The civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty were reporting on various events.
Liu Che launched a series of thorough investigations based on the Chang Shi and the Du Wei who Huo Qubing brought back from Lujiang County. In the past two days, there were undercurrents in the government and the public. Some ministers had vaguely smelled something and became cautious.
OK.
Before figuring out Liu Che's intentions, these ministers were more cautious than before.
The atmosphere at the court meeting was also quite depressing, and a storm was about to come.
While the court meeting was in progress, there was a sudden moment of silence in the palace, but all the ministers simultaneously sensed that there were violent fluctuations in the energy in the city, and someone was fighting.
"How dare you fight in the city and use magic?"
Cao Cao, a subordinate of Jiuqing Tingwei, came out and admonished: "If you fight in the city and use magic skills, you will be severely punished according to the law!"
Chang'an has an express decree prohibiting fighting.
At this moment, not only were there people fighting, but they were also making such a big fuss.
This made Cao Cao and Han Jiang, who was in charge of criminal law under his command, Ting Wei, very angry. It was equivalent to giving him eye drops under the emperor's nose.
Liu Che stood high on the dragon throne and glanced in the direction of the energy fluctuations. His sight seemed to penetrate the distance and said calmly: "It is indeed worthy of severe punishment. It was Qu Bing and Ping Xian who did it. It's really nonsense."
Huo Shizhong and Princess Pingxian?
Cao Cao and Han Jiang quietly took back their steps, forget it, I'm actually not that angry.
The princess will not say anything else. Huo Shizhong is His Majesty’s confidant. If you hear His Majesty’s tone for the fight between the two of them being ‘nonsense’, whoever insists on pursuing it has failed to understand the holy will.
Fighting is not a big deal after all.
At this time, Liu Che opened and closed his lips, but no sound came out.
The courtiers were all human beings, and at a glance it was clear that His Majesty was speaking to Huo Shizhong and the princess from a distance.
The hall was filled with silence.
"I will take care of their affairs and continue to go to court."
Interference means that I have already taken action and you don't have to worry about it.
After Liu Che finished speaking, his heart moved slightly: "Both Qu Bing and Ping Xian are reckless and impulsive people. Why did they deliberately spread their anger and cause such a big disturbance in Nuo?"
In the morning when the sun is high.
In the inner study room, Liu Che, who had left the morning court, was sitting in the main seat, burying his head in reviewing the memorials.
Behind the low seats on the left and right, Liu Qing and Huo Qubing were sitting respectively. The study was also quiet.
"Do you two know that you are wrong?" Liu Che suddenly asked.
"I know, I shouldn't take action against the princess." Huo Qubing said calmly.
Liu Qingsui said: "I was the one who made the first move, and he was probably defensive."
"Nonsense!"
Liu Che: "The two of you fought in public and disrupted the court meeting. You must take this as a warning. If you dare to do it again, you will be severely punished."
Huo Qubing bowed and said, "I would like to ask your Majesty to punish me severely."
Liu Che's eyes narrowed slightly.
He watched Huo Qubing grow up and saw that he took the initiative to ask for punishment, and he became more and more sure that there was a reason for the matter: "Why should I punish you heavily?"
Huo Qubing organized his words and said:
"Your Majesty said before that I will allow you to lead the troops to fight with the army if you finish the matter at hand. Therefore, I want to find out the culprit behind Liu Huai's murder as soon as possible and put an end to this matter completely."
Liu Che pondered: "You want me to punish you so that people think you have lost my favor?
So you already have a suspect, and that person is in Chang'an?"
Liu Che is worthy of being an emperor whose name will be passed down to future generations. His intelligence and insight enable him to discern every detail and see directly into people's hearts.
"Your Majesty clearly knows that I have this intention.
But who it is, I just doubt it, and it’s not yet certain at the moment, so I don’t dare to say anything in advance.”
Liu Qing on the side closed his eyes and said, "You really have other plans."
Huo Qubing said: "I would also like to thank the princess for her cooperation and releasing her energy to fight against me."
When the two of them started fighting just now, Huo Qubing had the idea of taking advantage of the situation, and intentionally or unintentionally amplified the action of the fight.
At first, we couldn't really fight Liu Qing to the death. If we continued to get entangled in this matter, it would be better to take the opportunity to expand the movement and attract attention, and naturally the fight would not go on.
Furthermore, it can be arranged conveniently to pave the way for the follow-up and make things easier, so that you can get the opportunity to go out with the army as soon as possible.
When Liu Qing first took action, he was indeed a little embarrassed and angry, but his mood quickly stabilized.
The two of them were able to defeat Huo Mansion because one was willing to fight and the other was willing to cooperate. Liu Qing also noticed that Huo Qubing was deliberately escalating the fight and wanted to see what he was going to do.
