Chapter 366: The official family, I brought you a lamp
Emperor Zhaoxing took five of his chamberlains, dressed as civilians, and left the palace through Gongchenmen. Within two streets, Chu Xin's men arrived.
Wiping away the cold sweat, Emperor Zhaoxing hurriedly headed north.
There are few people in the north of the city, and they are all poor. Almost no one here recognizes the emperor.
While walking on the road, many people were talking along the street:
"Have you heard that something happened to Liangfen Garden?"
"I haven't heard of it, and don't tell me. Yesterday, the Han family's daughter-in-law was dragged to the street and beaten half to death because she was talking nonsense at home. She was also arrested by Sheng'en Pavilion and has not been released yet!"
"Tell Lao Han to find his wife quickly. Shengen Pavilion is gone. Those bastards and that son of a bitch Liang Xianhong all died in Liangfen Garden."
Emperor Zhaoxing's veins twitched and he remained silent.
Who spread the rumors?
Who said I'm dead?
The Liangfenyuan incident has just passed, and rumors should not spread so quickly.
Someone spread the rumors first.
This is a vicious plot, a shameless and vicious plot!
If I just leave like this, you will use the mouths of these Guizhou leaders to kill me!
Do you think I will be fooled by you?
I won't be fooled by you, but I still have to leave.
For the sake of Daxuan's country and the country of my ancestors, I am willing to endure the humiliation and bear the heavy burden!
Everyone walked to a wine shop and saw that the wine shop was open.
What a bold wine shop, how dare you open at noon?
The edict I just issued a few days ago prohibits wine shops from opening before Shen Shi (before three p.m.) and must close before Xu Shi (before seven p.m.).
Wine is produced by grain, grain is produced by the land of Daxuan, and the land of Daxuan belongs to me!
My food was eaten by these ruthless and unjust Guizhou leaders, and I felt heartbroken! They even made wine to drink!
Everyone goes to drink, but who will work?
If you are born as a leader in Guizhou, you should work with all your heart and soul from birth to death, and you should not have the slightest thought of wrongdoing.
Drink, watch a show, listen to music, and go to Fireworks Alley!
Are you worthy?
You only care about pleasure, who has thought about me?
I want to build a new palace and house more concubines. I only need more than 13 million taels of silver, but the Ministry of Household Affairs says it is too tight!
I want to punish the Ministry of Revenue, but the cabinet is blocking it. Who among you knows my reasons?
And when the day comes, I will issue another decree to imprison you all after working every day. Let’s see if you still dare to waste your time!
Seeing this wine shop, Emperor Zhaoxing was furious.
What made him even more angry was yet to come.
The shopkeeper of the wine shop bowed his hands in front of everyone and said in salute: "Gentlemen, today is a happy day. Come to my shop for a drink. You can pay for the food as much as you want. I'll pay for the wine!"
The shop's home-brewed lamb, if any guest can drink two jars of it today, I'll pay for the food too!"
The guests looked at each other and asked: "Shopkeeper Lin, what day is today? Why do you feel so happy?"
"Son of a bitch Liang Xianhong is dead!"
Everyone was shocked when they heard this, some turned around and left, and some even advised the shopkeeper: "Old Lin, you can't talk nonsense, Sheng'en Pavilion is not someone to be trifled with."
Shopkeeper Lin spat and said: "Those bastards from Sheng'en Pavilion accompanied that son of a bitch Liang Xianhong to the Palace of Yama. You guys go to Liangfen Garden and have a look. They killed people all over the ground. The prince is back. From now on...
Now that the prince is in charge, all the prince’s swords have curled blades.”
"Seriously?"
"Who lied to you?"
"Shopkeeper, you must take this seriously, I will take over your store!"
"Bah! Who will pay for it for you? I want to make a lot of fun today. The money for the drinks has been decided, so I'll be the one to pay for it today!"
Emperor Zhaoxing's brain almost jumped out of his head. He usually didn't write anything on his face, but now that he saw this scene in front of him, his years of skill almost broke.
When I come back, I will execute all the people in this shop without leaving a single one alive!
When we walked to Beiyuan Wa City, three hook-and-rail sheds were also opened.
Dare to open Goulan!
My decree... the head of Guizhou is so arrogant!
They don't want to work and come here to watch the immoral singing and dancing!
When I was watching the original dance in the palace, I never publicized it. They were selling it on the street. They were really shameless!
What was being performed in Wa City today was really not singing and dancing.
Beiyuan is poor, the villagers in Beiyuan don't have much money, and the tile market in Beiyuan is not open during the day.
Emperor Zhaoxing issued a decree not to open at night. The three shopkeepers originally planned to pack up and find another way to make a living, but today they received great news.
Emperor Zhaoxing is dead!
The three bosses spent a lot of money to invite famous actors from the capital to come to the shed to sing an opera. The name of the opera was Liang Xianhong Entering the Hall of Hell Three Times.
