As we all know in the court, because of Emperor Qin's incompetence, the power has gradually shifted to the princes, and if the plan of the year can be staged again, all the princes are afraid that they will inevitably be convicted. In this way, supporting a certain prince to inherit the throne and secretly helping to assist has also become a necessary thing for hundreds of officials, after all, if you want to survive in the court, you don't just rely on being in a high position, but choosing the right backer and supporting the right person.

There is such a person among the hundred officials, he is the prime minister of the dynasty, assisting the emperor of the three dynasties, he is in a high position, he adheres to the view that the prince cannot form a party for personal gain, and he has not changed when the Qin Dynasty is at its most turbulent. The eldest prince, the seventh prince, and the eleventh prince all asked for his help, but the prince's respectful etiquette only met with his refusal.

This court official, even the people of the world, no one questioned his loyalty, but his inflexible behavior has already caused the emperor and many princes to be extremely dissatisfied, even if he is the head of the civil ministers, it seems that there is no place for others to respect, and when the new emperor ascends the throne, he will no longer have any role.

Wen Yuan had never had dealings with any princes, and even deliberately avoided the solicitation of the princes in order to avoid it, for fear that others would know that he had improper contact with the princes. But today, he actually pleaded for the fourth prince Qiu Jue in the court, and the officials were quite puzzled, and they all speculated whether the prime minister had secretly taken refuge in the four princes.

Emperor Qin was also slightly surprised and said: "Wenxiang, you don't seem to care much about what the widow says on weekdays, but today the widow just said that he wanted to order the fourth man to come back, and you just maintained it like this, could it be that Wenxiang thinks that the fourth man is more important than the widow?"

Wen Yuan's body trembled slightly, and then said indifferently: "Your Majesty, the old minister didn't mean this, the minister just felt that the will of the hundred officials above the court was scattered now, and it was difficult to make the best decision for the chaos of the dynasty. ”

An anger suddenly rose on Emperor Qin's face, but because it was Wen Yuan who spoke, he also had to give some face, so he lowered his voice and said: "Wen Xiang, I'm afraid you can't mean what you say, right? Not to mention that you have long been suspected of exchanging news, as the head of the Wen Chen, it is your responsibility for the officials in the court to be scattered, and you want to express your other purposes, which is really a bit inconsiderate." ”

When the words fell, the temperature in the hall instantly dropped a lot, and it was child's play for the Son of Heaven to be angry, it would be a thousand miles of blood at every turn, and all the officials did not dare to speak, for fear of provoking the emperor's anger at such a time and implicating themselves. Even several princes showed great fear, and no one dared to come forward to speak, let alone defend Wen Yuan.

At this time, Wen Yuan had already quietly gathered droplets of sweat the size of beans on his forehead, but he seemed to have made up his mind again, and stepped forward and said: "Your Majesty, please listen to the old minister, the minister is not a party for personal gain, but for the sake of the century-old foundation of the Qin Dynasty, if you can let the Four Princes manage the ministers, you will definitely be able to make great progress, and now the situation is turbulent, and talents like the Four Princes are needed, and the Four Princes have been in southern Xinjiang for a long time, and the sins that should be atonement should be paid off, and now is the time for the dynasty to employ people......"

"Enough!" Emperor Qin thundered and cut off Wen Yuan's words, and all the officials were shocked, even if the influence of His Majesty the Emperor is far less than in the past, but he is still the supreme ruler of this Qin Dynasty, his words are the norm for everything, all the authorities that can be feared.

Dan Mi's delicate body, who was next to Emperor Qin, trembled suddenly, and he also saw Emperor Qin's anger, but he said coquettishly: "Your Majesty, the concubine body is also scared by you, Wen Xiang is so old, and he wants to do it from his heart, so why blame the meritorious minister?"

Emperor Qin glanced at Wen Yuan with murderous intent, then immediately set his eyes on Dan Mi, picked up Dan Mi's slender waist without hesitation, and said with a smile: "Don't blame the concubine, it's the widow's mistake, I promise not to talk like this in the future." As for Wen Xiang, I naturally won't blame him, but I think Wen Xiang is also a little old, so when I finish the banquet, I will go back to my house early, and the recent court meeting will not be used!"

Just when the ministers were secretly talking about the demon concubine in their hearts and seducing the emperor again, Emperor Qin looked straight at Wen Yuan and said these words, does this mean that he wants Wen Yuan to resign?

