Chapter 71: The Eunuch Who Begins to Reverse His Status
"Good, good shot!"
In the West Garden, due to Lu Qiang's advice, the Cuju team composed of the colorful girls in Liu Hong's palace finally tried to divide into two teams to perform for Liu Hong in the garden of the West Garden after two days of simple practice.
Taju game, that is, kicking a ball.
Taju was very popular in the Han Dynasty, and Taju competitions were often held for the entertainment of high-ranking families and the families of royal relatives. However, the most common ones were in the military. After all, Taju is a physically demanding and impactful event, so in the military
When soldiers are having fun, they often engage in Taju competitions in full gear, which not only provides entertainment, but also exercises the physical strength and strength of the soldiers.
However, in the Han Dynasty, although it cannot be said that there were no teams formed by women to compete in Taju competitions, they were definitely very few.
In particular, the two Taju teams currently organized by Lu Qiang are unique in the entire Han Dynasty.
These two Taju teams composed of colorful girls are not like soldiers who wear outer jackets, kneepads, and headbands when playing Cuju. They are wrapped tightly to prevent injuries. On the contrary, these colorful girls
She didn't even wear a curved skirt. She just wore silk shorts and a half-sleeved dress newly designed by Lu Qiang. The neckline of the dress was also designed to be extremely low.
Their hair is not tied up either, either hanging down or just tied into a bunch, and they are just running back and forth on the court so lightly.
According to Liu Jian, regardless of whether the women playing football are still the women in Liu Hong's palace, the different dress and behavior will create an unprecedented fresh feeling for the emperor.
It doesn't matter whether the ball is played well or not, the emperor's focus is not on the ball under their feet... but on the players.
Not long after the women's football match started, Liu Hong lost control.
To be honest, these colorful girls play really bad football. Liu Hong can play better than them even if he closes his eyes on the field.
But the problem is, these colorful girls who have been tired of being played over and over by him on weekdays, how come they look so happy when they go to the arena today, with long arms and legs competing?
Liu Hong stared at the female players on the field with his eyes wide open, breathing heavily. Each of them looked so familiar, but each of them looked not so familiar.
It's really a unique taste.
"Okay, okay, good play! Good goal!"
Liu Hong was in high spirits today. He seemed to have not been so happy for a long time.
He kept clapping his hands and calling "good ball," but he didn't know which ball he was talking about.
When I was young, at the end of a game, the female Taju players walked up to Liu Hong one by one, waiting for the emperor to comment on their skills.
Liu Hong stood up with a glowing face and lectured the team members one by one, cheering them on and giving them pointers on their football skills. While giving instructions, he did not forget to reach out and touch the buttocks and legs of the female team members to tell them how to play football.
Skill.
Lu Qiang looked at Liu Hong who was in high spirits and spitting stars all over the place. He really couldn't understand.
That's it? What's so exciting about this?
Even the football balls played by these girls are not as strong as those of this eggless eunuch. We don't understand what is so exciting about this Taju game.
Therefore, eunuchs and normal men will never have anything in common in terms of entertainment and excitement.
Eunuchs will never understand the routine of uniforming.
"Lu Qing!"
Liu Hong's greeting brought Lu Qiang back to reality from his meditation.
"Your Majesty calls the slave?"
"Okay, Lu Qing, your Taju team is very well organized! I am very pleased with you for your loyalty."
Liu Hong hadn't praised Lu Qiang like this in many years, which made him a little uncomfortable for a while.
He hurriedly saluted, his voice even trembling: "Your Majesty is so complimentary! Old slave, this old slave just wants to share your Majesty's worries."
"You are very worried." Liu Hong kept patting Lu Qiang on the shoulder: "I am very satisfied. I need to work harder in the future."
"Thank you, thank you Your Majesty! I will definitely try my best to share your Majesty's worries!"
"I didn't see enough of today's game. How about letting them play another game later?"
"Your Majesty has the final say! But I have another suggestion."
"But it doesn't matter?"
"Your Majesty, why don't you come down later and join them in the dance?"
Liu Hong was surprised and said: "You want me to come off the field and play with them?"
Liu Hong turned his head to look at the colorful girls in surprise. Sweat had soaked through their clothes at this moment, and there was something hazy and looming inside the clothes.
Liu Hong looked at it for a while and then showed strong interest.
"Yes, I have to kick them a few times myself! After all, women still can't understand the essence of Taju. I have to teach them personally!"
Thinking of playing football with them later, Liu Hong's feet started to itch with excitement.
This is an interesting thing that I have never experienced before.
Lu Qiang continued to admonish from the side: "Your Majesty, these two teams of colorful girls are competing in juju skills today. There will be winners and losers. Your majesty also needs to reward the winners and encourage them to continue to practice juju skills hard so that they can win."
To entertain Your Majesty."
"This is a very good statement, Lu Qing, what do you think I will reward you with?"
"The winning team spent the night sleeping, how did Your Majesty feel?"
Liu Hong was surprised and happy when he heard this: "Do you regard me as a reward?"
"Isn't His Majesty the greatest reward to them?"
"Oh! That's right! That's right, that's right! Someone is coming! Hurry! Change your clothes, I want to step into the bow!"
Lu Qiang hurriedly said: "Your Majesty, please wait a moment. Today is Zhao Zhongchang's turn. His Majesty still has some edicts to convey to various departments that he has not yet handed over to him."
