When Yu Donglai came out of the imperial study, his legs and feet were still a little weak, and when he recalled His Majesty's words before, he felt a chill like falling into an ice cave in his heart.

"Whoever dares to hack this money again, I will punish his nine clans. If the living are not enough to make up the number of the nine tribes, I will dig up his ancestral grave. ”

After so many years as an official, it was the first time he had seen His Majesty the Emperor so angry. I don't know if it was because the courtiers teamed up to deceive him, or because of Fan Gu's 800 border troops and 2,000 people who died in vain. So when I thought of this Yu Donglai, I was even more afraid, the lies made up by Hou Wenji were enough to avoid the serious, and His Majesty was still angry to this point. If you know that the 800 border troops were actually slaughtered by the right guard...... Who knows what kind of thunderous fury will be provoked?

That's right, Emperor Yang Yi of Tianyou is indeed mild-mannered, and he rarely blames his courtiers, but because of this, some people have forgotten that Tianwei is unpredictable. When the emperor sensed that his prestige had diminished, he would inevitably do something to get his courtiers to regain their respect and fear for him. And at this time, there will always be a few unlucky ghosts. Even if they didn't do anything fatal, at least in their own perception. But when His Majesty needs to kill, it doesn't really matter what mistakes are made.

The important thing is that His Majesty will never be relentless when he feels that he should kill.

The officials in the court have been stable for a long time, and they have forgotten that the emperor ordered more than three years ago to kill the Qiu family, who had conspired against Jiangdu. More than 2,000 people were killed in Jiangdu City that night, and the three major families of Jiangdu were razed to the ground almost instantly.

Because these three families all supported the succession of the three princes at the beginning, they spared no effort to help the three princes build momentum. And the current emperor Yang Yi was the most low-key of the seven sons of the first emperor at that time, and the person who seemed to be the least likely to inherit the throne sat on the supreme chair.

The emperor wants to kill, sometimes in a hurry, sometimes not in a hurry.

He waited seven years before he could make a move on the three families in Jiangdu, and it was really like thunder. At that time, Zuo Zhengwei of the Great Sui was ordered to go out to quell the rebellion of Mao Feng, a thief in the south of the Yangtze River, and marched until the army of Jiangdu entered the city to replenish supplies. In the evening, the big families in Jiangdu City also got together to feast on Yang Shunchen, the general of Zuo Zhenwei, and drank heartily until midnight. The general Yang Shunchen returned drunk, and everyone thought that they had used a banquet and a stack of silver tickets to get this general who was supposed to be the emperor's cousin.

But in the second half of the night, Zuo Zhenwei's 5,000 heavy armored infantry suddenly poured into the streets and alleys of Jiangdu, sealing the houses of the three major families in Jiangdu, and there was no process of questioning at all. The elite soldiers of the Zuo Yi guard, who were armed to the teeth, rushed into the compound of those families and killed anyone they saw. The wailing sounded from the sound to the dawn of the day, but the wailing had no meaning.

Overnight, there was a river of blood in the city of Jiangdu.

Early in the morning of the second day, Yang Shunchen, the general of Zuo Zhenwei, announced the guilt of the three major families in Jiangdu. One of the most shocking is ...... Collusion with traitors to try rebellion. And the head of the three major families is the founding hero of the Great Sui, the Qiu family of two princes and five marquis. Therefore, this big case is also known as the Qiu Rebellion case.

And it was at this time that people suddenly woke up. Since Yang Yi can sit on the throne, how can he really be as gentle or even weak as he seems on the surface?

For courtiers, betrayal is always the bottom line. Once this bottom line is touched, the outcome is actually predestined. It doesn't matter if the betrayal is real or the emperor needs it to exist.

The emperor kills, sometimes in a hurry, sometimes not in a hurry.

Killing the three major families of Jiangdu, there is no hurry, the emperor waited for seven years, and first slowly stripped the people of the three major families who occupied important official positions in the court, and put them in a position that seemed to be very important but had no real power. Seven years after the emperor's unknowable design, his Xu Rulin's layout killed all those who made him feel that he no longer had to exist in the world. The reason for killing people is actually very simple, because the existence of these people makes the emperor unhappy.

