Jiankang Palace, Taiji East Hall

Today's East Hall is much more lively than usual, and many palace maids can't sleep all night, and they serve back and forth in the East Hall. Since last night, they have not only to serve the good emperor Xiao Zhen, but also the hundreds of courtiers who are lining up the outer steps of the hall at this time also need them to serve refreshments.

These people are just like them, and they have been in the East Hall since they were summoned to the palace last night. Most of them are the generals of the Chinese army and foreign armies stationed in the Jiankang area, from the big Sima, the general of the chariot and cavalry, to the owner of the building. In addition to the generals in the court, the generals in the army, the guards of the military cities (such as Stone City, Xizhou City, Langya City, etc.) that defend Jiankang and safety, as well as the palace generals and palace generals who are specially used as the emperor's close guards, and Cao Lang, who is responsible for the inspection of military rules and discipline, all order history, and the capital official Cao has the responsibility of correcting military prohibitions. In addition, the officials of the Lantai Imperial History, who were responsible for correcting the lawlessness of internal and external officials, were also present.

Outside the hall of the east hall, the left and right steps of the door of the province of the servants (such as Xiao Ziliang, Xiao Ziqing,), the scattered riding province of the standing servants (such as Ancheng Wang Hui, Poyang Wang Qiang), to the Yellow Gate and the palace guards of the military academy, these people belong to the emperor's close ministers, today everyone with a sword to guard the emperor. Under His Royal Highness Dongtang are the crown prince Xiao Changmao, the king of Yuzhang, the great Sima Xiao Wei, the former general Wuling Wang Ye and others.

In addition to these sect kings, there is also Shangshu's right servant Xiao Luan, and at this moment, he is giving the last instructions to the Duguan Shangshu and the Wubing Shangshu with a slightly serious face.

In the Southern Dynasty system, Shangshu's right servant shot was in charge of the ancestral hall, and the second Cao of honor guards, after Shangshu's left servant shot Wang Huan went to Yongzhou in June this year to serve as the assassin of the history, the original left servant shot was responsible for the host and guest, and the second Cao emperor Xiao Zhen in the palace was also temporarily entrusted to Xiao Luan to be responsible. One of the Duguan Shangshu and the Five Soldiers Shangshu is in charge of military discipline and the other is in charge of military politics, although these people are not in charge of affairs on weekdays, but today's martial arts are not small, even they dare not ignore them.

As for Shen Yue, who was standing on the side and watching him, Xiao Luan just looked at it. Shen Yue's Yushitai does not belong to the subordinate departments of Shangshu Province, although the grade of Yushi Zhongcheng is not as high as his right servant, but because the authority of Yushitai has become increasingly important in modern times, Shen Yue, who serves as Yushi Zhongcheng in the court on weekdays, sits at the same level as him, and he can't control Shen Yue.

The Imperial Historical Observatory is like the Imperial Procuratorate of the Ming Dynasty, it is a supervisory body, and it is directly responsible to the emperor in its work, if there is no need for Xiao Luan to interfere in his affairs, Shen Yue can cooperate with his work. Anyway, supervising the illegal capital official Cao can also be competent.

In the east hall, several Zhongshu people in Zhongshu Province headed by Ji Seng Zhen and more than a dozen palace generals, Lang officials stood around the palace gate, waited for a while, only to see Emperor Xiao Zhen wearing black clothes, wearing a black scarf, and walked out of the apse under the service of several maids and eunuchs.

In recent years, Xiao Zhen is quite old, and he can rarely sleep peacefully at night, so he often "goes out by day", invites courtiers in the early morning, takes a female dancer or walks on Zhongshan Mountain, or rows Xuanwu, and returns to the palace to rest at dawn. Last night was no exception for Xiao Zhen, who had been used to a chaotic life for several years. Fortunately, he went to rest for two hours after giving the courtiers night food last night, so he has a lot of energy at the moment. Looking at the few young people by the door, he realized that although he was old, his energy was not inferior to theirs.

After Ji Seng really saw Xiao Zhen come out, he quickly stepped forward and said: "Your Majesty, the time for the five drums has arrived, and all the ministers have gathered outside the hall to wait. Please also ask Your Majesty to move outside the palace."

Xiao Zhen nodded and said, "Qing Ke will go to spread the decree first, and beat the five drums to relieve the strictness." ”

Waiting for Ji Seng to really answer, a moment later the sound of five drums came, Xiao Zhen and the people of the house, and the waiter walked out of the hall.