Today's song is a play adapted from an old play. It tells the story of a tengu who gave birth to eight cubs. One of them was so ugly that his mother kicked him down to earth.
The dog fell to death immediately. This is called entering the Yama Hall, and it is also said that the mother thinks the son is ugly.
The dog kept crying out for injustice in the Hall of Hell, so the King of Hell asked him to be reborn in the emperor's house. His name was Liang Xianhong. Later, he was beaten to death by the people because of his many evil deeds and rebellious behavior. This is called entering the Hall of Hell for the second time, and it is also called killing the thief with righteous indignation.
Liang Xianhong was tortured in the Yama Hall, and later he was resurrected by magic. He wanted to regain the emperor, but he accidentally fell into the toilet and drowned. Therefore, he entered the Yama Hall three times, and he was also said to have died a worthy death.
Just hearing the title of the play almost made Emperor Zhaoxing faint.
Who made up this play?
The incident just happened in Liangfen Garden today, but where did this drama come from?
When I return to the capital, I will kill all these actors.
Beiyuan is so poor. If famous actors are invited, will anyone come to watch the show?
Really!
All three hook-and-rail sheds were full.
I heard that the official's family was dead, so anyone with two spare bucks would come to see the show, but the show was a bit slow.
The famous actors had never sung this play before, so they couldn't remember the words from the notebook.
The old shop owner of the Peach Blossom Pavilion was so anxious that he broke out in sweat: "I tell you guys, let's hurry up. The guests are making noises down there, and I will have to tear down my shed soon. At least I can sing the first entry into the Yama Hall!"
Several actors were also sweating: "We have never sung this play before. You just come up with a new play and sing it. How can we do this?"
An actor who sang in Tsing Yi kept nodding his head and said: "This poem is well written, especially in these three scenes, where Liang Xianhong falls into the toilet and eats and drinks. The writing is particularly vivid. Who wrote it?"
The old shopkeeper smiled and said: "It's the handiwork of Xu Qianhu, the head of the lamp office. Everyone, please hurry up. There are three shows today. I won't lose your money, and you can't lose mine for the drama!"
…
After Emperor Zhaoxing walked out of the north gate, the city gate was closed just a moment later.
Liang Jixiong began to search for Emperor Zhaoxing all over the city. Because there were wild rumors in the capital that Emperor Zhaoxing was dead, Liang Jixiong could not search openly yet, so he could only search secretly on the pretext of hunting down the remnants of Shengen Pavilion.
Emperor Zhaoxing followed a group of servants for a whole day and arrived at Shuangquan Village, Zhengning Township, Pingzhou at dusk. He found a farmer and rented a courtyard to stay temporarily.
After a day's journey, the servants went to bed early, but Emperor Zhaoxing could not sleep.
This farmer is considered a middle-class family in the village. There is a bed in the house, so there is no need to sleep on a straw mat.
But the bed was too hard and there was a strange smell on the quilt.
Not only did the quilt smell, but the water also smelled, and the rice also smelled. The whole village had a disgusting smell!
The fertilizers in the farmland, the chicken pens and pig pens in the yard, and even the smell of sweat and earthy smell from these Guizhou heads made Emperor Zhaoxing unable to swallow anything.
It just tastes bad, but it's not clean.
Logically speaking, farmers work at sunrise and rest at sunset. It's already dark, so it's time to go to bed.
But this Shuangquan village stayed awake and performed a Nuo opera in the middle of the night!
Nuo opera, also known as ghost opera, is the oldest, most traditional and sacrificial dance opera in Eastern China.
It is said that as far back as the Dahuan Dynasty, Nuo opera was very popular. In Daxuan, every New Year, there must be Nuo opera in various places. One is to reward gods, the other is to sacrifice ghosts, the third is to dispel evil spirits, and the fourth is to avoid epidemics.
Today is not the New Year, so men, women and children of all ages put on masks (the custom of Nuo opera is to perform with masks) and go to the village to watch the opera. What is the reason?
Emperor Zhaoxing walked out of the courtyard and asked passers-by: "What festival is today?"
A farmer replied: "Today is a day of great joy for our village. The dog-raised official Liang Xianhong has died. Every family in our village is looking forward to his death. The Canglong God opened his eyes and finally let him die. We are here."
I want to dance a night of Nuo opera to reward the true god."
Emperor Zhaoxing was silent for a moment. He wanted to order his servants to kill this man immediately. After swallowing his anger, Emperor Zhaoxing asked: "The imperial court takes great care of the farmers, why are you complaining so much?
"
"Care?" an old woman next to me spat, "Last year we were given an additional 20% of the land tax. Is this care?"
Emperor Zhaoxing frowned and said, "Pingzhou has had good harvests year after year, so if you add 20%, it's not too much."
