After staying in Baiyunzhuang for a night, bidding farewell to Qi Mutian, Qiu Yinming returned to the capital all the way. Pen | fun | pavilion www. ｂｉｑｕｇｅ。 ｉｎｆｏ

Entering the West City Gate, slowly walking in the familiar streets, looking at the ordinary scholars and pawns around, farmers and craftsmen, and suddenly feeling that yesterday's trip was like a dream. I kept repeating in my mind the way the eldest lady walked in from the door of the hall, the way she drank tea, the way she spoke, the way she spoke, her slender fingers, her graceful jaw, the soft curves of her lips, and the natural attitude between her eyebrows. He remembered the way she looked at him when she was leaving, even if she was invincible, she was only gentle and shy in front of him after all, and a trace of sweet taste spread in the blood and veins of her body, and she actually laughed to herself, attracting the sideways glances of passers-by. Thinking all the way, the soul is not guarded, but fortunately the black horse knows the way home, when he realized that the horse stopped, only to find that he was already at the door of his house, and suddenly remembered that Dongfang Yan's illness did not know if it had been cured, so he handed the horse to the servant and went to Dongfang Yan's house by himself.

It is said that Dongfang Yan contracted lung disease, and he has been bedridden for nearly a month, and he has improved greatly in recent days. When Qiu Yinming came to Dongfang Yan's house, he saw that Wuwei and Dongfang Lin were also there. Dongfang Yan was sitting on the bed in the inner room reading a book, and Dongfang Lin and Wuwei were sitting outside studying the solution of the Nine Links. Qiu Yinming felt strange and asked, "Why did you think of this play?" Wuwei said: "Since I came back from the last time, Dongfang went to get one, and always forced me to study it together." Dongfang Yan heard it inside, and said with a smile: "Lin'er's new things are always emerging, I have long been used to it." Qiu Yinming walked into the warm pavilion in the inner room, and saw that Dongfang Yan had the intention to laugh, and knew that he was fine, so he asked Wuwei: "How is Yu Jing's situation now?" Wuwei said: "In my opinion, there is no need to take the medicine, and I have prescribed another prescription to replenish the middle and benefit the qi." A few more days of bed recuperation will be cured. The four of them talked for a while, and Qiu Yinming and Wuwei left and returned home.

The next day, the twenty-third day of December, was the beginning of the year. The palace is ready to stop all the things that are going to happen for the New Year. Early in the morning, there were several large stoves in the courtroom, and all the officials gathered in the room early to wait for the morning pilgrimage. Originally, the New Year was approaching, and as usual, the emperor would accept the congratulations of hundreds of officials and worship the temple. But the emperor's condition is good and bad, and I don't know if it will come out today. Although many ministers had already suggested that the emperor should establish a crown prince as soon as possible, the emperor still had no intention of establishing the East Palace after a long delay. Although everyone is not good at talking in front of people, they have already discussed it in private.

At that time, Emperor Yingzong, at the instigation of the eunuch Wang Zhen, drove his own expedition to Wara, but the army was overthrown in Tumu Fort, and the emperor was captured by Wara. The country cannot be without a king for a day, and the ministers immediately supported the emperor's younger brother to be the emperor and changed the name of the year to Jingtai. Soon after, the state of Kovara offered to return it to Emperor Yingzong, much to the displeasure of Emperor Jingtai. Originally, this throne was a hasty move in a hurry, but suddenly the emperor returned, and it was very embarrassing. So after Emperor Yingzong returned, he was placed under house arrest in Nangong, and Emperor Jingtai was forced to save face and did not fulfill his brotherhood at all. At first, the emperor's uncle Xiangwang also persuaded the emperor to respect the emperor with special etiquette, and Hu Ying and other ministers also said that Yingzong should lead hundreds of officials to celebrate his birthday on his birthday, which was all perfunctory by the emperor. In the third year of Jingtai, the emperor demoted the emperor's crown prince to the king of Yi and made his only son the crown prince. But soon the crown prince died of illness, although the emperor had the idea of reinstating King Yi as the crown prince, but this was undoubtedly a shame for himself, so he gave up. Now that the emperor is seriously ill, the matter of establishing a crown prince has naturally become the primary matter of discussion among the ministers.

