Guests and friends gathered in the Censor's Mansion, and Wang An, the manager, was busy greeting the guests. There were nearly three to four hundred people in the Censor's Mansion who came to celebrate their birthdays today. Most of these guests were officials from the DPRK and China who came with their families, and some
The prince's relatives, friends and guests are divided into three, six or nine grades. Only officials of the fourth grade and above are eligible to enter the hall to eat. There is a pergola in the garden below the fourth grade, and you can eat there. If you are a doctor or minister of the second grade, you can eat in the hall.
You can go to the inner hall to eat. This Wang An knows the secrets well and handles the guests in an orderly manner.
The inner hall is actually the Yazhai in the Censor's Mansion. It is more than eight feet high and has windows on all sides. You can see the beautiful scenery of boating on the West Lake, and the panoramic view of Lin'an City in the distance. After Emperor Xiaozong sat down, the prince gave the order to start the banquet.
It stands to reason that there were originally three banquet tables in this inner hall, two tables were for officials, and one table was separated by a bead curtain and was specially prepared for Xiaozong and Concubine Xi. Because monarchs and ministers were not allowed to sit at the same table, the waiter who served the wine could only serve the wine and food.
It was handed over to the imperial guard, who tested it with a silver needle before it could be eaten by the emperor. Therefore, the emperor could only sit with his wife, and the guards stood on both sides, not even giving orders. Since ancient times, sages have been lonely. Xiaozong saw it
The more than ten officials in the inner hall, from Jiuqing to the minister, were all people who had always had close friendship with the prince. They felt like a mirror in their hearts and said frankly: "Today is Wang Aiqing's sixtieth birthday, and today we, the emperor and the ministers, will be dining together. I
I'm hungry, my dear, please let me have a feast." Emperor Xiaozong knew that before he issued the imperial edict, he would be more useful alive than dead.
Wang Ziqi smiled and patted his palms three times. From the side door of the inner hall, holding wine and food in his hand, twelve maids from the Royal Palace were filed out. In a short time, eighteen cold basins were placed on the table.
, twenty-four hot dishes. There is a dazzling array of Cantonese, Sichuan, Shandong, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, Hunan, and Anhui cuisines. For Wang Ziqi’s 60th birthday, famous chefs from all over the country had been invited to gather earlier.
Lin'an City. Everything flying in the sky, swimming in the water, and crawling on the ground gathered together to form a table full of gluttonous feasts. For a while, the atmosphere was harmonious with the light and drink.
Sitting in the corner of the hall was a hunky black man with his head covered and eating a lot. The people at the table didn't know who he was. Anyway, the officials here thought he was a relative and family member of Wang Yushi, and their relatives and friends thought he was an official in the court. Chen Mengsheng
Just like this, when someone toasts him, he drinks, and when no one toasts him, he eats like crazy. It is not easy to eat the eight major cuisines of the Song Dynasty at once, but Chen Mengsheng's eyes are watching all directions and his ears are listening in all directions.
Wang Baoer and the manager Wang An were not able to escape every move they made. He only knew these two, and they mingled among the diners without attracting the attention of Wang Baoer and the others. Delicious dishes were still being served in the hall.
While the Censor's Mansion was celebrating with joy, the commander of the Forbidden Army, Ma Ruchao, was busy mobilizing his 100,000 Forbidden Army troops to attack the palace from the Dongqing Gate, Fengyu Gate, Jiahui Gate, and Yuhang Gate at the same time.
Ma Ruchao didn't want to rebel, because when Emperor Gaozong of the Song Dynasty was in power, he was still the general manager of the bodyguard Ma Junsi, and he was almost killed by Emperor Gaozong because of his drunkenness. Fortunately, the prince interceded for him at that time, so Emperor Emperor Gaozong stopped pursuing it.
Later, Ma Ruchao was always grateful to Wang Ziqi for his life-saving grace. Wang Ziqi also knew that Ma Ruchao had always been at odds with Zhang Jun, so he always mentioned, intentionally or unintentionally, that the position of Prime Minister Zhang Jun should belong to Ma Ruchao and not just the commander of the imperial army.
.Slowly, Ma Ruchao also felt that he was suppressed by Song Xiaozong, and there was a gap in his heart. When the time was right, Wang Ziqi told Ma Ruchao that the leader of the world should be the capable person. Ma Ruchao felt that it made sense, so he joined the prince.
