Taihe five years, October Xinsi, Chenzheng.

Daming Palace, Inner Dynasty, Zichen Palace.

The Son of Heaven has ascended to the throne, the hundred official classes are set in front of the emperor, Wang Shoucheng and Ma Cunliang stand on the second highest platform in front of the Son of Heaven, their hands into the sleeve cage, waiting for the start of the regular ginseng.

Ma Cunliang glanced at Wang Shoucheng, looking no different from usual, so he was a little relieved and looked directly at His Majesty.

Unlike the stone steps outside the temple, each step above the throne rises to a high platform covered with "gold bricks" and an elegant balustrade made of rosewood on the edges of the throne. In this way, the three-section high platform is the throne of the Son of Heaven, from top to bottom, the actions of hundreds of officials can be seen at a glance.

The gold bricks tiled on the palace are not made of pure gold, but are made of the loess of southern Jiangsu, the color is uniform, the shape is like gilt, smooth and textured. In the early morning, the morning sun shines on it, and the entire temple can be reflected in golden glory.

The number of officials above the fifth grade in Chang'an is huge, enough to be called a hundred officials. The ministers are in a line of seven according to the grade, the same product is a class, each class is three steps away, and from a distance, the clothes are all purple and crimson.

With the time announcement in the Zichen Palace, the doctor's voice was like a bell: "Chenzheng, the thing that stings, and the stinging is out!" ”

Shen Hong, the elderly general of Zuo Jinwu, stood under His Royal Highness in accordance with the etiquette system, facing the Son of Heaven, and turned around to dance and salute very skillfully, and then, as usual, crossed hands to report: "Peace inside and outside the left and right compartments!" ”

Prime Minister Li Zongmin and Niu Siyan led hundreds of officials to bow down and shout three long live.

After the ceremony, at the signal of the Son of Heaven, the ministers all held the wat board in their hands and retreated to both sides. Then, according to the order of grade, facing the hall, take a seat in turn.

In this way, the etiquette of the regular participation is completed.

The Son of Heaven raised his hand and said, "What's going on today?" ”

Prime Minister Li Zongmin took the lead from the right side of the hall and slowly got up, put his hands on the wat board, looked at the Son of Heaven, and said: "Minister Li Zongmin has something to play. ”

"Lee Xiang, please talk about ......"

"Your Majesty has more than five royal poles, but he has not yet been honored, so he ...... The ministers and the cattle minister specially ordered the hundred officials to enter the honorific title: Taihe Wenwu Zhide Emperor, I hope that His Majesty will accept it one day! ”

After Li Zongmin finished speaking, he exchanged glances with Niu Sidian on one side, and Niu Sidian also nodded slightly.

The so-called honorific title, that is, when the Son of Heaven was alive, the subordinates called the name of the Son of Heaven on very formal occasions, since Emperor Xuanzong, the successive Tang Dynasty Sons of Heaven all have their own honorific titles, when today's son has been on the throne for five years but has not yet received it.

Now that winter is approaching, the New Year is approaching, and in recent days, Li Zongmin has carefully checked the yellow calendar, all of which are auspicious days, so Li Zongmin's proposal is also very appropriate, and the Son of Heaven will not have a reason to refuse.

The Son of Heaven opened his mouth lightly, but from the back seat, a sonorous and loud voice came: "The minister also has something to do!" ”

"Presumptuous!"

There was a brief whispering uproar in the Zichen Palace.

Not only Li Zongmin, but also the purple-robed ministers in the front row looked back one after another, the Son of Heaven had not yet made a decision on the past, who dared to interject rashly before the Son of Heaven spoke, such an act violated the etiquette system, and the Ministry of Rites could participate in this book.

Li Zongmin stared at the scarlet robe for a long time, even if he never forgot it like Li Zongmin, it took him some time to remember who this person was.

Shangshu Zuocheng, Hanlin Bachelor, Guangping Mu Qingchen.

That no-friend and no-party upstart in Nanya? Just promoted to the fourth grade the month before last, isn't it floating? Li Zongmin smiled secretly in his heart, just taking this opportunity to suppress it.

