Chapter 168 Not stubborn at first, but lost love to the ministers
There are two in Chang'an.
Chang'an inside the city, and Chang'an outside the city.
When Liu Ying followed Liu Chang out of the city and drove along the city wall for most of a day, Liu Ying saw an astonishing scene.
He saw many people leaning against the city wall, huddled up, covered with messy things, wanting to bury themselves in the soil. Most of them were adults at home, holding children in their hands, looking at them helplessly.
Looking at the people passing by, there are indeed a lot of people here, and those who come and go are all high-ranking people wearing fur furs. They will pick and choose here, and occasionally pull out a few children, throw money to their families, and enjoy themselves.
go.
"What is this doing?"
"Many people can't survive this cold winter, so they can only sell their children as servants... They can't sell them in Chang'an. After all, how can the people not live if they are saints and virtuous ministers? Only in this remote place can they
It can be like this.”
Liu Ying looked a little stunned, "How come there are so many people... The internal history clearly said that no one in Chang'an will suffer from the cold this year..."
"If he didn't say that, how could our stupid emperor give him a reward?"
"I..." Liu Ying was shocked and angry. Looking at the people with their backs against the city wall and an endless view of the city, her breathing became heavier and heavier. Liu Chang was very calm. Although the second brother
He grew up in the palace, but he also knew the sufferings of the people's livelihood. He cared about these things very much, and he always wanted to let the people live a good life.
But what should I say? He completely believed in the ministers in the country and had no doubt whether they had deceived him.
"The current emperor is definitely not an ordinary person."
Liu Chang said: "When my father was still here, the internal history would be reported every year, saying how many people died of starvation and freezing in Chang'an. My father was furious and changed several internal historians in a row, asking them to put an end to this kind of thing.
He even criticized the situation, saying, "How can there be frozen bones under the emperor's feet?!"
"When the emperor ascended the throne, the world was at peace and the world was at peace. The people lived happily. No matter how bad the climate was, areas where hundreds and thousands of people would freeze to death in previous years would be unstoppable after the emperor ascended the throne.
One person dies, tsk, this emperor is indeed the emperor, once he ascends the throne, even God cannot bear to kill his people in the cold."
"Okay, Liu Er, stop looking! Come with me!"
Liu Chang turned around and left. Liu Ying was shocked and angry. She kept muttering Nei Shi's name in her mouth, as if she was going to chew him up.
"Oh, it's not just a matter of internal history. From top to bottom, they only let you know what they want you to know. What else do you know?"
Liu Chang said disdainfully, and they walked all the way east. When it was almost nightfall, they came to a place.
When Li Zheng heard that the nobles were coming to stay for the night, he rushed to greet them with great respect. He smiled and led the way for them. Liu Chang walked proudly in front and said, "I am Lu Lu, the son of Marquis Jiancheng! This is my brother Lu Lu.
Product! Do you know us?"
Li Zheng was shocked and hurriedly bowed again and said, "I've heard for a long time about the reputation of Marquis Jiancheng!"
"What? Haven't you heard our names before?"
"I've heard of it, I've heard of it."
Liu Chang snorted coldly. Under the leadership of Li Zheng, he walked into a room and immediately told Li Zheng: "Select twenty women from among them and send them to my house!"
Li Zheng's eyes widened and he looked up and down at the child of the Jiancheng Hou family in front of him, "Twenty??"
"Noble...it's like this, we are small and can't afford twenty people..."
"Don't try to hide it from me! I heard from my friends that when the nobles stayed at your place, you entertained them with the women of the common people. Why, entertained them but not me? Do you look down on my father?!"
Liu Chang scolded.
Li Zheng explained helplessly: "My lord... people came here before, but they only asked for four or five people... I never heard of anyone asking for twenty women."
"There are not even twenty women of the people, forget it, get out! No more!"
"My daughter is also very beautiful..."
"I'm born with great strength. If I'm a woman under twenty, I can't do anything. Get out!"
Liu Chang drove away the chief here, then looked at the stunned Liu Ying and asked: "Brother, do you know why your ministers like to run away? What about rectifying the place and clearing up the officials? Look, they
It is in these villages that we purge officials and officials. How to purge them? It is also very simple. We can purge them without giving away women."
"Although I am young, I have friends all over the world. Don't you believe it, brother? Just the day before yesterday, your servant spent the night here and forced four civilian girls to come to serve. This matter, but
The soldier accompanying him told me that my brother can go check it out at any time."