"This Zhao Zhong is really dragging his feet! Why doesn't he come at this hour?"
Liu Hong frowned and said with great dissatisfaction: "There is no need to wait for him. You can go to various offices on my behalf to convey my order today!"
"ah?!"
Lu Qiang was startled when he heard this, and said hurriedly: "But Your Majesty, in the past, those who went to various offices to convey edicts were all Zhang, Zhao, and Guo. They were granted the title of four regular servants. Your Majesty has never granted it to anyone else, let alone the old slave."
Never done it before..."
"I've never done anything for you to learn!"
Liu Hong waved his hand impatiently: "You may have been serving as a regular servant for many years. Do you think I can teach you this little thing myself?"
"Yes, yes, your Majesty taught you a lesson!"
Lu Qiang was very happy at this moment, and he hurriedly bowed and said: "Old slave, let's do it now!"
After Lu Qiang left, Liu Hong rubbed his hands excitedly, glanced back and forth at the sweaty and exhausted Cai Nu present, and said: "Don't stand there in a daze, I'm very excited today, let's go!"
Come, both of your teams, and play some kicks with me!"
…
Lu Qiang set out with the edict conveyed by Liu Hong to various departments.
The first task was to go to the Zongzhu Temple to see Liu Yan, the great Zongzheng, and urge him to investigate and correct the bloodline of Liu Jian's Han family as soon as possible.
But to be honest, there are too many archived documents in Zongzheng Temple, like mountains and seas, and Liu Jian himself is a clan relative of the Liu family in the former Han Dynasty. A lot of the archives of this clan clan were lost due to wars before the Guangwu Zhongxing.
Even if there is remaining basic information, most of it is incomplete and difficult to verify.
If you want to find out the roots of the ancestors of the Pre-Han Dynasty like this in Zongzheng, it is like looking for a needle in a haystack. Everyone knows this well.
But now, Lu Qiang has made up his mind - Liu Jian is a good ally, and he is smarter and more powerful than he thought. Since he can do his best to help him obtain the Holy Grace, he must also do his best.
Help him!
After all, in Lu Qiang's heart, he and Liu Jian were both loyal ministers of the Han Dynasty.
When I arrived at Zongzheng Temple, I met Zongzheng Liu Yan. On behalf of Liu Hong, Lu Qiang urged Liu Yan.
It was just a normal urging, but Lu Qiang added some spice to Liu Yan.
After announcing the edict, Lu Qiang added to Liu Yan with a smile: "Zong Zheng, please hurry up. Your Majesty seems to be a little anxious about this matter."
This is very well said. What does "seemingly" mean in a hurry?
Is it urgent or not?
Others may not take it seriously after hearing this, but Liu Yan is not for nothing. As one of Liu Hong's most trusted Han clan members, Liu Yan, like his old boss Hu Guang, is an official.
tumbler.
One of his best skills is to observe words and emotions, and to deduce the importance of something through the minutiae.
Lu Qiang's words made him a little alert.
"Haha, waiter Zhongchang will stay."
Liu Yan stopped Lu Qiang and asked, "Excuse me, Minister Zhongchang, is it a matter for the court to investigate the seniority of Liu Jian's clan?"
Lu Qiang was silent for a while and said: "Replying to Zongzheng, Your Majesty didn't say the specific reason. It's just that Your Majesty specifically asked about it during the evening meal yesterday and the morning meal today. That's all."
Liu Yan groaned secretly in his heart.
Asked once at breakfast and again at dinner, what does this prove? It proves that His Majesty is in a hurry and is about to go to bed!
If these words were spoken by Zhang Rang, Zhao Zhong and the eunuchs, Liu Yan might have some doubts. After all, Liu Yan knew the character of those people. None of them were good people at all. They were all good at forming cliques and were ruthless and selfish.
Very important person.
But the person who said this now was Lu Qiang.
This person is not as sinister and unreliable as Zhang Rang. Although he is a eunuch, he still has benevolence and righteousness in his heart.
Moreover, Lu Qiang was not a clique or selfish person. He usually only did things to admonish Liu Hong, and he was not popular anywhere.
Such a person has no clan tendency in the court, which means he has no self-interest. Ninety-nine percent of what he says is true.
"Then I would like to ask, Mr. Zhongchang, why did Your Majesty want to investigate this Liu Jian?"
"Alas, I don't know, I don't know..."
"You don't have to hide your secrets. I know you as a person, and you also know me as a person. I can also be regarded as your majesty's confidant in the clan. Is there anything else that cannot be said between us?"
Lu Qiang smiled faintly and said: "Replying to Zongzheng, the old slave did not know anything about it, but His Majesty seems to be really interested in Liu Jian and has high expectations. In the past two days, he has been talking about the lack of an advantage, and the clan.
Most of the disciples cannot be reused..."
"oh."
After hearing this, Liu Yan naturally understood.
Now that we have talked about this, if I don't do anything anymore, I will be disrespectful to Your Majesty.
In this way, Zongzheng Temple clearly stated that Liu Jianzheng was a Han clan member and clarified his seniority. This is the result that His Majesty wants to see!
Liu Yan smiled and cupped his hands: "Thank you, Mr. Zhongchang, for telling the truth."
"I don't dare, I don't dare. Your Majesty is waiting over there. Please hurry up, Zongzheng... I have to take my leave."