And now, the emperor is in a hurry to kill.

Yu Donglai walked out for more than a dozen steps and then glanced back at the imperial study, and couldn't help but smile bitterly and shook his head. While he was glad that he had escaped the catastrophe, there was also a sense of sadness in his heart. The soldier waits for the king's death, and he will not escape the catastrophe from the day the emperor wants him to die. And the emperor wanted to kill him, and it was by no means from today.

Fan Gu's matter was just an excuse for the emperor to start.

Just as he was walking out in a trance, someone behind him suddenly called his name. Yu Donglai looked back and saw that it was Huai Qiugong, the secretary of the Ministry of Rites who had been sitting in the imperial study just now but had not spoken.

"Nostalgia, what's wrong with you?"

For this veteran of the Three Dynasties, Yu Donglai did not dare to be a little disrespectful. Everyone knows that there are two very special courtiers in the Great Sui court, and they are also two emperors. One article and one martial arts, the literati is this old minister who sits in the seat of the secretary of the Ministry of Rites but never cares about the affairs of the Ministry of Rites. The martial artist is Zhou Banchuan, the president of the Martial Arts Academy.

Yu Donglai politely leaned over slightly and made a junior salute.

Huai Qiugong smiled, stroked his snow-white beard and said: "When I came, I came by rubbing the carriage of Lord Zheng of the household department, Lord Zheng was left by His Majesty to discuss important matters, but there was nothing to do with my old fellow, and I had no choice but to go home by myself with this old bone, so I had to confess to Your Majesty, and then hurry out to chase you." How's it going, do you have time to drop me off at the old man's home? ”

Way?

The Yu family's mansion and Huai Qiugong's mansion are two opposite directions at all.

But how could Yu Donglai not know that this old minister, who was extremely heavy in front of His Majesty, had something to say to himself alone?

He hurriedly held Huai Qiugong's arm and said, "It's my luck to be able to invite Huai Lao into my carriage!" ”

……

……

The wheels of the carriage crushed against the flat bluestone slabs, making a sound that would make you sleep. Maybe Huai Qiugong was indeed too old, so he was a little drowsy after getting into the carriage from Yu Donglai. He leaned against the soft interior of the carriage covered with brocade pads, and closed his eyes as if enjoying the slight shaking of the carriage.

Yu Donglai knew that since Huai Qiugong stopped him, he must have something to say to himself. So he wasn't in a hurry, so he picked up the brocade quilt on the side and gently covered Huai Qiugong's body.

This is a sign of not being in a hurry, but it is a means of being in a hurry.

Sure enough, Huai Qiugong slowly opened his eyes and looked at the brocade quilt on his body, then glanced at Yu Donglai with a smile and gratefully and laughed at himself: "I'm old, it seems that I'm tired all day long." As soon as I calm down, I can't help but doze off. ”

"How come, nostalgic for the elderly, you are old and strong."

Yu Donglai said with a smile.

"Where is it still strong?"

Huai Qiugong said in a mysterious low voice: "I haven't touched a woman for ten years, where do you say you can still be strong?" ”

This old man is a really cute mess at times.

As the most etiquette-paying etiquette secretary of the Great Sui, he actually said such vulgar words in front of others, if it was known by the civil and military forces of the Manchu Dynasty, he was afraid that his jaw would drop in shock.

Yu Donglai smiled awkwardly, not knowing how to answer.

Fortunately, this disrespectful old man did not intend to continue on the topic of women. He pulled the brocade quilt up and covered it more tightly.

"Donglai, it's been three years since you were promoted to the secretary of the military department, right?"

Huai Qiugong asked seemingly casually.

"Three years, two months, and six days."

Yu Donglai replied seriously.

"The days go by so fast."

Huai Qiugong sighed, smiled and said, "When I first met you, you were just a six-rank soldier outsider. In a blink of an eye, so many years have passed, and I have become an old immortal who occupies the pit and refuses to move it, and you have changed from a young man full of determination to a restrained and calm middle-aged. ”

Yu Donglai said in a humble tone: "Nostalgic old man, you praise it falsely. ”

"Donglai, do you know why Your Majesty is angry?"