"Everyone is sanctimonious, but there are only a few who truly care about the world."
"Brother uses himself to judge others, and thinks too well of everyone... Hahaha, but you don't know what kind of things they have done in places that you can't see!"
Liu Ying walked directly into the inner room without saying a word. After seeing him enter, Luan Bu hurriedly came to Liu Chang and whispered: "Your Majesty, don't go too far... Your Majesty is kind-hearted, if you go too far
I’m afraid it’s inappropriate to be sad and angry.”
"I know, that's why I took him to see these...otherwise I would have taken him to see something more serious."
Ji Bu pondered and said, "Your Majesty is not ignorant."
"Oh, he knows that the people's livelihood is suffering. I brought him out not to let him see how difficult it is for the people, but to let him know how to treat the ministers in the future!"
Ji Bu said solemnly: "Your Majesty did the right thing. I have an idea. We will return to Chang'an tomorrow... I heard some time ago..."
Liu Chang listened attentively. When Ji Bu finished speaking, he smiled and said, "You seem to be an upright gentleman, but you are also full of bad ideas!"
Ji Bu smiled and said, "Without bad water, I really can't be the king's servant."
Until the next day, Liu Ying was depressed.
Liu Ying never speculated on the ministers with the worst malice. He knew the hardships of the people's livelihood, and never thought that he was governing a prosperous age. However, he did not expect that the ministers would deceive him so much and do such bad things in private.
According to Han law, seizing women was a capital crime punishable by beheading.
Watching Liu Ying lower her head as she ate her meal, Liu Chang said, "We will return to Chang'an later."
"Chang'an? Why don't we keep going?"
"Keep walking? It's like this even outside of Chang'an. What would happen if we walked a little further?"
"I don't dare to take you there again. If I make you angry and sick, how can I explain to my mother?"
After eating, Liu Chang took Liu Ying and left here. Li Zheng came to see him off again. It was not until these people left that Li Zheng shook his head and said to the people around him: "The son of Marquis Jiancheng is rude, lustful, and extremely cruel.
It’s not the honor of the Marquis of Jiancheng!”
Liu Chang returned to Chang'an, as if he had been prepared, he took Liu Ying directly to a mansion.
Very far away, Liu Chang stopped and looked at the mansion in the distance. Liu Chang asked with a smile: "Brother, do you know whose mansion this is?"
Liu Ying looked at it for a moment and shook her head, "I don't know."
"This is Shen Shiqi's mansion."
"Ah? Elder brother, are you going to..."
Liu Ying was shocked, but Liu Chang said: "Don't worry, I came here naturally for my purpose. Now that the mourning period has passed, the ministers have not drank for a long time, and now everyone is having fun in the house. It is even more generous to invite them to eat.
Famous people from both inside and outside Chang'an are enjoying themselves in the palace, saying they will drink heavily for three days, and this is the second day."
Liu Ying shook her head, "The mourning period has passed. Although it is forbidden to gather and drink together, it is not easy to hold anyone accountable."
"Who said I want to ask questions? I just want you to see how your ministers treat you."
Liu Chang looked at Luan Bu, and Luan Bu left in a hurry... After a while, Luan Bu pulled a servant over. The servant's face was full of horror. He originally left the palace to buy something, but suddenly he
A guy with a sword grabbed him and dragged him all the way here. The attendant was not afraid at first, until the man claimed to be a member of the Tang Dynasty. The attendant was extremely frightened and struggled hurriedly, but he was no match for Luan Bu. He was taken away.
Got here.
When the attendants saw the emperor, they breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly paid their respects.
Liu Chang said with a smile: "In this case, you give an oral message to the emperor. You go to Shen Shiqi's mansion and tell Shen Shiqi that the emperor has something to do and want to meet Shen Shiqi and ask him to go to the Xuanshi Palace as soon as possible.
"
The attendant looked at Liu Ying, who pondered for a moment and nodded.
The attendant was about to go in, but Liu Chang shouted again: "Don't say that the emperor is here! Otherwise, I will cook you!!"
After seeing off the attendant, Liu Ying asked with some suspicion: "What on earth does the eldest brother want to do?"
"Brother will know soon!"
They waited here, and after waiting for a long time, the waiter came out with his head lowered. He came here quickly, with a ashamed face and hesitating.
"Tell me, how much did he give you?"
