Liu Ling sat on a chair, watching the man captured by Zhao Da gobble up food with a faint smile on his face. This man's name is Fan Yuanshan, and according to him, he is the February sect of the Northern Branch of the White Lotus Sect.
One of the hall masters of Xiangtang was indeed a few disciples of the White Lotus Sect who ambushed and assassinated Sima Lu, the Minister of Punishment.
Fan Yuanshan has always refused to admit that he was ordered by an important person in the imperial court. He insisted that the White Lotus Sect has always been responsible for eliminating evil and promoting good. He said that Sima Lu seemed to be loyal and honest, but was treacherous and vicious. He was the most treacherous official in the court. Therefore, the White Lotus Sect
The leader of the northern branch ordered them to find an opportunity to get rid of Sima Lu in Yue Xiangtang.
Liu Ling has a certain understanding of the White Lotus Sect. This mysterious sect has played the role of rebels in several dynasties. Since the Song Dynasty, almost every large-scale movement against the imperial court has been fueled by the White Lotus Sect.
One of the more famous ones is the uprising of Fang Shisan, the leader of the Mingjiao, the southern branch of the White Lotus Sect, during the reign of Emperor Huizong of the Northern Song Dynasty.
Fang Shisan, also known as Fang La, was the leader of the largest peasant uprising during the Northern Song Dynasty.
Emperor Huizong of the Northern Song Dynasty liked flowers, stone, bamboo and wood, so he set up the Suzhou-Hangzhou Yingfeng Bureau in the south of the Yangtze River. Song Huizong sent the traitor Zhu Meng to search for rare treasures of flowers, stone, bamboo and wood in the southeast, and transported them to Bianliang, Tokyo in large ships. Every ten large ships
It was called the Huashi Gang at the time. The Qingxi River where Fang La was located was the production area of bamboo and wood lacquer, and was a key source of lacquer for the Yingfeng Bureau in Suzhou and Hangzhou. Therefore, Fang La felt the exploitation and oppression of the Song Dynasty more deeply, so he went to Xuan
In the second year of He's reign, people gathered to revolt.
Fang La was a man with great organizational skills. He issued a cry that the people of the southeast had been exploited for a long time. In less than half a month, he gathered a team of no less than ten thousand people and conquered fifty-two counties in six states one after another.
It shook the southeastern half of the city. Unfortunately, Fang La's empire did not last long. It was destroyed by the Northern Song Dynasty after only being established for a little more than a year.
However, it is undeniable that Fangla's uprising dealt a fundamental blow to the Northern Song Dynasty. The Northern Song Dynasty perished not long after Fangla's uprising. Although the Southern Song Dynasty was still lingering, its political, military and economic strength had declined to a
Quite a low level.
This is a well-known example of the White Lotus Rebellion. Another example was the rebellion of Yan King Zhu Di during the Ming Dynasty, which also had the shadow of the White Lotus Rebellion. It is said that when Yan King Zhu Di was forced to raise his troops to protect himself, eight people who followed him in the uprising
Among the Hundred Warriors there are many disciples of the Northern Branch of the White Lotus Sect.
By the time of the Qing Dynasty, the shadow of the White Lotus Sect frequently appeared behind various small armed forces. It can be said that since the Song Dynasty, the White Lotus Sect has almost promoted peasant uprisings again and again. Although most of them were unsuccessful, the sect's
The influence is evident.
No one knows when the White Lotus Sect arose, but it is undeniable that this sect has existed for hundreds of years and has never withered. One theory is that the White Lotus Sect arose in the Southern Song Dynasty and is a branch of Buddhism. It is the founder of Shaoxing Emperor Gaozong of the Southern Song Dynasty.
Three years later, Mao Ziyuan founded the White Lotus Sect, a branch of Buddhism, which later evolved into the White Lotus Sect. The White Lotus Sect began to gradually enter the stage of history during the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties and was the most complex and mysterious sect in Chinese history.
But when Liu Ling came to this era, he learned that the White Lotus Sect was far from what was recorded in later generations. According to some folk legends, there were already disciples of the White Lotus Sect active during the Tang Dynasty.
