Among the people of Fengling City, there are a few sayings that "the east city is poor, the south city is rich, the west city is chaotic, the north city is expensive, and the central city of the four cities is emperory."

The meaning of these words is also very easy to understand, Dongcheng has always been a place to house those poor people, and the economic construction must be relatively barren compared to the other three cities; Taking Suzaku Street as an example, it can be seen that the overall economy of Nancheng is the richest because there are many merchants and many traders; Xicheng has a relatively chaotic population, and in addition to the local residents, there are many foreign populations who will also settle in Xicheng, so there are many gangs; As for Beicheng, there is no need to say more, the people living on Beichen Avenue are all high-ranking officials and nobles, in fact, only as a member of the officials of Dayou, can they be qualified to occupy a corner here; The central location of the gathering place of the four cities is the place where the emperors of the Great You dynasties lived, and the world generally called it the imperial palace.

Although it was late at night, there was still a palace in the depths of the palace that was still brightly lit, and it would not be entirely correct to say that it was a palace, because it was just a tall building, but it was only named after the palace.

Since the establishment of the Great You Kingdom for more than 500 years, this palace has been lit up without interruption, not only because the name of this palace is called Changming Palace, but also because this palace enshrines the portraits of the emperors of the Great You. From the beginning of Emperor Longshuo, twenty-nine portraits of emperors have been hung on the walls of this Changming Palace.

At this time, the little emperor was standing alone on the main hall of Changming Palace, quietly watching his ancestors.

The little emperor was wearing a bright yellow dragon robe, his figure was thin, his eyebrows and eyes had not yet fully grown, and his face that looked very resolute was actually a little immature......

The vast hall made his figure even smaller, and the small figure stood there, looking a little lonely and helpless.

Although he ascended the throne at the age of seven and sat on the throne of the emperor, he became the most noble person in the world, but until now he has only just turned fourteen, and he is still just a child after all.

The little emperor glanced around at all the portraits, and finally stopped at the portrait of Emperor Longshuo, and did not move away.

The portrait of Emperor Long Qian, who looks kind and kind, looks the opposite of the tyrannical and irritable image before his death, and is also "staring" at his son softly at this time, as if to give encouragement.

The little emperor was silent for a while, and then continued to say to the portrait: "My father once said to his sons, 'The boys of our Ying clan were born to stand up to the heavens and the earth, and said that the whole world is our people...... and the sons have never dared to forget their father's teachings.

But, Father, do you know? Now the world is no longer the world when you were alive, although Erchen is now the emperor, but he always feels that Erchen's authority is not as effective as when he was the crown prince. Although Erchen sits on the throne that symbolizes the invincibility of the world, Erchen is trembling and uneasy every day.

You once taught your ministers that the emperor's mind is to let these ministers fight each other, and we will reconcile them in the middle...... But since the death of the old lady, there is no one in the court who can compete with the Xiahou family. Although the Xiahou family seems to have good respect for their sons and still regards them as emperors, they always feel that in the hearts of these ministers in the court, the respect for their sons is false, and the respect for the Xiahou family is true. And those princes were also uneasy one by one, except for the Marquis of Xilie and the Marquis of Beiyu, the other princes even openly resisted the decree after the death of the old lady. Now they are even starting to make selective decisions about whether to follow orders or not...... Erchen issued an order to summon the children of the princes to Beijing this time, but except for the princes sent by the Xilie Marquis Mansion and the Beiyu Marquis Mansion, the other princes' children sent are insignificant heirs.

Father, is that true? The reason why they haven't dared to openly rebel is not because they have reverence and loyalty to our Ying clan, but simply feel that the time has not yet come? What are fathers and sons going to do? How can we pass on our Great Shadow Empire completely, so that our Win clan can live forever? How about you tell your son? Erchen is really afraid, very afraid that you and your ancestors will lose their inheritance in the hands of Erchen...... I don't want to be this sinner, I don't want to be unable to face you and my ancestors after death?

Father, can you tell your sons, whether the loyalty of the Marquis of Xilie and the Marquis of Beiyu is true or false? Do you dare to trust them with confidence? ”

……

The little emperor muttered a lot about the portrait, and the portrait naturally couldn't answer him.

But what he wanted was not an answer, but a confession.

Only by standing here can he feel a little relaxed, only in the face of his relatives, can he be that carefree child, once out of this door, he is the unique emperor His Majesty, whether he wants to or not, whether he can speak as an emperor or not, at least nominally he is still an emperor, and the emperor can not hesitate or be weak......

After the little emperor confided in his father, he felt much better and let out a long sigh of relief.