Liu Chang asked, and the attendant was so frightened that he almost knelt on the ground. Luan Bu helped him in time. The attendant tremblingly took out the money from his arms and said, "I didn't ask for it... Marquis Piyang... He asked me
Tell Your Majesty that he is unwell..."
At that moment, Liu Ying's face turned red and she was about to yell. Liu Chang hurriedly stopped him and said, "Brother, I have been fooled hundreds of times like this and you have endured it. Why can't you stand it this time?"
Woolen cloth?"
Liu Ying stared angrily. This honest man had never been so angry before.
"If you look at Shi Qi, this thief, I will kill him! Isn't my matter worse than his drinking matter?"
"Then brother will have to kill most of the ministers...Brother, look, are they afraid of you? Do they respect you? My brother is good to them, but they think that he can be bullied, so they will fool him in all kinds of ways. If
My father is here, do you believe that he is rushing to the palace with the attendants right now?"
"To put it bluntly, why isn't Prime Minister Cao like this? He won't delay important events, but he also drinks in the house all day long. You sent someone to find him, and he even left that person to drink. He drank
It’s much more powerful than Shen Shi Qike, he’s not fooling you, he’s telling your brother directly that he doesn’t take you seriously at all!”
"What can I do, brother?!"
This time, Liu Chang really didn't slander Cao Shen. Cao Shen became the Prime Minister, and it happened that all the good-name people were expelled, leaving only the old and dull people. As soon as the mourning period was over, he started drinking and having fun day and night. His subordinates couldn't see it.
When a habitual person wants to remonstrate, Cao Shen will call him and drink until he is drunk, and the speaker will not be able to say a word.
Liu Ying sent his son Cao Cheng to persuade him, but Cao Cheng failed to persuade him and was whipped by Cao Shen.
What kind of behavior is this to tie up and beat the envoy sent by the emperor?
Even if this messenger is his own son.
That is to say, Liu Ying has a good temper. If you want to replace Liu Bang, Cao Shen will be tied up and whipped by Liu Bang the next day.
Liu Ying was furious and said, "I'm going to ask Shen Shiqi now!"
"Brother, don't be anxious... Come, you hide between Luan Bu and Ji Bu, lower your head, just like this. You follow me, don't make a sound, don't look around, and stay at the door later, haha
, the ministers always slander me in front of you, saying that I am rude, I will let my brother see what the real situation is like."
Liu Ying was also obedient and followed Liu Chang, but was blocked by two family members.
Liu Chang looked at Luan Bu and winked, and Luan Bu nodded slightly.
Liu Chang led them to Shen Shiqi's mansion.
When the diners came to open the door, Liu Chang barged in directly. Those diners couldn't stop him at all. They just kept shouting and reporting to Shen Shiqi inside. When Liu Chang came to the other courtyard, everyone was drinking here, but
, Liu Chang did not know these people, he only knew them sitting in the upper position, drunkenly examining their food.
The moment Shen Shiqi saw Liu Chang, he seemed to have sobered up.
He stood up warily, stared at Liu Chang, and said nothing.
Liu Chang glared angrily and said: "Cheshiqi, I respect you as an important minister of the late emperor. The emperor has an edict. If you don't go to pay homage, why are you drinking here?"
Shen Shiqi was immediately speechless and looked uneasy. The person sitting next to him stood up and asked with a smile: "But the Emperor sent the King of Tang here?"
"That's not the case. I just met a close attendant by chance. When I learned about this incident, I came here specifically to persuade him!"
The man smiled and said: "Don't be impatient, King Tang. Marquis Piyang is indeed unwell, so we came to visit him. Marquis Piyang endured the pain and came to greet them... It's not that he didn't mean to go."
"Right, that is it!"
Everyone shouted, Liu Chang's eyes widened, and he said in disbelief: "How can there be such a reason in the world?"
"The king is young and not old enough to leave the palace, but now he can come and go at will. There is no such reason in the world!"
Everyone was chattering and talking without giving Liu Chang a chance to speak. Liu Chang was jumping with anxiety, but could not speak and refused to leave. After a long time, footsteps suddenly came from outside the door.
, within a moment, I saw Tingwei Xuanyi leading people into the mansion.
Xuanyi looked directly at Shen Shiqi, then at Liu Chang, and said, "Here, take Prince Tang back!"
Seeing Xuanyi coming, Shen Shiqi was very happy and hurriedly got up to pay his respects. Everyone got up one after another.