Even going back further, the Maitreya Sect during the Sui Dynasty may be the predecessor of the White Lotus Sect.
However, in the Tang Dynasty and the early Song Dynasty, the White Lotus Sect had not been officially recognized as a cult. It was not until Fang La's uprising that it was officially recognized as a cult. Once any disciples of the White Lotus Sect were found to be active, the government would immediately send people to arrest them.
Therefore, in the era where Liu Ling lived, it was not a shocking thing for a disciple of the White Lotus Sect to self-report his identity. If this was done in the late Southern Song Dynasty, or even during the Ming and Qing Dynasties, if someone dared to say that he was a member of the White Lotus Sect, I am afraid that this
People are either tired of living or they are losing their minds and going crazy.
Since Fan Yuanshan insists on refusing to admit that he is a subordinate of a certain adult in the court, Liu Ling can't push him too hastily. After all, this person is loyal to protect his master and can be regarded as a qualified subordinate. Liu Ling is very fond of such a person.
Since the person he had a favorable impression of was not an opponent but an enemy of his opponent, Liu Ling felt it was necessary to treat him as a friend.
A cooked chicken, two kilograms of beef, and a pot of old wine. It only took Fan Yuanshan less than fifteen minutes to destroy them all. It can be seen that the extraordinary measures Zhao Da mentioned include not giving food...
Liu Ling was not in a hurry, and quietly waited for Fan Yuanshan to eat while reading. When neither of them spoke, Minhui suddenly reported that Duke Zhou Yan asked for an audience.
Ever since Zhou Yangong's surprise in the morning, Emperor Xiao admired this man very much. Although he did not give him any substantial official position, he actually let him enter the military aircraft department as an exception!
What does this mean? This is a great honor!
Although there is no official position, those who enter the Military Aircraft Department are regarded as beings like prime ministers by the outside world. They are people who can get along with the emperor day and night, and accept the emperor's summons anytime and anywhere.
In other words, although Zhou Yangong does not have an official title, he can be regarded as a commoner prime minister!
Even Liu Ling didn't expect that Emperor Xiao would give Zhou Yangong such a favor. Look at the five people in the Military Aircraft Department, he himself needless to say. Prime Minister Zuo Lu Sen, Zhongshu Ling Ouyang Renhe, General Zhu Guo Su
Tiger Roar, Grand Scholar Su Xiu, which one of these four people is not a very human character?
And Zhou Yangong is also a person who knows how to repay his kindness. Since he has been appreciated by His Majesty the Emperor, he must devote 100% of his energy to doing things with all his heart. Although Liu Ling told him that he should use eight points of effort in everything to achieve ten thousand results.
, leave yourself two points of room, so as not to be exhausted mentally and physically. But Zhou Yangong is a type of figure like Tian Wenjing, the governor of Henan during the Yongzheng period of the Qing Dynasty. He is a model of loyal minister who worked hard because of the appreciation of His Majesty the Emperor.
Ever since he entered the Military Aircraft Department, Zhou Yangong has lived and ate in those small houses. His rigorous and serious attitude in doing things has even been highly praised by Su Xiu, a bachelor who has always been harsh on others. Su Xiu once said this about Zhou Yan
He said: "If there are five officials like Yan Gong in our Han Dynasty, the government will be clear and stable. If there are ten officials like Yan Gong, it will be easy to make the country strong!"
This was the first time Zhou Yangong returned to Prince Zhong's mansion after entering the Military Aircraft Department.
Liu Ling said to Minhui: "Let him come in, we are preparing some delicious food. I just filled a rubber belly, and another one came right away."
Minhui groaned and reluctantly backed out. As she walked, she murmured in a low voice: "The prince himself only eats cooked chicken and ham once every three days, so it would be generous to entertain these idle people..."
Liu Ling smiled awkwardly, but Fan Yuanshan suddenly stood up from his chair!
"Your Majesty?"
He looked directly into Liu Ling's eyes and asked word for word: "Are you really the prince?"
When Liu Ling saw his reaction, he didn't care about his rudeness. He just nodded lightly and said with a smile: "The identity of the prince is not someone you can pretend to be casually. You might be beheaded."