The sacred heart is unpredictable, and the ministers can't stop it, Wen Yuan's heart is like ashes at this time, he snorted lightly, then raised his head with a smile, and said: "Thank you Your Majesty for your kindness, the old ministers will no longer use the wine banquet, so they will go back to the house to cultivate, and they will no longer pay attention to the government." After saying this, Wen Yuan waved his sleeves angrily and turned to leave.

Emperor Qin was furious when he saw Wen Yuan's behavior like this, and was about to throw the wine glass in his hand, but he noticed that Dan Mi beside him was panicked, so he put the wine glass back again, and when Wen Yuan's figure disappeared above the hall, he said angrily: "I really don't know how to measure, Wen Yuan seems to be really old, it's time to change to a new prime minister." ”

The Ministry of Rites Shangshu stepped forward and said: "Your Majesty, with all due respect, Wen Xiang is an important minister of the three dynasties, and his hard work is high, if it is abolished like this, the hundred officials may complain and ......."

"Hmm!" Emperor Qin stood up and snorted lightly: "The widow has never thought of abolishing the literary phase, he just told him to go back to cultivate, do you have any opinions? From now on, no one is allowed to mention the return of the four princes to the capital!"

"Listen to the Emperor's decree. ”

The hundred officials bowed their heads, each thinking about their own thoughts.

After a long time, although Emperor Qin laughed happily with Concubine Dan Mi for a long time, he seemed to realize that today's grand event was missing something, so he began to ask some things casually, what is the current war with Wohua Mountain, how much is the treasury income, etc., after all, he can't help but speak.

Emperor Qin said suddenly: "Today's widow's birthday, the generalissimo of the three major directions has not arrived, I sympathize with the three of them to protect the country and defend the frontier, but after all, it is out of courtesy, can they send envoys?"

The great eunuch beside Emperor Qin said: "Your Majesty, the three generalissimos of soldiers and horses have all patted the envoys to come, just because their official positions are lowly and they can't enter the main hall, since the grand event opened, they have been waiting outside the hall, do you want to call them in now?"

Emperor Qin said: "Let's bring it in, the waiting time is too long, although it is only a messenger, but it is also under the orders of the three marshals, if the widow is too lazy, I am afraid that the three of them will also have some dissatisfaction." ”

"The generalissimo of the three major soldiers and horses of Xuan, the envoy of the envoy!"

With the shout of the chief eunuch, the envoys of the three parties who had been waiting outside the hall stepped into the hall before and after, knelt on the ground, and shouted long live.

Emperor Qin saw that the envoys of the three parties were all courteous, and did not put on any score because of the strength of the three generalissimos, so he felt very good, and felt that his majesty was still there, so he smiled and said: "The three marshals have been okay recently?"

The messenger of the generalissimo of the western soldiers and horses Yu Kongsang, as the strongest of the three, Yu Kongsang has the characteristics that distinguish him from the other two, as the messenger, he naturally wants to show the courage to represent his own master, and said: "Tell Your Majesty, Marshal Yu has been fine recently, a few days ago, in order to deter the Southern Barbarians, the commander of the Ten Barbarians was captured alive by Gan Yaliu, and then was killed by the people of Wohua Mountain in the area of Jiaozhi City. ”

Emperor Qin said with a smile: "That Southern Barbarian is originally a group of tigers and wolves, if you don't beat and knock all the time, I'm afraid they will think that there is no one in our dynasty." Yu Kongsang did a good job, and there was nothing wrong with him, and as the generalissimo of the soldiers and horses, he originally had the responsibility of making decisions and handling military affairs in the region, which was not considered a crime. ”

Yu Kongsang's envoy said: "Thank you Your Majesty for your compassion, these words will be relayed to Marshal Yu." Marshal Yu asked Weichen to congratulate His Majesty on his birthday, and accompanied by three kneeling and nine knocks to show his respect, and sent a pair of nine-colored glass cups as a congratulatory gift, wishing His Majesty a long life and Tianqi. ”

After the envoy finished speaking, he knelt and bowed again at His Royal Highness, and Emperor Qin saw it in his eyes, was very happy, and said with a smile: "Yu Kongsang has a heart, I accepted his gift." "Book bar

Next is the Eastern Soldiers and Horses Generalissimo Meng Zhenyan and the Southern Soldiers and Horses Generalissimo Deng Xing's envoys bowed and sent valuable gifts, the three envoys are impeccable in terms of etiquette, and the selected gifts are also extremely pleasing to the Qin Emperor, which also knows from the side that the status of the three generalissimos is incomparable, not only because the three are the strongest people in the Qin Dynasty, but also because they are also comprehensive on these surfaces.