At this time, there was still some time before the last dynasty, and after the officials came in one after another, they gathered in several places. As soon as Qiu Yinming walked into the west courtroom, he met Zhao Rong, the waiter of the Ministry of Works, and Yang Shan, the right capital of the Imperial Palace, and after greeting each other, the three of them sat down in a corner and greeted each other. Qiu Yinming knew that Zhao Rong was good at arguing with others, and had quarrels with many people in the DPRK and China, and his reputation among his colleagues was not good. Yang Shan and Zhao Rong sent an envoy to welcome the emperor back to the dynasty that year, and he had a similar temper with Zhao Rong. In the past, when he was in the Ministry of Industry, he had dealt with the affairs ordered by Zhao Rong, Qiu Yinming had always been very careful, and if there was a disagreement, he would never raise it on the face, but privately instructed his officials to solve it quickly and then prevaricate lightly. Zhao Rong couldn't find any handle for this young subordinate, and Qiu Yinming respected him very much when he spoke and did things, so Zhao Rong had a good impression of him. Yang Shan is more sharp than Zhao Rong, Qiu Yinming has never had a deep friendship with this person, but now he is his boss. At this time, sitting in the middle of the two of them was somewhat uncomfortable. The three of them chatted for a while about the affairs in their respective yamen, Qiu Yinming suddenly had an idea, I heard that this Yang Shan was well-informed, why not find a topic for him to show off, so that Yang Shan would be happy, and he would not have to talk too much, wouldn't it be the best of both worlds. So he pretended to be curious and said: "Recently, I heard that the cabinet is about the establishment of the crown prince, and the ministers do not agree, can Lord Yang know a thing or two?" ”

This statement was in Yang Shan's arms, and he saw his brows relaxed, and he whispered: "What Lord Qiu said is not bad. In Yang's view, the establishment of the crown prince was originally a matter of course, and even if the king of Yi was reinstated, it was reasonable. And now there are still a few adults who either insist on vetoing or not saying a word. The day before yesterday, someone privately asked Scholar Xiao, how do you answer Mr. Xiao? 'Retreat, no more. ’”

Zhao Rong said: "There must be a reason. ”

Yang Shan narrowed his eyes, lowered his voice and said: "Alas, everyone must know that as long as Yu Shaobao does not enter the palace for a day, the Holy Lord will not issue an edict." Also, I heard that Scholar Wang actually said, 'Who does Anzhi belong to?' "Look at it, Yang feels a little strange here. ”

Yang Shan's words are not unreasonable, and now everyone in the court knows that the current saint can sit firmly on this dragon chair, all thanks to the crown prince Shaobao Yu Qian's full main battle, repelling Wara, and protecting the Jingshi. So the Holy One obeyed the humble words. And Yu Qian deeply felt the emperor's kindness, showed his talents, and at the same time, with the special trust of the emperor, he was full of words in the court, and there were many people who were jealous and unconvinced. Yu Qian naturally did not want to make the son of the emperor the crown prince, once the emperor died, he would immediately lose power in the court. So there were vague rumors that Yu Qian wanted to persuade the emperor to make the prince the prince.

Zhao Rong touched his beard and said, "Lord Yang should be cautious in his words, don't be too straightforward." ”

Yang Shandao: "Lord Zhao, Yu Shaobao is so arbitrary, he has already lost people's hearts. Who is the one who speaks like this, you and me? ”

At this time, it was past five or three o'clock, and still did not hear the sound of bells and drums, everyone stood and waited for a while, only to see the eunuch Guo Gonggong walk in and say: "The dragon body is not safe." Let's go back today. When the resumption of the dynasty will be announced separately. After a burst of speech, the officials dispersed outside the Forbidden City. When they came out, Qiu Yinming and Fan Ying talked for a while, and the two agreed to get together at Qiu Yinming's house on the evening of the 29th.