His rebellion plan also involved his son-in-law.
Today, all the imperial guards in the imperial city have been replaced by Ma Ruchao's confidants. One hundred thousand imperial troops drove straight in from the four gates. They silently approached the Wende Hall. Wende Hall, commonly known as the Jinluan Hall, is the tallest building in the Forbidden City.
The base of the building is made of white marble and is more than two feet high. The hall is about ten feet high. In the middle of the hall is a platform about six to seven feet high. There is a gold lacquer carved dragon throne with dragons and golden pillars on both sides.
There is a golden dragon caisson carved on the ceiling, and a spherical Xuanyuan mirror hangs upside down. There is a jade seal of the country on the Jinluan Hall. As long as there is a jade seal, who in the Southern Song Dynasty would dare not to obey. After all the 100,000 forbidden troops passed through the four gates, the four gates were slow.
It closed slowly.
In the center outside the Wende Hall is Prime Minister Zhang Jun in military uniform. There are 300,000 imperial troops led by Li Xianzhong on the left and Zou Hongyuan on the right. Their swords have already been unsheathed and their arrows are cocked, as if they are ready. Ma Ruchao's head suddenly
There was a loud "buzz", how could this happen? The subordinates I have led for twenty years will not betray myself, but the fact before my eyes is that my imperial army has become a turtle in the urn, and I suddenly broke out in a cold sweat.
Next. Zhang Jun shouted: "Hold the lamp." The three forbidden troops in Wende Palace lit torches at the same time. The inner courtyard of the palace was as bright as day. The forbidden troops on the walls of the imperial city also lit torches, and tens of thousands of archers were printed in the flames.
The arrow was pointed directly at Ma Ruchao's imperial army.
"Ma Ruchao, we are all leading troops to fight. The Forbidden Army you arranged in the city tower have all surrendered. If you are still a man, don't let your Imperial Army follow you and make unnecessary resistance. The officers and soldiers of the Forbidden Army are also superiors.
Old man, if there are young people among you, are you willing to watch them die? Just kill yourself."
Ma Ruchao laughed wildly and said: "Old man Zhang Jun, you win, be kind to the brothers who have been with me for many years. I lost, hahaha." There was a sound of the sword spring coming out of the sheath at his waist, and Ma Ruchao wiped his neck himself
It was almost Xu time, and the prince would glance in the direction of the palace from time to time, with cold sweat on his hands. Xiaozong Zhao Shen looked at the prince and said with a smile: "Wang Aiqing, why do you look so ugly? Is there something wrong with it?"
What's on your mind?"
"Haha, your majesty is joking. How can I have anything on my mind? I am afraid that I will not take good care of the Holy One, so I am afraid."
"Haha, Wang Aiqing is too worried. I want to give you a gift. Alas, it's a pity that the gift was stolen. Fortunately, Hu Gansi from Dali Temple and the imperial army found it back today. Wang Aiqing, do you know who stole it?
?"
"I am stupid, I wonder who dares to steal the treasure in the palace?"
"Sir Hu Gansi found out that it was stolen by a group of foreign gold men. I never expected that there were 20,000 foreign gold men in the inns, wine shops and brothels in Lin'an City? Fortunately, the gift has been recovered.
I will feel at ease now."
The prince was secretly surprised and didn't know whether what Zhao Shen said was true or false. However, the 20,000 gold men in the city were taken into Dali Temple, and Ma Ruchao's signal was not seen for a long time. An inexplicable fear began to appear in the city.
The prince's heart gradually rose. Could it be that Ma Ru was beyond angry? But he had a hundred thousand imperial troops mobilized in his hands. Who in the imperial city could stop them?
At this moment, the flames of the palace were shot up into the sky with billowing smoke, and the beacon smoke could be clearly seen in the twilight. After seeing it, the prince said calmly: "Your Majesty, how did Emperor Taizu win the country back then?
?" The prince threw the wine glass in his hand out of the window, and soon Wang Baoer and his servants kicked, kicked, kicked into the inner hall.
When Concubine Xi saw the servants holding knives, she was so frightened that her face turned pale. Song Xiaozong Zhao Shen said, "All of you here today must be the censor Wang Ziqi's best friends."