"In this comparison, Wen Xiang's outspoken words are a little unsatisfactory to His Majesty. ”

"Yes, the reason why the three marshals have a very high status is probably also reflected in these aspects, and the three marshals can be said to be more and more trusted by His Majesty. ”

"How can it be so easy to trust? Our Majesty, although the government is now abandoned, but I still know in my heart that if any prince or minister wants to set off a storm, Your Majesty is afraid that he will be able to calm it down as soon as possible. ”

"Then we will choose the prince to follow now, has it touched Your Majesty's taboo, if you let Your Majesty know, we will be finished. The reason why His Majesty is His Majesty is because he is now the emperor of the Qin Dynasty, and as long as His Majesty reigns for one day, His Royal Highness the Princes will not have a chance. ”

"Alas, don't talk about this, there is no way to deal with the current situation, many princes have begun to use means, if they don't choose one side, they will have to bear the targeting of all the princes, not everyone can be as free and easy as Wen Xiang!"

"Wen Xiang can't get rid of it now, today's things are already like a sign of something, although the loyal ministers who can be outspoken in the past dynasties can bring the prosperity of the court, but more outspoken people have no good end, and I don't know what the ending of Wen Xiang's three important ministers can go. ”

......

The hundred officials discussed with each other, and after the three generalissimos of soldiers and horses gave congratulatory gifts, several ministers in high positions also showed their carefully selected gifts before and after, but all of them were gold, silver and jewelry, which were much inferior to the gifts of the three generalissimos, and the smile in the eyes of Emperor Qin was also less.

Under the gaze of hundreds of officials, a Confucian scholar slowly walked into the main hall, but everyone did not know his identity, and the great eunuch beside Emperor Qin saw it, and asked: "Who is Your Highness, don't report your name quickly!"

I saw that the Confucian scholar knelt down to His Royal Highness, and slowly finished the ceremony of kneeling three times and bowing nine times, so he bowed down and said: "Sanshi gathered in Shengxi, and waited outside the palace for a long time on the order of His Royal Highness the Fourth Prince, because no one was willing to bring in the will of His Royal Highness the Fourth Prince, I was afraid that His Majesty would end the grand event, so I walked into the palace by myself. ”

Emperor Qin frowned and looked at this Confucian scholar, and said, "Since you are a messenger sent by the fourth elder, as long as you are inspected by the generals of the forbidden army according to the normal rules, you can enter the palace, why should you be rude?"

Jishengxi said:" Returning to Your Majesty, it's not that I'm rude, but that the commander of the forbidden army saw that I was a person from His Royal Highness the Four Princes, so he deliberately embarrassed, not only opened the congratulatory gifts brought by Weichen one by one, but also disregarded the identity of the four princes, rashly searched Wechen, although Wechen was more tolerant, but still received great obstacles, I don't know where Wechen offended the commander of the forbidden army, I just think that if I can't complete the task given to me by the Four Princes, I didn't send a congratulatory gift to Your Majesty in time, and delayed Tianchenjiashi, my humble body can't afford it. ”

"Since you came with the fourth child's congratulatory gift, how could the commander of the forbidden army stop you?" Emperor Qin said to the great eunuch: "Call the commander of the forbidden army in, interrogate him face to face, if it is his fault, I want him to make amends to you, if it is your fault of this rude Confucian scholar, I will reward you with a long memory." ”

The great eunuch slowly walked out of the hall, and after a while, the commander of the forbidden army took off his weapons and armor and walked into the hall, stood aside after saluting, pointed to Jishengxi and said: "You barbarian, your official position is low, you dare to enter the palace without permission, although you are a member of His Royal Highness the Four Princes, but you are also an official of the Qin Dynasty, what should you be guilty of being so rude in the face of Your Majesty?"

Ji Shengxi said with a smile: "Commander, you throw all the blame on me, but I, a little seven-rank official, can't bear it." The commander of you has taken up the important position of welcoming the messenger and inspecting the congratulatory gifts, but he has kept me out of the palace, and I am asked if I have accepted your inspection, have I obeyed your rules, and have I not had any weapons on you that can be used to commit murder? But you do not report my name to the palace, and I see that you still have to quibble?"