Just as the little emperor was silent for a while, he was about to speak again, but he heard the eunuch outside with a sharp voice and reported: "Your Majesty, Lord Yan Kunyan, the left attendant of the Ministry of Rites, has arrived in the upper study. ”

"Okay, I'll be right then." The little emperor shouted outside.

Sighing at these portraits, he turned to leave the Changming Palace.

……

The lights in the upper study are also bright.

When the little emperor followed an old eunuch over, Yan Kun was standing respectfully outside the door and waiting.

"Minister Yan Kun meets His Majesty......"

"Lord Yan, come in with me."

After entering the imperial study, the little emperor sat on the dragon chair and whispered to the old eunuch on the side: "Give me a seat." ”

Yan Kun was flattered when he heard this, and said: "Thank you, Your Majesty, Your Majesty, Weichen will repay Your Majesty with his liver and brains......"

The little emperor waved his hand at Yan Kun to stop him: "Lord Yan's intentions, I already understand, Lord Yan should start reporting the matter." ”

"Yes."

Yan Kun's ass was only hit by the tip of a stool, but he felt extremely honored and looked glorious. In fact, Yan Kun was also very puzzled in his heart, he knew very well that he was bought with money, and he also knew very well that he had no foundation and no real power in the court...... But he never understood why His Majesty the Emperor had so much favor on him. "Could it be that the official voice that I worked so hard to create has worked? That's why His Majesty the Emperor is so kind to himself? Yan Kun thought of this in his heart, and couldn't help but have a desire to meet the master.

The little emperor was also very satisfied with his expression, and said in his heart: "If the ministers of the court and the central government can be as content as Yan Kun, how good would it be?" But they are not satisfied. ”

……

"Lord Yan, let's talk about what I told you!" The little emperor said softly.

"Yes."

Yan Kun cleared his throat and reported: "After Mu Qiuhuang, the prince of the Xilie Marquis Mansion, entered Beijing, he went to the Taishi Mansion twice...... And the Taishi Mansion only received Mu Qiuhuang alone.

Ji Yan, the prince of Xiliehou's Mansion, wanted to pay homage to Xiahou Xuanba, the general of the Zhenguo Mansion, but was turned away.

As for the officials of the other ministries, neither of them had ever visited them in person.

None of the other princes' sons had ever visited the Taishi's Mansion and the General's Mansion. ”

"Yes, I see." The little emperor began to think.

After a while, the little emperor asked softly, "Lord Yan, Grandpa Bai, what do you think?" ”

The old eunuch standing next to the little emperor is called Bai You, who was also the Bingbi eunuch of his father Emperor Longshuo, after the violent death of Emperor Longshuo, the little emperor did not choose to follow his little eunuch as a Bingbi eunuch, but still left the old eunuch by his side as a Bingbi, after the death of the old lady, he relied on it very much, and even ignored the iron law of "the eunuchs are not allowed to discuss politics" left by the emperors of the great secluded dynasties, but instead allowed him to participate in political affairs, and named it "Zhongche Mansion Order".

However, this is not because the little emperor is young and ignorant, but because the little emperor has no choice but to make it.

When he first let Bai You stay by his side, it was because he felt a little panicked when he first ascended the throne, and he could feel a little relieved when Bai You was by his side, and after the old lady passed away and the son of the old lady, Situ Buqi, resigned from the official position, there was no one in the court who could compete with Xiahou's lineage, so the little emperor would officially reuse Bai You...... Because, compared to Xiahou Xuanba, who held military power, Bai You, who was naturally a eunuch, could make him feel more at ease.

……

When Yan Kun heard this, he pinched the silver ticket that Mu Qiuhuang had given him in his sleeve, and said secretly in his heart: "Mu Gongzi, don't blame the old man for being sorry for you, it's just that the court law is in front, and the old man is even more of a left waiter in the Ministry of Rites, so he can't ...... protect you" Thinking of this, Yan Kun stood up and said to the little emperor: "Back to Your Majesty, the two of Xilie Shizi and Beiyu Shizi ignore the laws of the court, and Weichen feels that His Majesty should issue an order to make an example of the crime." ”

"And."

Yan Kun took out the 10,000 taels of silver tickets from his sleeve and said to the little emperor: "Your Majesty, this is given to Weichen by Mu Qiuhuang, the prince of Beiyu, he bribed the minister, and according to the law, he should be added to the most." ”

"Really? What did he do with you with the silver ticket? The little emperor frowned and asked softly.

"Your Majesty, Mu Qiuhuang, the prince of Beiyu, didn't ask Weichen what he did? Just inquired about the residences of the children of the other princes, and Wei Chen saw that there was nothing to hide, so he told him. ”

The little emperor's brows softened when he heard this, and he asked Bai You, "What do you think?"