Liu Che said: "Have you already thought about the follow-up plan?"
"Yes, I am ready to try in another direction.
After I was reprimanded by His Majesty, if I have some quarrels with others, the other party might be bolder. I want to see if I can gain anything by then."
"You want to induce the other party to make a mistake?"
Liu Che said: "Okay, I will punish you severely according to your wishes. Although you have no character or rank to be reduced, I will fine you a salary for half a year and report it to the court to see the consequences."
This is indeed a very severe punishment. He will be fined for half a year, without wages, and the officials in the court must be informed to take Huo Qubing as a warning to see the consequences and not to do it again.
Liu Qing was listening on the side, but he deeply felt the mutual trust and understanding between Huo Qubing and Liu Che.
Huo Qubing only said that he wanted to be punished, but Liu Che guessed that he had other motives and agreed to cooperate.
This kind of trust is especially rare between monarchs and ministers.
Liu Qing had enough time to say: "So you were taking advantage of me when you fought with me just now?"
Huo Qubing raised the corner of his mouth and said, "I said, thank you very much for your cooperation, Princess."
…
It was approaching noon when Huo Qubing returned home. Unexpectedly, there was a visitor waiting at the door for a long time.
It is Zhuo Huai.
He came here early in the morning and waited outside the house until noon, but still did not leave.
Seeing Huo Qubing coming back from the palace and stepping out of the carriage, Zhuo Huai immediately stepped forward with a gift: "Shizhong Huo, have you received the gift you gave me yesterday?"
Yesterday's hand scroll from Bai Qi was a gift he had tried his best to increase the success rate of asking to see Huo Qubing.
Huo Qubing stopped and looked over, and saw that he was a middle-aged man, quite dignified, but wearing Chinese clothes and a standard businessman's attire.
"You come in with me."
The main hall of Huo Mansion.
Zhuo Huai followed him in and took his seat behind the low seat.
He secretly looked at Huo Qubing, thinking that if he could marry his daughter to his merchant family, he would be really high up for someone like him.
Yao Zhao also stayed in the mansion and also came to the main hall to sit down.
Amidst the heavy footsteps, Zhuo Huai looked at a maid serving tea coming in from outside the hall. She was so powerful and strong, and was a little shocked for a moment.
Huo Shizhong's uncle was a general. He didn't expect that the Wuxun clan and even the maidservants raised by the family could be so strong. It was really an eye-opener.
After Xiong San delivered the tea, he stood behind Huo Qubing and looked at Zhuo Huai with thick eyebrows and big eyes.
"It doesn't matter if you have anything to say," Huo Qubing said.
Zhuo Huailai's purpose was very simple. Yesterday's Bai Qi's scroll was obtained by him through many connections and Cai Ke's magic. Just for this moment of audience, he said: "Yesterday I sent someone to
I came to worship just because I have something to ask for.
I've seen my little girl Huo Shizhong before, through the window on Anmen Street..."
...the one who throws poles like Pan Jinlian?
Huo Qubing remembered it, and he still vaguely remembered the girl's delicate face.
Zhuo Huai looked at her secretly, but unfortunately Huo Qubing had no expression on his face and did not show any emotion in his heart, so he boasted: "My little girl Qingke, everyone in Chang'an knows her beauty, but she is like this, but she has caused a disaster."
Zhuo Huai thought thoughtfully and said: "I came here to ask if Huo Shizhong has any interest in my daughter? It's really presumptuous to come here, but if I didn't encounter difficulties, I would not come to the door like this and be eager to get my daughter married.
If Shizhong Huo doesn't want to marry my daughter, I will be very grateful if you can help me solve a problem."
Huo Qubing indeed valued Bai Qi's military strategy, but it depends on what Zhuo Huai wants. It doesn't violate his own principles, so it doesn't hurt to help him: "What's your problem?"
"Someone wants to take the little girl as a concubine..."
Zhuo Huai said anxiously: "He is a descendant of the clan."
Huo Qubing still looked as usual: "Which clan member makes you so afraid? And why are you so resistant to marrying into the clan?"
"The son of King Huainan, Liu Qian." Zhuo Huai took a deep breath and said.
Liu Qian, that’s not surprising.
There are several people in the royal family who are like demon kings. Liu Qian is one of them, as well as Princess Longlu's descendant Zhaopingjun. He is still young now, but he is already lawless and notorious.
Speaking of Liu Qian alone, he already had many concubines. It is said that a concubine was taken out of his house a few years ago and she was said to have died of a serious illness. However, there have been rumors that she was killed by him because of his drunkenness and immorality.
Just because the woman's family didn't dare to pursue the matter, the matter went unsolved.
It is not difficult to understand that Zhuo Huai felt sorry for his daughter and tried every possible means to prevent Zhuo Qingke from being forcibly taken in.