The end of the year is approaching, and the civil and military officials in the capital frequently feast on each other, and those who go to the relationship and attract people take advantage of this time to put on a big banquet. Although Qiu Yinming doesn't like these politeness on the table, since he is a royal history, he can't shirk entertaining. In the past two days, he invited new and old colleagues and old acquaintances of the Hanlin Academy, and went to Shi Houye's banquet with Fan Ying, and sent congratulatory gifts to his teacher Hu Shangshu and Wang Daxue respectively, and even made a point at Cao Gonggong's place. Busy here every day, Qiu Yinming always looks listless when he goes home at night.

On the evening of the twenty-sixth day, when he came back from Zhao Shilang's house, Qiu Yinming drank a lot of wine and was about to go back to the room to sleep, when he suddenly saw that Steward Chai seemed to have something to say, so he said, "Let's talk about it tomorrow." Chai Ban's face was embarrassed, and he handed over an invitation with both hands, and said, "My lord." An invitation from Lord Xu's house. Qiu Yinming frowned, opened the seal and saw that Taichangqing Xu Bin would hold a banquet in the mansion tomorrow. Qiu Yinming sighed. This person is very hospitable, don't go, let down the kindness of others, maybe even cause gossip. So he nodded and said to Chai Ban: "You go and rest." ”

Speaking of this Taichang Qing Xu Bin, it is also very interesting. At that time, Qiu Yinming was still working as a waiter in the Hanlin Academy, and often went to Guozijian to listen to lectures. Guozijian is located outside Andingmen, surrounded by greenery, elegant and pleasant, and the collection of books is extremely rich. Every time he went to Guozijian, he took the opportunity to sit in the library for half a day. In addition to the Tai students and Dr. Hanlin, there were few other officials in Guozijian's library, but Xu Bin, Taichangqing, was an exception. This person has served in the Hanlin Academy for a long time, and has a good relationship with some old Confucians, and is very good at playing chess on weekdays, so he often comes to the Guozijian to find a few doctors to learn. One day, I occasionally met Qiu Yinming in the library, and learned that he was the well-known new science detective, so I invited him to have a game. Although Qiu Yinming's chess skills were extremely poor, he saw that he was enthusiastic and easy-going, so he did not refuse. Who knew that before the chess game was halfway through, he found that this person's chess skills were half a pound and eight taels with himself. No wonder those doctors ran away when they saw Xu Bin coming. That game of chess was played with relish, so from then on, Xu Bin often went to the Hanlin Courtyard to play chess with Qiu Yinming. Although Qiu Yinming was very helpless, Xu Bin was several levels higher than him at that time, and it was inconvenient to shirk it, so he and Xu Bin became chess friends. Now that the two have similar ranks, the correspondence is becoming more and more natural, but Qiu Yinming has a headache about playing chess.

On the evening of the twenty-seventh day, the candles in Xu Taichang's house were shining, the wine was fragrant, and the delicacies on land and water were displayed one after another. Xu Taichang is particular about food and drink, each dish is not only the selection of high-quality materials, the production is more elaborate, the shredded venison is placed into a chrysanthemum-shaped, the shape of the vegetarian assorted is like a flying phoenix, the goose paw conpoy is like a jade coral, the fresh fruit is filled with a jade plate, and the sea cucumber soup is held in a porcelain cup as thin as paper, which is exquisitely clear. There is a kabuki playing the pipa slowly next to the seat, and the song is singing. There were not many guests, in addition to Qiu Yinming, there were Yang Shan, Zhao Rong, and the other two imperial historians Li Xian and Xu Youzhen. Li Xian and Xu Youzhen saw each other every day in the court and in the yamen, but they didn't have a deep friendship with each other, just met and greeted. Li Xian's lips and tongue are comparable to Yang Shan and Zhao Rong, and the words during the banquet are endless, starting from the drought in Shanxi, and pulling all the way to the lychees in Guangdong without losing any logic, so eloquence has to be admired. Xu Youzhen didn't say much, most of the time he listened to everyone's discussions, and when he heard the music, he pulled the tip of his beard and smiled.

