The late winter of the twelfth year of Dacai Pingjing in the Imperial Capital
In Shaolingyuan, the eastern suburb of the imperial capital, the sunset was silent. Two cavalry were galloping on the official road. The leader was forty years old, with a rectangular face and a very sophisticated look. It was Yuan Shiwen, the Prime Minister of the Tong University Scholarship. At this time, his clothes were dyed.
He didn't care about the dust and just looked south in the distance.
Farther south, the silhouette of sails on the Grand Canal appears in the field of vision.
Ships loaded with various goods and grains, coming from up and down the Yangtze River, and even from sea to sea, sailed into the Nanhu Lake of the Imperial Capital——
This is a national blood transfusion. Dates from Anyi, oranges from Jiangling, lacquer from Chenxia, hemp from Qilu, ginger, cinnamon, glutinous rice, silk and cloth, mackerel, turtle, abalone, fermented salt and fermented black beans, rice and wheat grains - all are transported from the waterway.
In the imperial capital, this lively noise can be heard even ten miles away.
As the land official road goes further, there are more and more branches and intersections. All the way to the west, the main road is constantly widening, with a width of a hundred steps, but the road is still crowded, with cattle and horses, vehicles, pedestrians, caravans and wealthy businessmen.
Officials, dignitaries...there are too many people from all over the world gathered here.
The flow of people and cars was rolling in, and it was as dark as ants, causing the entire official road to be shrouded in smoke and dust. Yuan Shiwen was riding on his horse, choking and coughing repeatedly, but he couldn't bear to curse.
The underground array can withstand rain and pressure, which is good enough to ensure that the roadbed is not damaged. It doesn't matter whether pedestrians eat it or not.
A sudden gust of north wind whizzed past, blowing the coldness on the face soberly, sweeping away the smoke and dust in the sky. Looking at the jade belt appearing on the horizon in the distance, I didn't know what it felt like.
The city stretches for hundreds of miles, with walls five feet high, three thousand lanes, 500,000 households, and a population of 1.7 million.
The land connected to Jiuxiao, the center of the world, the head of the dragon vein, the heart of the imperial dynasty, Baiyujing, Longting... too many beautiful words are famous in Jiuzhou, and its glorious aura attracts countless people.
And after staying here for several years, and now returning after half a year away, the closer he gets, the more depressed he feels, and he no longer has the longing for this place as he did when he was a country scholar.
There is a joke in the capital that if you throw a brick casually, you can hit a third-rank official or a king. This is of course an exaggeration, but thousands of confidential departments gather here, and the official ranks here are indeed the least valuable, especially the middle and lower ranks.
There are really too many officials in the capital.
Even so, he has been a scholar for half his life and is only an eighth-grade official.
This was the recommendation I received after ten years of investment in the Tong Mansion. In the past few years, as the head of the family was promoted to the rank of Grand Scholar, and he was granted the title of Second-Rank Governor, he was actually a retainer of a Grand Scholar, not a serious official of the imperial court.
Yuan Shiwen's eyes looked a little gloomy as he recalled this experience.
"This time I was commissioned by Master Tong, but Lan Chongwen was awarded the title of eighth-grade county magistrate. My classmate is as talented as me in studying, but this is the treatment of a genuine candidate. There is still room for improvement. I can only sigh at my fate..."
"As usual, I will pay a visit to the governor and simply avoid the matter. A third-grade feudal official wants to avoid this suspicion, but this Ye Qing dares to treat me like I'm worthless. He just slapped me in the face and rejected me when he showed the slightest hint of meaning."
Whenever he thought of this man's arrogance at that time, Yuan Shiwen felt disgusted: "Although I took the wrong path back then and restricted the situation, I was still the eighth-grade prime minister and the confidant of the great scholar - if I don't look for some opportunities to retaliate against this man, I
Isn’t it just a joke to spend half my life climbing hard?”