"Your Majesty," Li Zongmin seized the gap in his words, and hurriedly crossed his hands to participate: "Minister Li Zongmin impeached Mu Qingchen for ignoring etiquette, often participating in the top, and starting the performance without permission, which is disrespectful to Your Majesty!" ”

For a while, the atmosphere in the hall was solemn, but the Son of Heaven did not seem to show discomfort, but after a moment of silence, he said, "Let Mu Qing play." ”

Li Zongmin's brows frowned slightly, Niu Sidian's thick eyebrows were lightly raised, and the ministers had different expressions.

"Minister, Mu Qingchen, thank Your Majesty for your grace!" Mu Qingchen got up from the left side of the banquet and walked to the middle of the Zichen Palace, holding the wat board in his hand, and respectfully arched his hand and said: "The minister visited the report of the southern and eastern Zhejiang of Huai the day before yesterday, and the Jianghuai flood is very serious this year, and thousands of people have been displaced; There is another drought in Guanzhong, and the grain harvest is ......"

“…… The minister remembered His Majesty's holy virtue, and now the flood and drought are disasters, I am afraid that it is not the time to worship the emblem, if the people in the world know that His Majesty is honored at this time, I am afraid that the hearts of all the people will be cold. ”

After listening to Mu Qingchen's words, Li Zongmin's eyelids jumped, which could almost be said to be aimed at him.

However, as far as Li Zongmin knows, Mu Qingchen has always been unknown and has never been acquainted with Li Deyu, so why did he make this remark?

"Minister Li Zongmin enlightens the saint," Li Zongmin bowed his head and said: "It is precisely because of the thought of the people affected by the disaster, not only to thank the people of the world, but also to justify the holy virtue of His Majesty, so the ministers specially added the title of 'Zhide' to the honorific title, and there is no contradiction between accepting the honorific title and him!" ”

Niu Sidian also got up at the right time to echo what Li Zongmin said, making Li Zongmin's face show a look of victory that was decided.

"What the ministers say has their own reasons," the Son of Heaven muttered for a long time, and then stood up, and the ministers also got up and bowed their hands when they saw this, "However...... I often read the "Book of Shang", and one of the words I dare not forget to this day, 'After the non-people's recklessness; The people are not reckless. ’”

The Son of Heaven walked down the imperial steps and paced slowly, Wang Shoucheng and Ma Cunliang stood sideways and leaned over.

"If there are no peoples, even if they are the Son of Heaven, there is no one to use; If there is no king, then the people are confused and have nowhere to help. The Son of Heaven held his hands on his side and said eloquently: "Since I want to be the Son of Heaven, Mu Qing cares about all the people...... This remark is deeply rooted in my heart, so I should not accept this honorific title. ”

The Son of Heaven didn't say much, then turned to look at Ma Cunliang and Wang Shoucheng, and took advantage of the situation to say: "Heaven and earth are not benevolent, and all things are used as dogs." I want to share weal and woe with all the people, and there is no need to offer brocade silk from all over the country in the first month of next year, and I also hope that the province will not have brocade and silk in the future. ”

Ma Cunliang arched his hand and sang "Oh", although Wang Shoucheng hesitated, he also leaned over and echoed: "The old slave obeys the holy order!" ”

Even though Li Zongmin was slightly dissatisfied with Mu Qingchen, but the Son of Heaven decided to do so, he took the lead in bowing, and the ministers and hundreds of officials also knelt down and bowed, and the mountain shouted long live.

At the beginning of the year.

Chang'an, Wannian County, Pingkangfang.

Zhang Yijun and Li Shangyin entered Pingkangfang together, as if they had stepped into another world, and the air was filled with the aroma of fat powder. Even during the day, most of the green buildings have not yet opened their doors, and the surrounding buildings are all lined with silk and white walls, which is enough to make people imagine the prosperity and glamour of the night here.

Pingkangfang enters from the north gate, and the east is divided into south, north and middle songs, and the inside is full of the pleasure places of the green building, and the places where the prostitutes gather. As long as the benefactor has enough money, he will not worry about coming here to relieve his worries, so Pingkangli is also the only city in Chang'an City that never sleeps.

The prostitutes are beautiful, skilled, and talented, mostly distributed in Nanqu and Zhongqu, and are often born in the teaching workshop, and they are not sold to the Qing Dynasty. The north curve along the wall is mostly inhabited by red prostitutes from non-religious workshops, which are quite despised by the prostitutes of the south and middle two songs, but it is a place where the common people in the city come and go.