Qiu Yinming had heard about Xu Yushi. This person was originally called Xu Yuanyu, who was smart since childhood, astronomical and geographical, yin and yang arts, and knew everything, especially good at stargazing. When the Tumubao incident occurred, the current emperor was still in charge of the country as a prince at that time, and convened the courtiers to discuss countermeasures. Xu Yuanyu was anxious for quick success, and he was ashamed to say: "The astrological signs, the destiny of heaven has gone, and the only way to move south can be relieved." As a result, the ministers objected, especially Yu Qian, the squire of the military department, who was trying his best to lead the battle, and said angrily: "Those who move south can be killed!" Due to the suggestion of moving south, Xu Yuanyu has been ridiculed in the court many times since then, and he has no choice but to seek a way from Yu Qian, but Emperor Jingtai, who has ascended the throne, sneers at him. Xu Yuanyu was ashamed and angry, and only said behind his back that Yu Qian deliberately made things difficult for him. Later, following the advice of Shaobao Chen Xun, he changed his name to Xu Youzhen. Qiu Yinming sat diagonally opposite Xu Youzhen, and he could see every move clearly. This person is short in stature, has a sparse beard, and speaks with a Wudi accent, and he does have a bit of a nest at a glance, but his small eyes are shining.

After drinking three anhydrides, several people in the seat were somewhat drunk, and their words gradually lost their scruples. I only listened to Li Xiandao: "Everyone, everyone is right, and they will be rewarded according to their merits." It's been more than eight years since the return of the Emperor Yingtai, and you and I have ever been rewarded? ”

Zhao Rong said: "Alas, we are no longer in power now. ”

Yang Shan's face was already flushed, and he said with drunkenness: "Let's do it." Nowadays, only someone who is autocratic and self-proclaimed can be favored by the Holy Lord, how can you and I be compared? Oh, in this world, why is it better than the emperor in the court! ”

The banquet was about to end, and after several people complained, they all said goodbye and went home. When Xu Youzhen was leaving, Xu Bin sent him to the door and said, "Lord Xu, you and I have known each other for many years, and I understand best that you are useless now, and don't be sad, there is a providence when the opportunity comes." Xu Youzhen nodded.

Qiu Yinming just wanted to say something thankful to say goodbye, but Xu Bin saw that it was still early, regardless of the wine, he pulled his sleeve and said, "Lord Qiu, it's still early, how about you and I play a game?" Qiu Yinming originally expected that when he came here today, it would be inevitable to play chess with him, and he also knew that if he didn't accompany him to the next game, he would definitely be upset and itchy and couldn't sleep at night, so he agreed. Xu Bin smiled, hurriedly invited him into the study, and called two bowls of red date and lotus seed soup. The two were equal in chess skills, regardless of victory or defeat, until the two watches ended in a draw. Xu Bin was satisfied. Qiu Yinming breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly said goodbye. When he went out, he was greeted by a cold wind, which made him feel excited, and with the help of the soup, he instantly lost all his sense of alcohol. On the way back to his house on horseback, he couldn't help but recall the dissatisfaction he had heard and seen many officials with Shaobao at various banquets recently. Thinking about it, Yu Shaobao is a little too stubborn. It is expected that he must know that the uneasiness and the uneasiness caused by the non-establishment of the prince and the unspeakers of the people, why did he have to drag it out until the last moment? Qiu Yinming vaguely felt as if something was about to happen.