"Is it so easy for an ignorant countryman to be recruited by a high-ranking second-grade bachelor and a high-ranking sixth prince? I have to make you walk around without food."
"If I hadn't been given an order asking me to check on the property while I was going down, I would have returned to the Imperial Capital long ago and let others show their effectiveness."
Yuan Shiwen sneered in his heart without showing anything strange on his face, and asked the people behind him for confirmation: "Your Highness, Sixth Highness, has there been no news yet?"
The man immediately took out the interrogation disk in his arms. This is a simplified version. Not only is the distance short, but it can only be received in one direction. It is only effective near Kyoto: "Yes, tell Mr. Yuan to go to Beizhuang to meet him."
"Outer village in the north of the city... are you going to see that woman again?" Yuan Shiwen frowned and thought, riding his horse past the caravan of pedestrians, and after exiting the billowing smoke, he turned for a moment and turned into a relatively secluded branch road.
"Master Yuan, wait a minute." The man behind called, whipping his whip and speeding up, trying hard to keep up with his good horse, and followed him around Guo to the north.
Night gradually fell, the stars became brighter, and silence stretched across the sky.
There were fewer and fewer pedestrians on the road, and by this time there were no more. When passing through a forest, mist arose, with a faint red light, blocking the starlight, and the figure of the rider in front was also blurred, and the sound of hooves suddenly opened the distance.
A scream of "Ah" pierced the night forest, and the man was shocked: "Master Yuan"
After catching up for a while, I saw that I had fallen in the fog and was sitting on the ground in shock. I quickly got off my horse and helped him up: "Master Yuan, are you okay? Do you want to see a doctor?"
"It's okay..." Yuan Shiwen came to his senses, but became angry for no reason: "This is a summons from the Sixth Prince, do you dare to delay it? This is not the way to seek death.
A clever follower watched him mount his horse and leave in a daze. He saw the fog dispersing in the distance, shuddered, and quickly followed him.
As soon as we passed the forest, our eyes suddenly opened up, and we saw a large lake, with smooth mirror-like water reflecting the starry sky. There was a small island in the center of the lake, with continuous attics above and brightly lit.
Looking from a distance, I can see several corridors leading to the middle, zigzag white marble stone bridges, and the faint sound of sheng, Xiao, Qin and Se.
A deacon came up and saw that the two of them were dusty and dusty, and then looked at Yuan Shiwen with his seal: "This is Mr. Yuan from the Tong Mansion? Your Highness has been waiting for you for a long time. Come with me quickly."
When Yuan Shiwen got closer, he saw that it was a large manor, half on the island and half on the water. It was beautifully decorated and had far-reaching dimensions. Yuan Shiwen had just returned from another state, and when he saw it, he felt luxurious...and this was just a side village.
I had the honor to visit the sixth prince's royal palace, which has seven main halls, five back halls, two bedrooms with five rooms each, resting on hills and corners, double eaves and double arches, painted caissons, red doors and red windows, and countless side rooms.
This is the specification for princes to be crowned kings. It is limited to their respective power and financial resources, and how much they invest...
In the three hundred years of peace, wealth, heroes, and beauties have all gathered in the imperial capital. In such a place where many things happen, the foundation of savings is no joke.
Along the way, the jade-white corridors, rippling water at the feet, bamboo groves, pavilions, rockeries and strange rocks, beautiful maids loomed from time to time. And because they could not feel the cold north wind on winter nights, they all wore cool clothes and thin skirts just like summer nights.
Yarn, you can faintly see the spring scenery.
Yuan Shiwen secretly thought that this must be covered by a large formation, but he did not dare to say more.
When they approached the main hall, they saw ten steps and one post. The soldiers were standing upright, and the guards were strict. Several people were solemn. At this time, the guards on duty came up for inspection, and the entourage was taken to the servants' yard to rest.
Cannot enter one step.