"Now that things have happened, I don't need to lie to you. The Jade Seal will be delivered to you in a few moments. Please write down the edict now, and you will be witnesses. You won't have to worry about it when the Jade Seal arrives."
Wang Baoer took out a blank imperial edict made of yellow silk from his body, and said with a smile: "Your Majesty, please write down the imperial pen. All the people in this inner hall are ours, and this palace is now occupied by Lord Ma. Zhao Shen Just accept your fate, hahaha..."
Chu Jiangfeng raised his sword and shouted: "Get ready to take action." The eight guards unsheathed their swords and Concubine Xi screamed and threw herself into Zhao Shen's arms.
Everything that happened in the inner hall was clearly seen by Chen Mengsheng, who was peeping out of the window. He kneaded his hands and made a sign. If Emperor Xiaozong was in any danger, he would immediately cast a spell to save him. However, Chen Mengsheng found that Emperor Xiaozong remained calm in the face of danger, with a look on his face. He was calm and composed, and Xiaozong who only heard it said sternly: "I have always treated you well, why did you do such a treasonous and unethical thing today? Mr. Zhang, the minister of Zhongshu Ling, you condone your tribe to occupy fertile land, which should be a capital crime. I think You are a veteran of two dynasties, but you are only allowed to retreat and retaliate, but you do not want to repent and commit rebellion. Your right servant shot Mr. Li, your son killed someone, I ordered Dali Temple to punish you severely, so you hold a grudge. I have already For the sake of your pain of losing your son, I have tolerated you again and again." Chen Mengsheng saw the fear on the faces of the adults in the inner hall, and they all stood up and shrank back.
The prince smiled and said: "Your Majesty, you understand the current situation, why don't you be a person who understands current affairs?"
"Prince, oh, oh, prince. You are so stubborn. I have given you a setback at every step, but you insist on going your own way. Do you think you have a chance to win? Haha, didn't I say I would give you away? A gift? Look back and see for yourself."
The prince was shocked by what Emperor Xiaozong Zhao Shen said. He turned around and saw a fire rising into the sky in the north. As far as the eye could see, it should be coming from Hulu Bay outside Lin'an City.
"Prince Qi, do you know what that is? Your golden friends are now being buried in the sea of fire. Yesterday, I secretly sent General Zou Wei to lead the Huzhou Forbidden Army, and set up an iron chain and copper mesh formation at Hulu Bay to hide it in the water. Now probably Zou Wei It is said that the general is destroying the Jin people. Do you think that Ma Ruchao sent out the beacon smoke in the palace? It was agreed between me and Prime Minister Zhang Jun, and it will be sent out after Xu time. Ma Ruchao's imperial army should have been surrendered by now. Prince Qi You have been defeated. I estimate that Prime Minister Zhang Jun and Hu Gansi of Dali Temple have surrounded your Imperial Palace."
"Sir, sir, it's not good. There are forbidden troops outside the house. Zhang Jun and Hu Gansi have already led their troops to rush in. What should I do, sir?" Chen Mengsheng saw the housekeeper Wang An running into the inner hall, panting like an ox.
Wang Ziqi shouted hysterically: "Chu Jiangfeng, what are you waiting for? Take action."
Chu Jiangfeng smiled and said: "Master Wang, I am the person sent by His Majesty. Today's events are all arranged by His Majesty."
"Dad, what should we do? Think of a solution quickly?" Wang Baoer was already crying. He said it would be later, then. Wang Ziqi took out a short knife from his sleeve and held Xiaozong back. Suddenly, the eight guards behind Zhao Shen had no time to block the prince who was sitting next to Zhao Shen. They watched the drastic change. The concubine in Zhao Shen's arms fainted with a "squeak" from fright.
Wang Ziqi said fiercely: "I have changed my destiny against heaven, and you can't kill me. Zhao Shen tells your people to retreat and let me and Bao'er leave. Otherwise, your blood will be splattered on the spot today."
"Wait a minute." Prime Minister Zhang Jun and Dali Temple Hu Gansi just arrived and saw this shocking scene. "Traitor, let go of Your Majesty. You have already committed the grave crime of killing the nine tribes."
Zhao Shen did not expect that the prince would jump over the wall and threaten him with a knife. He was stunned for a moment. A voice sounded outside the window: "Your Majesty, don't be afraid."