The commander of the forbidden army was immediately a little speechless, and said: "How do you know that I won't report the list, I'm just looking for an opportunity, if you disturb Your Majesty's speech in the palace, you can't afford it!"

Ji Shengxi said: "The commander's words are full of loopholes, since the commander is ready to report the list, why don't you send someone to call the father-in-law of the palace?" Although I am not an official in the capital, I still know a lot about the rules of this kind of grand event, the commander inspects and supervises the envoys and congratulatory gifts in front of the palace, and then confirms it by the father-in-law of the inner hall, and then decides whether to report to the list, but the commander puts my position at the end, and when he finishes writing the name of His Royal Highness the Fourth Prince, he only gives me a verbal promise, and there is no preparation to call the father-in-law of the inner hall at all, which shows that the commander has other intentions!"

All the officials looked at the commander of the forbidden army, and even Emperor Qin expressed great doubts when he heard this, the commander of the forbidden army was a military general, and when he was thinking about how to respond, Ji Shengxi said: "When the commander learned that I was sent by His Royal Highness the Fourth Prince, his face changed, and I noticed the commander's actions at that time, so I observed it carefully. Although I have a humble official position, I did not come to the palace today in my own capacity, but was entrusted by His Royal Highness the Fourth Prince. His Royal Highness the Fourth Prince is the son of His Majesty, and if you can target me like this, you are refuting Your Majesty's face, what crime should you be guilty of?"

Ji Shengxi's face turned pale, and he said coldly: "The Criminal Department has a law, and it should not be tolerated if you abuse your private power to harm your fellow officials, not to mention that it is not me who the commander wants to oppress, but His Royal Highness the Fourth Prince." His Royal Highness the Four Princes has been living in Gangneung County for a long time, and he is diligent and motivated every day more than introspection, although Weichen has lost etiquette, but it is to seek justice for His Royal Highness the Four Princes. The commander of the forbidden army used his private power to try to target the prince, and this crime was serious, and the nine clans should be destroyed. Please Your Majesty look at me as a protector of the Lord's heart, punish the commander of the forbidden army, and return justice to His Royal Highness the Four Princes. ”

The chief of the Zhishengxi knelt on the ground, and threw all the moral rights and wrongs on the commander of the forbidden army, which made the hundred officials sigh, and the Qin Emperor was also surprised to see this move of the Shengxi, just when the Qin Emperor wanted to see the truth of the statement through the changes in people's emotions, the commander of the forbidden army actually knelt on the ground and begged: "Your Majesty, Weichen was confused for a while, and when he saw that this person was arrogant, he wanted to give him a dismount, and he didn't think about targeting His Royal Highness the Four Princes, please read the loyalty of Weichen and spare Weichen this time!"

When Qiu Yuan saw this scene, he secretly scolded the commander of the forbidden army for being wasted, obviously the matter was inconclusive, and he was bluffed by a debater, but he quickly found the key and said secretly: "The commander of the forbidden army is the eighth person, it seems that he doesn't want the fourth brother to come back!"

Emperor Qin sighed and said, "That's it, you have been the commander of the forbidden army for a long time, and it is inevitable that some arrogance will arise, and you will be retributed for bullying this debater today, go back and remove the position of commander, quit!"

The commander of the forbidden army turned pale when he heard this, but when he noticed the unquestionable expression on Emperor Qin's face, he suppressed the argument in his heart again, and finally glanced at Shengxi fiercely, before slowly exiting the main hall with a sense of relief.

"Back to Your Majesty, the blood-red agate sent by His Royal Highness the Fourth Prince a few days ago was robbed on the way, although officials from all sides are actively searching, but there is no whereabouts after all. His Royal Highness prepared a congratulatory gift in time, this is a weapon of a strong person, called the black iron hook sickle, which can pierce gold and break stones, if there is a warrior who makes good use of this weapon, he will definitely be able to exert the greatest power. ”

Ji Shengxi ordered two subordinates to present the black hook sickle, only to see that the hook sickle was shiny and black, and the momentum was cold, which was daunting, but as long as there were some knowledgeable generals, it was not difficult to feel the unpredictable killing intent. This is a true status artifact.

"A weapon for the powerful?"

All the officials were shocked.

Emperor Qin was also extremely shaken.

Even if no one can use it, it is enough to become a treasure of the town.