The side door of the main hall opened wide, and the lights shone out, and a group of fifteen or sixteen-year-old girls in palace clothes poured out. Their gauze was thin and transparent, their waists were thin, and their skirts were as thin as flowing water, passing by them.
Take a closer look under the light, and you will see that they are all beautiful, with different postures. Some are in charming dance clothes, some have light makeup and hold fans, some are accompanied by pianos and swords, and there are even a few bold girls.
, the temptation was so intense that several men were dumbfounded before they ran away with a smile under the scolding of the leading female officer...
The fragrance floated far away, and Yuan Shiwen stared blankly. The deacon looked at his back sadly, withdrew his gaze, pulled his hand, and said: "Don't look, just wait for me maid. If you have merit, you will be rewarded by His Highness, so there is no harm in paying attention."
"These newcomers who have just left the banquet hall are all trained by the royal family and paid a lot of money for training. The leaders Xiangling and Yunxiu are official talents. They are still my mistress in name. Even if the others are not for His Highness's own use, they are given to distinguished guests, regardless of
You and I can't afford any of them."
Yuan Shiwen was listening in rapt attention when he poured a basin of cold water on him, which made his heart feel hot and cold. He responded with a wry smile: "How can a person like me dare to expect such beauty...
"As long as you understand your duty." The deacon nodded, but did not enter the hall. He went to the side hall to show his token to the soldier on duty, then went around to the back to report.
The door of this side hall was opened a little, and there were many people waiting to see them. Although they did not have the treatment of the main hall, there was a small banquet, and the seats were full.
"Is the seat full?" The deacon looked at it and saw that it wasn't strange. He thought about it and said, "I'm really sorry. Mr. Yuan, please wait outside. I'll go in and let you know."
"Okay..." Yuan Shiwen smiled and before he finished speaking, the deacon nodded and didn't care much about going in. The door was closed tightly again.
Under the vast darkness of night, Yuan Shiwen stood alone outside the side hall, looking at the closed imperial door and the soldiers in front of him. Listening to the sound of strings behind the door, they drank wine and drank. He couldn't help but look back at the beautiful woman in the distance. He suddenly felt depressed and unspeakable in his heart: "It's my duty."
…”
After waiting for an hour, Yuan Shiwen smelled the mellow aroma of wine behind the door and felt hungry before the banquet in the main hall dispersed.
The deacon sent a guest out, and at the same time informed Yuan Shiwen: "His Highness will summon you later, please follow me in and wait."
Yuan Shiwen couldn't even think about complaining. He smelled the aroma of wine and meat and hurried in. He saw the exquisite caisson-shaped ceiling, and the hall below was filled with five or six residual banquets.
Yuan Shiwen sat down at the only available seat and looked at the people around him, all with an official air. He suddenly knew that the Sixth Prince would not summon him immediately. He shook his head and couldn't think about it. He hadn't eaten anything for most of the day. He was really hungry. Hurry up.
Eat some scraps to fill your stomach.
Ignoring the strange looks, I ate and drank and noticed the direction everyone was looking at. I saw a small hall with two guards on the left and right, looking solemn and solemn.
There are also four guards guarding a wooden frame and a dragon flag with a big word "order" on it. Yuan Shiwen has seen it and knows that this is called "Wang Ming Flag"
It is a certificate specially awarded by the emperor to the king, and it is a certificate to execute the killing in advance and then report it at an advantage. It is dedicated to conquering and killing, and people under the fifth rank can be punished on the spot. It naturally has a murderous aura.
Yuan Shiwen didn't dare to look too much. He only saw the golden carved wooden door opening from time to time, and one or two people would come out every once in a while. Their expressions might be happy or depressed, indicating that the outcome of the interview was different. However, no matter whether it was good or bad, he tried his best to restrain his expression and pass by.
The newlyweds who passed by nodded to each other and went straight out.
In such an atmosphere around him, Yuan Shiwen suddenly became nervous - although the sixth prince was known as a wise king, when it came to it, he failed in his errand.