Two days later, in the evening, Fan Ying came to Qiu Yinming's house on time. Qiu Yin had already instructed the old man in the kitchen to prepare a small table of wine and food with the best craftsmanship. When Wuwei heard that he had a guest, he didn't want to participate, so he went to Dongfang's house. As soon as Fan Ying entered the dining room, she praised: "Brother Xian's dishes are getting better and better." Qiu Yinming said: "I smiled." Where can I compare to my sister-in-law's craftsmanship. Qiu Yinming poured two glasses of wine, and the two of them were not polite, and they ate with their chopsticks.

After a few glasses of wine, Qiu Yinming suddenly asked: "Recently, there has been a lot of discussion between the DPRK and China, and I always feel a little uneasy, has Brother Zhengnan heard any unusual news?" ”

Fan Ying's face changed slightly, and she said, "I don't know what Brother Xian is referring to?" ”

Qiu Yinming said: "If the prince is not established for a long time, and no one admonishes him, is it just delayed?" ”

Fan Ying frowned slightly, hesitated for a moment, and said, "Brother Xian is a smart person, so I won't hide anything from you." Recently, have you often heard people praise the emperor and belittle the current politics? ”

Qiu Yinming nodded silently.

Fan Ying lowered her voice and whispered, "I'm afraid...... Some people want to embrace the emperor and restore the throne. ”

Qiu Yinming was shocked and said in a low voice: "This is a big deal...... Could it be that Brother Zhengnan already knows ......? ”

Fan Ying nodded and said, "Two days ago, Grandpa Cao and Marquis Shi had a private meeting in Dongchang. Later, Gonggong Cao suddenly asked me what I thought about the matter of the crown prince. I didn't know what else he meant in his words at the time, so I said, as a brocade guard, my only duty is to protect the saint, and it is not my duty to establish a prince or not, or who to appoint as a prince. When Gonggong Cao heard this, he didn't say anything, but said that he had chosen reliable people under his command in the past two days, so that he could obey orders at any time. I asked curiously the reason, but Gonggong Cao only said that the saint was seriously ill and was afraid of any accidents. Afterwards, I carefully considered that if the Holy Lord died, the ministers would definitely support King Yi to ascend the throne according to common sense, and there was no need to be so secretly vigilant, so I suspected that they had other intentions. Thinking about it, maybe they thought of the Emperor Taishang who was imprisoned in Nangong. ”

Fan Ying's reasoning is not unreasonable. Qiu Yinming thought about it carefully and said, "Due south, don't worry about anything else for the time being." If someone really tries to support the emperor's reinstatement, I am afraid that seventy percent of the reasons are dissatisfaction with Shaobao. ”

Fan Ying said: "That's what I'm afraid of. Yu Shaobao is upright and upright, I don't know how many people he has offended, if there are really some young people who take this opportunity to get in the way, even if Yu Shaobao has great ability, he does not have the backer of the saint, he is only afraid of being more auspicious. ”

Qiu Yinming was silent, and Shaoqing said: "If I have the opportunity in the past few days, I will persuade Yu Shaobao to advise the saint as soon as possible." Due south, what do you think? ”

Fan Ying said: "That's what I mean. But what you and I said just now, I must not have said it. ”

Qiu Yinming nodded.

This meal made the two of them think about it. Fan Ying took her leave after dinner. Qiu Yinming thought about it for a while, Yu Shaobao is not a person who is willing to listen to other people's opinions, and it is not easy to give him advice. But this time it is very likely that the stakes are high, if what Fan Ying is worried about really happens, I don't know what the scene will be. Yu Shaobao has made great contributions to the country and the people for many years, and no upright person wants to see such a minister suffer. But what does this advice say? He thought about it for most of the night, and finally decided to write a letter to Yu Shaobao. So he immediately laid out paper and ink, and drafted a simple and clear letter, which mentioned the suggestion of Jinyi Wei Qianhu, and hinted at the urgency of the situation in several places, but did not point to the emperor.