"Good harvest?" the old woman spat several times in succession, "Liang Xianhong, who was cut into pieces by a thousand swords, insisted on arresting the disciples of the God of Fire. Our village was originally enjoying a good harvest, but during the autumn harvest, not even half of the food was harvested.
The whole village is really starving, so why are you talking about a good harvest? Who is this shameless guy talking about a good harvest? I will kill him for being so shameless!"
There was no good harvest last year?
But the news I received from all over the place is a good harvest!
So what if there is no harvest?
What about adding some land tax?
Aren't you starving to death yet?
Emperor Zhaoxing narrowed his eyes and said: "Last year there was a war in the north, and the imperial court was also trying to raise military pay."
An old Confucian scholar laughed and said: "This is just a lie to others. Our village has heard about it a long time ago.
The prince raised all the food and wages for the war in the north himself, and that bitch Liang Xianhong didn't even give him a penny."
Who is spreading rumors!
It must be that beast Liang Yuyang who is dissatisfied and slandering me everywhere!
Although I have never sent him any food or salary, the food he asked for from Luzhou, Tuanzhou, Xunzhou and surrounding states is not all my food!
Ungrateful beast!
The gossip-mongering Guizhou head!
Planting such a Guizhou head into a blood tree will save me a lot of rice!
The more Emperor Zhaoxing thought about it, the more angry he became. Then he saw a group of common people coming over carrying a straw man. There was yellow paper on the straw man, with incantations drawn on it, and Liang Xianhong's name written clearly on it.
The old Confucian scholar said: "A hundred idiots are ready. I will burn this thief a hundred times tonight!"
The farmer said to Emperor Zhaoxing: "Are you from other places? Let's go and watch the fun together!"
Emperor Zhaoxing waved his hand, closed the door, and kicked the sleeping Yan Ruhai awake: "Prepare the pen and ink, hold the lamp, I want to issue an edict!"
"Issuing an edict?" Yan Ruhai was stunned.
Emperor Zhaoxing said angrily: "But you can't even find the pen and ink?"
The main responsibility of the imperial eunuch is to make the emperor's daily necessities, such as beds, tables, chairs, screens, chests, etc. Yan Ruhai usually does not serve the emperor, so he really doesn't understand some of the rules.
This late in the evening, every household has gone to watch a Nuo opera. Where can I find paper and pen for the emperor? Even an oil lamp is hard to find.
There was no choice but to ask the emperor to ask for it, so Yan Ruhai could only search around.
Walking to the old Confucian scholar's house, Yan Ruhai saw some lights. With the eunuch's fifth-grade cultivation, Yan Ruhai jumped into the courtyard wall and quietly walked into the house.
The old Confucian scholar had no one at home, so he actually had pen, ink, paper and inkstone on his desk.
Yan Ruhai took a baggage and took away the four treasures of the study. He also wanted to take away an oil lamp on the table.
Suddenly I heard someone say from the sidelines: "Old Yan, when did you come to this place to steal things despite your life being so down and out?"
Chen Shuncai!
Yan Ruhai was shocked, threw away his baggage, and fought with Chen Shuncai.
Chen Shuncai smiled: "Lao Yan, don't do anything stupid. I just came to talk to the official. I don't want to kill you, so I'll give you a warning in advance."
…
Emperor Zhaoxing was pacing back and forth in the room, silently making plans in his mind.
Guizhou is guilty!
What a sin!
He should be punished with severe punishment!
Select the docile ones and keep them for cultivation and reproduction, and turn the untamed ones into blood trees. Firstly, it can improve the emperor's cultivation, and secondly, it can save rice and grain. It is really a wise move!
This has always been Emperor Zhaoxing's dream, but now he wants to realize this dream, but he faces a serious problem: how to return to the capital and how to return to the palace.
In this regard, Emperor Zhaoxing made a careful plan.
First, go all the way north to the capital of Tunu and make peace with Emperor Tunu.
The imperial seal is in my hands, and there is no doubt about my identity. I ceded those three provinces, Yongzhou, Luzhou, Tuanzhou, and Xunzhou to Tunu. This sincerity was enough to impress Emperor Tunu.
Emperor Tunu hates Liang Yuyang deeply, and he will definitely be willing to join forces with me to destroy Liang Yuyang and his gang members.
When I return to the capital, I will kill all the rebellious officials and traitors.
By then, the earth will be filled with blood trees, and in a few years, I will be able to leave the mortal world and rush to the Star Palace!
Thinking of this, Emperor Zhaoxing felt excited. He heard footsteps outside the door and said hello: "Why don't you come over and hold the lamp?"
A young man entered the house carrying a red lamp. Emperor Zhaoxing was so frightened that he exclaimed: "Who... is you!"
"It's me," Xu Zhiqiong nodded and smiled, "I've brought you a lantern!"
－－－－－－Digression－－－－－
Dear readers, the second volume is almost over, guess what the fate of the official family is like?