thought of Prince Yu.

Prince Yu once garrisoned Datong and was very familiar with local military affairs. Most of
these candidate generals were veterans with experience in guarding the border. Perhaps his
fourth brother could see some clues.

——I just don’t know whether the other party is willing to help, or whether this will touch his
heart and make him say some shady words and leave in anger.

The emperor summoned Prince Yu with the intention of giving it a try.

Prince Yu, I know you are proficient in military tactics and well versed in military affairs...
The emperor's heart suddenly moved, and he threw away his routine words and said, "Fourth
Brother, Datong needs a general who can attack and defend. Please pick one and help check it
out."

The ministers changed color when they heard this.

I originally thought that the emperor summoned Prince Yu just to ask for advice, but I didn't
expect him to say this. It was as if he was actively handing over the decision-making power
to him. Considering the emperor's temperament, it was really surprising!

...Could it be that he is still wary of Prince Yu’s former military status and is deliberately
testing him?

As expected, Prince Yu showed a lazy and cold smile and threw the list on the table:
"Anyway, it doesn't count. Why should I waste my breath? Your Majesty, just make the
decision."

The emperor looked at him calmly and called out, "Jincheng."

Prince Yu smiled and looked provocative, "If you really want to say it, then I would like to
recommend someone to you. Do you dare to use him?"

The emperor seemed to know what he meant, and his tone was still calm: "Among the
generals in the court, please recommend the most suitable one - except for one person."

yourself.

Prince Yu snorted in a very disrespectful manner, picked up a candied fruit from the fruit
plate beside him and threw it on the table.

The candied fruit rolled around and finally stopped on the list, just in time to cover up one of
the names. Prince Yu clapped his hands and said, "It is God's will that this gentleman is the
one! His name is..." He blew on the icing on the paper, "Li Ziyang! This is the candidate
recommended by your younger brother. Do you still take your words seriously?"

The emperor remained calm, but the ministers on both sides could no longer sit still. Even
Xie Shiyan, who was generally recognized to be good-tempered and a "smooth-maker", could
not help but shake his head and sigh.

Jiao Yang was a stubborn and loud man. He stood up and refuted, "How can Your Highness
Prince Yu play such a trivial matter when it comes to military and national affairs!" He then
turned to the emperor and bowed, "Prince Yu openly teased Your Majesty and me. It seems
outrageous, but in fact he was venting his resentment. Your Majesty should not forgive him
again and again. He should be punished for his contempt for the monarch!"

Cabinet minister Wang Qianhe was on good terms with him, and the two had always been on
the same front. He knew that Jiao Yang might not be as indignant as he appeared.

Because he wanted to get close to the Queen Mother a while ago, but unfortunately the
Queen Mother didn't like him and always had a lukewarm attitude. He wanted to take
advantage of Prince Yu's outburst to let the Queen Mother know his ability in the court and
his influence on the emperor, so that she would change her mind and win him over.

So Wang Qianhe also joined the team and echoed: "It's fine that His Royal Highness Prince
Yu is amorous on weekdays, but military affairs are related to the safety of the country, how
can he deliberately interfere like this? I hope Your Majesty will understand."

Prince Yu glanced at the two of them, then squinted at the other two cabinet ministers: "Are
you two going to scold them too?"

Xie Shiyan smiled awkwardly and raised her hand to drink tea. She couldn't put the cup down
and her sleeve covered half of her face.

Yang Ting frowned, looking disapproving, but just shook his head without saying anything.

Prime Minister Li Chengfeng was seriously ill and had already taken a long vacation, so he
was not present.

Seeing the four ministers scolding and opposing, Prince Yu turned to ask the emperor:
"Brother, do you think my behavior is absurd? That's great. I still have a circus to watch. I
will go back and watch it now."

He stood up, bowed perfunctorily, and was about to leave.

Li Ziyang, Li Ziyang... Emperor Jinglong kept repeating this name silently, and a faint light
flashed in his mind, but he couldn't catch it for a while. Seeing that Prince Yu was about to
walk out of the palace, the emperor suddenly said for some reason: "Come back!"

Prince Yu paused for a moment and continued walking.

The emperor said in a deep voice: "Call you back!"

Prince Yu turned around reluctantly and walked back into the hall.
"Tell me why you recommended this person," said the emperor.

Prince Yu sneered: "This man and I have a history, and I recommended him out of selfish
motives."

The cabinet ministers were even more contemptuous and angry when they heard this, except
Yang Ting who seemed to sense something strange and quietly examined Prince Yu's
expression.

The emperor stared at Prince Yu for a long time, then suddenly smiled faintly: "Okay, it's
him."

The ministers were greatly shocked and they got up from their seats and knelt on the ground,
advising the emperor to revoke his order and not allow Prince Yu to act recklessly.

A look of astonishment flashed across Prince Yu's eyes, and he looked directly at the emperor
with a somewhat complicated expression.

The two brothers, one sitting on the dragon throne and the other standing in the hall, stared at
each other for a long time through the ministers who kept persuading them. After a while,
Prince Yu turned around and said to Jiao Yang, who protested the loudest, "Li Ziyang is born
in a family of generals. It goes without saying that he is brave and good at fighting. What's
more rare is that he has a calm and resolute temperament and is not arrogant or impatient. His
father was the former general of Liaodong, who was assassinated by a blood-eyed assassin.
He neither sank into hatred nor was willing to inherit his father's influence. He accumulated
military exploits step by step from a low-level general. He also fought against the Tartars
several times in Yuquan Camp in Ningxia, and won every battle, but never rashly went deep
into enemy territory. Such a general who knows how to advance and retreat and understands
the military situation in the northern desert is more than qualified to be the general of Datong.