Huai Qiugong, who was still talking about boring things before, suddenly asked in a changed tone.

Yu Donglai was stunned for a moment, sorted out the wording in his mind, and replied: "It's because I, as a courtier, have disappointed Your Majesty." ”

Huai Qiugong glanced at him and said, "This answer is decent, but it is a lie. ”

Yu Donglai smiled and didn't deny it.

"The reason why I got into your carriage is because I can be alone with you for a while. There are some things that cannot be known to others. You have also been an official for many years, so you naturally understand what I mean. ”

Huai Qiugong looked at Yu Donglai and said lightly: "Since there are only you and me, then you might as well say it directly...... His Majesty is so angry today, it is true that it is because of the 800 border troops and 2,000 people killed in the battle by Fan Gu, because of Li Xiaozong's guy who does not know the height of the sky, because of Li Yuanshan's self-righteousness, and because of the greed of the military department and the intelligence department...... But in fact, these are not the most fundamental reasons, don't tell me, you still don't understand why His Majesty is angry. ”

"Because Your Majesty is about to use troops against the northwest."

Yu Donglai didn't do Tai Chi this time, but replied truthfully.

"You finally didn't continue to play stupid, or I would have to get out of the car and walk home by myself."

Huai Qiugong looked at Yu Donglai and asked, "Then you say, why did Your Majesty take the military department to open the knife?" ”

"Because Your Majesty does not want to hear any objections in this move. Hou Junci was originally strongly opposed to the use of troops in the northwest, and even accused His Majesty in front of the court of using swords and soldiers to rejoice in his achievements. ”

Huai Qiugong said seriously: "Your Majesty is the King of Shengming, so even if there are officials in the court who speak disrespectfully because of disagreement, Your Majesty will not blame, but will praise more, right?" ”

"Yes!"

Yu Donglai nodded.

"But the majesty of the emperor, how many people will be in awe of it in the long run?"

Huai Qiugong breathed a long sigh of relief, and said with some emotion: "Hou Junci is not unlucky, but he is an idiot...... Your Majesty wants to be wise and listen because Your Majesty has to. And His Majesty still has a lot of things to do, such as the mobilization of troops in the northwest this time. The Great Sui has gone through five emperors, which one has not expanded its territory? ”

He paused for a moment and said: "To say something disrespectful, what kind of posture Your Majesty wants to show is your Majesty's business, but as a courtier, you can't know how to advance and retreat and put yourself in the right position." Like me...... Dare to lose your temper with Your Majesty, dare to blow your beard and stare at Your Majesty, why? ”

"Because I am the emperor, the emperor who is allowed to exist by His Majesty. Your Majesty wants to make a gesture of respecting your teacher, and I will definitely cooperate with Your Majesty in making this gesture. And Zhou Banchuan, that old guy also understands this truth. Therefore, His Majesty allows us to rely on the old and sell the old, and he is also happy to make people find such a relationship between the monarch and the minister very charming. ”

"But, doesn't Your Majesty really dare to kill me, dare not kill Zhou Banchuan?"

Huai Qiugong was silent for a while and continued: "So, I got into your carriage just to tell you a word...... To be a courtier, the first thing to do is to understand what kind of courtier you should become. Only when you know and understand will you be satisfied with Your Majesty. ”

"Do you now know how to satisfy Your Majesty?"

He asked.

Yu Donglai pondered for a while, then nodded and said seriously: "Your Majesty may need a courtier who betrays his colleagues ruthlessly, and Your Majesty also needs a few more deaths in the military department." Therefore, after I go back, I should think carefully about how to draw up the list of corrupt officials in the Ministry of War. ”

Huai Qiugong couldn't help laughing, his face full of relief.

"That's not ruthlessness, that's righteousness."

He smiled and said, "What is righteousness? Be loyal to Your Majesty, satisfy Your Majesty, solve problems for Your Majesty, follow Your Majesty's heart, and understand the way of monarchs and ministers. When you should be a gentleman, when you should be a villain, when you should be a villain, when you should be an eagle, when you should be an eagle, when you should be a dog, you should wag your tail, is the greatest meaning of being a courtier. ”

Yu Donglai sat upright, and then bowed deeply: "Thank you for your advice." ”