Fan Yuanshan stepped back and his expression immediately became wary. He wiped the grease from his mouth, looked at Liu Ling and asked: "Could it be that... you are Prince Zhong Liu Ling?"
Liu Ling said: "There are several princes in Taiyuan City, why do you think I am Prince Zhong?"
When he said this, he actually acquiesced to Fan Yuanshan's guess.
Fan Yuanshan snorted and said, "Since I'm in your hands, you can kill or scrape me as you please. Do you want to humiliate me by doing this for nothing?"
Liu Ling said with a smile: "If I wanted to kill you, why would I go to all this trouble and waste a jug of good wine and a fat chicken? I think your family is very disappointed with me, thinking that I and the people in the court
Those duplicitous people are all the same. Does he think that I am not a person to work with, let alone that I would attack those worms in the court, so even you think that I am a treacherous villain, right?
?"
Fan Yuanshan was stunned and murmured: "You...how come you seem to know everything?"
He suddenly looked up at Liu Ling and asked, "Do you really know that it is my master who wants to attack Sima Lu?"
After saying this, he seemed to realize that he had missed something, and then he was dumbfounded.
Liu Ling laughed and said: "Fan Yuanshan, you are a tough guy with backbone, but you are also so straight-minded. But I like people like you!"
Just as he was talking, Zhou Yangong lifted the curtain and walked in. As soon as he entered the door, he lifted his clothes and knelt on the ground, and kowtowed three times respectfully: "Zhou Yangong has met the prince!"
Liu Ling walked over to help him and said, "Mr. Yan, why did you learn so many nonsense etiquette after only a few days in the Military Aircraft Department?"
Zhou Yangong said with emotion: "Your Majesty's kindness and rebirth, Duke Yan will always remember this in his heart."
Liu Ling went up and kicked Zhou Yangong on the buttocks and said: "You are full of sourness, get up and talk!"
Zhou Yangong was kicked and scolded, but he preferred to feel as comfortable as drinking honey water. He stood up with a smile on his face, and said with a flattering smile: "My lord, I haven't seen you in the past few days. I'm sorry.
I miss you so much. Is the prince in good health? If I don’t see the prince for a day, Duke Yan will feel uneasy."
This Zhou Yangong is very short-sighted. Liu Ling has obviously gone back and sat down. He also flattered the position where Liu Ling was standing before. This made Liu Ling burst out laughing. Liu Ling laughed and cursed:
"You guy! I've already asked Minhui to prepare food for you. Don't compliment me so hypocritically!"
Zhou Yangong chuckled and said: "Your Majesty understands Mr. Yan. The adults in the Military Aircraft Department have less appetites than a cat, and the food looks beautiful but tastes nothing. It's not as good as when we were in the palace."
, eating meat makes me feel comfortable and comfortable. I have been really hungry these past few days, so I just went back to the palace to beg the prince for a bite of meat..."
He told the truth and didn't even blush.
Suddenly, Zhou Yangong's nose moved and said: "My lord, you lied to me again. There is obviously wine and meat in this study. Didn't you guess that I was coming back?"
At this time, a voice sounded not far away from Zhou Yangong, which startled him greatly.
"Those things... were all eaten by me..."
Zhou Yangong was short-sighted and never saw anyone else in Liu Ling's study. Fan Yuanshan stepped back a few steps to guard against Liu Ling and stood leaning on a clothes hanger, so Zhou Yangong simply ignored him.
Fan Yuanshan looked at Zhou Yangong and said honestly: "If you want to eat, there is still half a chicken leg. If you don't mind, just eat it..."
Liu Ling burst out and couldn't help but laugh. She thought to herself that these two cutest people in the world, how come they all gathered in my study room, Liu Ling? One is honest, but has a bit of a narrow-minded mind. The other is cunning, but actually honest at heart.
It's terrible. If two people like this come together, maybe they can really create some sparks.
Liu Ling's eyes lit up, and she thought to herself that if the short-sighted and cunning Zhou Yangong could talk to Fan Yuanshan, who seemed stupid but was actually stupid, he might be able to get some useful information out of him! (To be continued)