Bai You had just stood solemnly beside him and took in the changes in the little emperor's expression, and he had already made a decision in his heart, at this time, listening to the little emperor's question, he bowed down and said, "Your Majesty, the old slave thinks that what Lord Yan said is not possible. ”

"Oh, why? What Lord Yan said is in accordance with the laws and regulations, and the princes are not allowed to have personal relations with bureaucrats in Beijing, let alone bribes for personal gain, which is clearly written in the law? The little emperor looked at Bai You and asked pretending to be puzzled.

Bai You naturally knew that the little emperor had made a decision in his heart, glanced at Yan Kun, and said slowly: "Lord Yan is not wrong to admonish according to the law, but this prince of Beiyu and the prince of Xilie have not broken the law?" ”

The little emperor glanced at Yan Kun and said to Bai You, "Go on." ”

"Yes."

Bai You breathed a sigh of relief and continued: "The law says that you must not have personal relations with bureaucrats and you must not give bribes for personal gain, and neither of these two crimes has ever been committed by the two princes.

It is true that the prince of Beiyu has been to the Taishi Mansion twice, but there is no one in the Taishi Mansion who has an official body? Situ Buqi has no official position, so naturally he can't talk about making friends with bureaucrats, and the fact that he gave Lord Yan a silver ticket is not enough to be regarded as bribery and favoritism, because he has never asked Lord Yan to help him do anything.

As for the fact that Xilie wanted to visit General Xiahou and was turned away, it was very clear that this was not a success at all, so it was impossible to make friends. ”

"Well, what Grandpa Bai said is reasonable." The little emperor nodded in agreement.

Yan Kun was very frightened when he saw this, and hurriedly knelt on the ground and said, "Weichen is ignorant, please ask Your Majesty to surrender." ”

Seeing Yan Kun's appearance, the little emperor hurriedly said: "Lord Yan, please get up quickly, you dare to speak up righteously, it should be meritorious, how can you say that you are guilty?" It's just that this time the evidence is insufficient. ”

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your understanding." Yan Kun stood up tremblingly, dragging the silver ticket with both hands.

Seeing this, the little emperor smiled slightly and said: "Since it is the silver ticket given to you by the prince of Beiyu, you can keep it with peace of mind, and you can rest assured, if there is a word or official, I will make the decision for you." What's more, I heard that you have gone bankrupt when you bought this official position, so it is better to stay and improve your life. ”

When Yan Kun first heard the first half of the words, he was grateful to the little emperor, and when he heard the second half of the sentence, he was directly frightened and sat on the ground, kowtowing to the little emperor like pounding garlic, kowtowing and praying: "Weichen should die, Weichen should die......"

Seeing this, the corners of the little emperor's lips filled with a hint of petty, and he said softly: "Get up!" I forgive you for your innocence. ”

Where did Yan Kun dare to get up at this time, after knowing that the emperor knew about buying an official, he was directly scared half to death.

Seeing this, the little emperor was a little helpless, and said in his heart: "You are not afraid when you buy an official, why are you so timid now?" ”

However, he also knew that he didn't dare to scare him anymore at this time, so he stepped forward and patted him on the shoulder and whispered, "Get up!" I have forgiven you for your innocence, I have sent someone to investigate you, you, you have not abused your power for personal gain since you became an official, and your official reputation is also very good on weekdays, judging from these things, you are not a good official."

Speaking of this, a trace of killing intent appeared in the little emperor's eyes, and he said softly: "If you really want to kill someone, it is not you who should be killed, but those who dare to sell the official to you." ”

Seeing that Yan Kun was still kneeling like a quail, the little emperor frowned and said, "I ordered you to get up, if you don't get up again, I will really kill you." ”

When Yan Kun heard this, he stood up in fright, and confessed in his mouth.

Seeing this, the little emperor laughed and said: "Now your official is not bought, I personally sealed it, you can do an errand for me with peace of mind!" ”

Yan Kun was grateful when he heard this, and directly knelt on the ground to thank him.

"If it's all right, you can step back first! It's just that the prince of Beiyu and the prince of Xilie have been kept an eye on me, and they will report to me if they have any troubles.

"Yes, Weichen takes the order."

Yan Kun was about to turn around and leave, but he seemed to suddenly think of something? Turning to the little emperor, he continued: "By the way, Ji Yan, the prince of Xilie, set up a banquet in Tianxiangju to invite the children of other princes. ”

"When?" The little emperor asked.

Yan Kun thought for a moment and said, "Four days later, that is, the first three days of the last day's festival. ”

"Well, I know, you can go down first." The little emperor waved his hand.

"Yes, Weichen retired." Yan Kun saluted the little emperor and bowed down.