"'Friends who have been friends for generations have become new ghosts, but they still talk
and laugh in the midst of swords' - I have never seen this person, but you don't have to meet
him to know him. You can get a glimpse of his character from his experiences, military
achievements, and even his poems and essays. Are you satisfied with this explanation,
gentlemen?"

Were these words meant for the ministers, or for his brother? Emperor Jinglong was silent.

The ministers also fell into a brief silence. Yang Ting cupped his hands and said, "This matter
is of great importance. Your Majesty, please make the decision."

The emperor only asked one question: "Where is the commander of Datong Guard?"
“Whoever is on the remaining list and gets along well with Li Ziyang, that’s the one we’ll
take!” Prince Yu laughed and left, shaking his sleeves.

Two cabinet ministers agreed with Prince Yu's recommendation, while two opposed.
However, the cabinet's opinion was only for reference, and the decision-making power lay in
the hands of the emperor.

After all the ministers left, Lan Xi stepped forward and massaged the emperor's temples
while whispering, "It's late, Your Majesty, should you change your clothes and go to bed?"

The emperor was resting his eyes, fighting the dull pain from a day of worrying. Hearing this,
a flash of inspiration flashed through his mind again. He suddenly opened his eyes and said in
a lost voice, "Change clothes."

Lan Xi hurriedly called the eunuch to come over and change clothes.

The emperor dismissed the eunuch and said, "'Change clothes', I remember now."

Last June, on Su Yan's birthday, it was in this Yangxin Palace that he personally performed
the three-shift clothing and hat ceremony. The two of them almost crossed the line because of
Tianshuixiang. Su Yan, half drunk and half awake, leaned against his chest and mumbled
something:

"Is this a battlefield? The drums are beating so hard, the situation must be critical... Don't
worry, I will help you find talents, Qi Jingtang, Li Ziyang, Wang Anming... and Yu Chezhi...
Oh, he is already in the Ministry of War. These are all famous generals with both military and
civil skills. They will definitely be able to help you lead the troops to drive out the Tartars
and defend the Ming Dynasty..."

Thinking about it now, Su Yan must have sensed his lust at the time, so he said these words
deliberately to remind him that the country is the most important thing.

So, apart from Yu Chezhi who was appointed as the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of
War, were the other names really made up by Su Yan after drinking?

At least "Li Ziyang" is not!

So the question is, it is not surprising that the Prince of Yu, who came from a military
background, knew about this unknown general, but how come a young scholar who was
immersed in studying the books of sages also knew about him and called him a "talent" and a
"famous general with both literary and military strategies"?
Emperor Jinglong thought for a moment and told Lan Xi: "Write down these two names - Qi
Jingtang and Wang Anming, and ask the Jinyiwei to check their identities and origins. Check
in the army first."

Lan Xi felt a little strange, but did not ask any more questions. He wrote it down carefully
and asked the Jinyiwei to investigate.

The emperor was still thinking silently even after he changed into his pajamas and got on the
dragon bed, enduring the headache.

Lan Xi was about to take the curtain off the jade hook when she suddenly froze. With an
expression of suppressed panic and nervousness, she said in a trembling voice, "Your
Majesty..."

"What's the matter?" The emperor had just said two words when he felt a heat flow under his
nose. He touched it subconsciously and his fingers turned bright red.

Lan Xi quickly took out a handkerchief to block the bleeding: "Your Majesty is having a
nosebleed, I will call the imperial physician——"

The emperor grabbed his wrist and said in a deep voice, "No need."

"But--"

"It's windy and dusty in spring, so it's normal to have a nosebleed occasionally. Don't make a
fuss. Go get a basin of warm water and wash it."

Lan Xi was worried, but she could not disobey the emperor's will, so she had to fetch water to
clean the emperor. Fortunately, the nosebleed stopped after a while, but the handkerchief
stained the whole basin of water red, which looked a little scary.

The emperor lowered his eyes to look at a basin of pale red, and very calmly ordered: "Take
care of the 'Tongluo Sanjie Prescription' presented by Mr. Xu, and boil the medicine and
bring it here."

Lan Xi nodded, then hesitated and said, "How about we summon Mr. Yingxu to the palace
and treat him in person?"

The emperor said nothing, but just glanced at him.

Lan Xi felt a chill from this look and quickly apologized: "It was I who overstepped the
bounds! I will send someone to boil the medicine now."
The emperor lay back down again, raised his pillow a little higher, closed his eyes and dozed
off.

He slowly recalled every word Su Yan had said to him since they first met in the palace
examination, as if looking for scattered pearls in a large patch of grass.

That night.

After failing to find the person in the East Market, Prince Yu returned to the palace and was
furious to see the prince sleeping like a pig.

Shen Qi and Su Yan lay on the rooftop and looked at the stars, cherishing every second of
their parting time.

After the emperor finished drinking the medicine, he tossed and turned for a long time, and
the pain in his head eased a little. Before going to bed, he instructed Lan Xi that if he
overslept, he must wake him up before the morning hour.

The next day's court meeting was postponed to 3:15 pm.

Two hours of farewell time is enough for the emperor and his subjects, but far from enough
for lovers.
END OF BOOK 3 part
2