In the middle of Nanqu, there is a cross street, surrounded by high-end green buildings, countless new science and technology scholars with the title of the gold list will come here to celebrate on the release day, I am afraid this is why Li Shangyin has repeatedly wanted to come here to take a look, after all, the sentence of Meng Jiao's "spring breeze is proud, and you can see all the Chang'an flowers in one day" is too famous.

Standing in front of the Zhu Gate in the spacious front yard of Nanquyi, which is beautifully decorated and quite elegant and ancient, Zhang Yijun was hesitating, not knowing whether he wanted to step in, but King Ying's words echoed in Zhang Yijun's ears again:

"Speaking of clues...... Why don't you go to Pingkang Square and ask that 'acquaintance'? ”

“…… In the past three years, Xuanji has already become the top brand of Qingfeng Pavilion, and all the guests she makes every day are powerful and rich, maybe she really knows something, but she doesn't know? ”

Zhang Yijun sighed lightly, although he was reluctant to make this proposal to King Ying yesterday, he still came to Pingkangli today, as for the reason, it was not that he was really persuaded by King Ying.

There's really no clue or clue......

"Brother Yijun!"

Li Shangyin was full of excitement and approached from Nanqu Cross Street, which caused several freshly dressed and angry gentlemen on the side of the street to laugh at this unsuccessful move.

When Li Shangyin went out today, because he knew that he had come to investigate the case with Zhang Yijun, he was like an immature eagle from beginning to end, looking around with his afterglow very vigilantly along the way, and also whispered to Zhang Yijun from time to time, who here looked hurried, and who there was suspicious over there.

However, since he entered the gate of Pingkangli and saw the green mansion Xiangyuan full of flowers and tall houses, he seemed to have forgotten about the investigation of the case, and completely recovered the momentum of visiting Chang'an as a tourist yesterday.

"Pingkangfang really lives up to its reputation," Li Shangyin sighed halfway through, but seemed to notice Zhang Yijun's hesitation in front of Zhumen, so he pointed to the courtyard and asked, "Brother Yijun, where is this?" ”

"Qingfeng Pavilion ......"

"Ah......" Li Shangyin scratched his scarf with some embarrassment, and said embarrassedly: "Yishan has not been crowned yet, and he has not married a wife, is it ......?"

"What do you think?" Zhang Yijun glanced at him, then took a deep breath and said, "Let's go, let's go in......"

Walking through the full moon arch and entering the mansion, Li Shangyin shrugged the tip of his nose and smelled a burst of rue incense, which was refreshing.

As one of the four green buildings in Pingkang Fang's Nanqu, Zhang Yijun knows that the things used in Qingfeng Pavilion are expensive, and this rue incense is the signboard of Shanhefang Lian's incense shop, which makes people feel happy and relieved, and can create a relaxed atmosphere for the guests who come here.

Bustard greeted him with a smile on his face, and the people who walked by Fengyue Field, although the two people in front of him were not dressed in any frills, Bustard could see at a glance who was the shy one in the bag, so he swept his gaze over Li Shangyin, moved to Zhang Yijun, and bowed apologetically: "This son, now is the beginning of the day, and Qingfeng Pavilion will only open the door in the afternoon, why don't you wait for the son?" ”

"Xiaosheng is just here to look for someone," Zhang Yijun returned the salute with his hands crossed, and as he spoke, he took out the name card from his arms, handed it over, and said, "Please also ask Erniang to hand over this name card to Miss Xuanji......

After hearing this, Bustard's brows furrowed, "Miss Xuanji is slightly ill today, I'm afraid no one will be able to see ......."

Zhang Yijun didn't pay attention to it, and still sent the name card over, and the bustard pouted a little reluctantly, but took it. As soon as Zhang Yijun's hand was withdrawn, the bustard found that the name post was heavy, and when he pinched it, he found that there was a small straight silver collar pressed under the name post.

Bustard's eyebrows stretched slightly, but she also said to Zhang Yijun: "Son, this post Erniang can be handed over on behalf of the child, but ...... Miss Xuanji is indeed ill. After speaking, he saluted again, turned around and walked towards the three-story main building of Qingfeng Pavilion.

Li Shangyin couldn't help but say, looking at Bustard's tone, I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to see this woman named Xuanji today, so I glanced at Zhang Yijun, but found that Brother Yijun's expression was calm and light.

After waiting in the courtyard for a short time, the bustard came out of the hall with a smile on her face mixed with some surprise.

"Two sons, please come with me......"