Liu Chang's eyes widened and asked: "I didn't make a mistake, so why did Tingwei catch him?"
"Someone reported that the King of Tang broke into the Piyanghou Mansion and acted recklessly."
At this moment, with the support of Tingwei, everyone responded one after another, calling the King of Tang rude. Liu Chang was anxious and angry, and said: "I am just here to persuade him to eat, and he is not doing anything wrong!"
Xuanyi ignored Liu Chang's excuses and ordered him to be arrested and sent back to the palace.
At this moment, one person suddenly said coldly: "Okay... So that's it... Why do people come to impeach the eldest brother every day, saying that the eldest brother has been fooling around all day long... I finally understand.
,So this is ah!"
When everyone heard the words, they looked around. When Shen Shiqi saw this, he shuddered and slumped to the ground. He stood up in a hurry, leaned down and bowed, "Your Majesty!!"
Xuanyi was stunned for a moment, then saluted, "Your Majesty!"
Liu Ying looked at Xuanyi with a murderous look, and roared angrily: "What an upright Tingwei, are you my Tingwei, or are you a hawk who judges his food?!"
Xuanyi said solemnly: "Just now, someone came to report that the King of Tang was checking food in his palace and wanted to kill the Marquis of Piyang, so I brought them here."
"Really? The eldest brother wants to kill Shen Shiqi... I have been following him, how come I didn't know?!"
There was no trace of fear on Xuanyi's face, and he said seriously: "Then someone must have lied."
Liu Ying laughed angrily, "What a donkey Tingwei, his ability to quibble is really amazing, very good, the eldest brother walked into the house, and you arrived right after... Tingwei is very efficient."
!”
"Come here!! Capture Xuanyi and everyone here!!"
Liu Ying roared, and the soldiers who followed Xuanyi were stunned, and then rushed forward. Everyone including Xuanyi was directly pressed to the ground. His face was bloodless and he didn't know.
How to defend himself? Xuanyi did not resist, he just held his head high and shouted: "Your Majesty! I am not guilty!!"
"Bring them all back to Tingwei's prison for me!"
Dozens of people, including Ting Wei, were escorted away by the soldiers. Liu Ying was still very angry, with veins popping up on his forehead. Liu Chang walked to him pitifully, "Brother always scolds me.
, saying that I did evil things in Chang'an, was arrogant and unreasonable, and insulted the officials..."
"Actually, I haven't done anything. I just slandered the officials because they didn't like it..."
Liu Chang wiped his tears and said: "You didn't listen to me even though I explained. My brother only believes in those ministers and not me..."
Seeing Liu Chang's appearance, Liu Ying suddenly felt a little distressed. He grabbed Liu Chang's shoulders and said seriously: "I have understood that I can't believe any of the words of these ministers! I will never trust them again.
Words, eldest brother, I’ve suffered so much for you, I didn’t expect that they would dare to do this!”
Liu Ying gritted her teeth, obviously hating the ministers to the extreme.
"By the way, brother, Xuanyi is different from Shenshiqi. Shenshiqi sent someone to tell him that he was also deceived. That's why he was deceived. You can't harm his life. Lock him up for a few days and let him reflect on it.
, just let it out."
"Eldest brother... you can be so merciful to those who slander you... I am really... alas..."
"Okay, brother, it's okay. Let's go back and interrogate these people. If possible, we will go to a few more people's mansions later. I will accompany you to find them! Treat them one by one!"
"good!"
Liu Ying said angrily: "I will never let this thief go! Outside Chang'an City, the people are selling their sons and daughters just to survive, but the ministers in the city are drinking and having fun, ignoring the emperor's orders, and don't care about what's going on outside the city."
Common people, I want them to squat outside the Chang'an city wall for three days!! Let them feel it too!!"
Liu Chang was stunned for a moment and said in a low voice: "Well...it's okay for younger people, but someone of Cao Shen's age might freeze to death on the same day..."
“People can freeze to death?! Can’t ministers?!!”
Seeing Liu Ying leave here angrily, Liu Chang couldn't help but chuckle.
Ji Bu took a deep look at Liu Chang and said, "You deserve to be punished, but why did your Majesty want to harm Tingwei?"
"Ah? What harmed Wei Ting? Why didn't I know, Luan Bu, do you know?"
"I am a countryman and I don't know anything."
ps: Can anyone tell what allusion the title is taken from?