When Xiao Changmao and the others saw the emperor walking out of the hall, they waved their bodies together and shouted long live. Da Sima Xiao Wei stepped forward and said, "The leaking drum has been completed, please ask Your Majesty to take off." ”

Xiao Zhen nodded silently at Ji Seng Zhen beside him.

Ji Seng Zhen went down to the middle level and sang loudly: "Zhao Ke"

Xiao Zhen went down the steps of the palace, Xiao Ziliang and others followed Xiao Zhen in turn, and served the emperor on the building chariot carried by sixty-four strong men, Xiao Ziliang followed Xiao Zhen, and Xiao Ziqing carried the emperor's letter seal, and went up the stairs together with all kinds of seals.

This kind of building is not used in ordinary times, and is only used in certain rituals, and it is only used in today's military ceremony. It is said that it is a building, of course, it can't really be a heavy building, but it is a single-story chariot with a length of three zhang and a width of two zhang, and the appearance is made into a heavy building, which is much heavier than the ordinary chariot, but forty-six strong men are also enough to do it.

。。。。。。

After Tuoba Shen and Li Biao and the others heard the fifth drum beat in the palace, a quarter of an hour passed before they saw Xiao Zhen's Lou Yuan leaving Guangmomen under the guidance of dozens of sword-wielding squires and military schools.

Xiao Zhen's building stopped in the square in front of the door, and the officials saluted together, chanting long live, and then re-entered the road under the praise of the praisers. Because of the distance, Tuoba Shen and the others could only hear the singing of the praisers, and the interaction between Xiao Zhen and the others could not be seen.

"Let's go!" Tuoba Shen glanced at the moon and starlight in the sky again, and said.

Xiao Changmao stood under the gatehouse on the Guangmo Gate, looking at the moonlight about a mile or two away, and the people and horses who were still faintly visible were still faintly illuminated, and asked Hu Huanzhi beside him: "Hu Qing, the third brother is lonely, can the people who are in ambush know any news?" ”

Just after sending off Emperor Xiao Zhen under Guangmomen, Xiao Changmao went up to the city tower. He also had to stay in Taicheng to prevent someone from taking advantage of the opportunity of the emperor and many courtiers gathering outside to launch a rebellion in the city, and Hu Huanzhi, as a military minister of the East Palace, naturally had to stay to help Xiao Changmao.

Hu Huozhi said apologetically: "I don't get much." I didn't want the king of Luling to leave only the princess and Her Royal Highness the princess to accompany him when he was the envoy, and the slaves and maids on the left and right were all driven out, but there was no way to know what was said in the hall. ”

Hu Huanzhi looked at Xiao Changmao's face as he spoke, but saw that Xiao Changmao turned around, there was no different color on his face, and he didn't know whether Xiao Changmao was angry or didn't care about this matter, he couldn't help but feel a little worried, thought about it and said: "The important ministers of the court of King Luling can't be connected with public intentions, and they actually meet foreign envoys privately, which is really a loss for a minister." ”

After finishing speaking, Hu Huanzhi continued to pay attention to Xiao Changmao's reaction, thinking that if Xiao Changmao could accept this reason for impeachment, he would not get nothing. It's better to work hard and get nothing.

Xiao Changmao snorted coldly and said, "King Luling is not the will of the imperial court to deal with the envoys?" What is the private opinion of this? ”

Hu Huozhi's secret words are not good, knowing that Xiao Changmao is dissatisfied with his far-fetched reason. But he has said everything, so naturally he can't admit his mistake without saying a word of self-justification.

"Although it is the will of the imperial court for the king of Luling to be the envoy, he does not accompany his subordinates, but treats guests with his wife and sister alone, so how can it be said that he is a public heart. Who dares to say that there will be no strange feelings in it. ”

Xiao Changmao shook his head and said, "These are just small sections, they are told to the front of the emperor, but they are just a few words of reprimand. And what to lose. He is a prince, will he still collude with the captive envoy to rebel? How can something without evidence be plugged into the mouths of people? Such a belly test only makes people underestimate loneliness. ”

"There are big mistakes and omissions in what Qing said, and I can't take it alone." Xiao Changmao said and turned around and went down the stone steps, with a slight impatience on his face.

Hu Huanzhi hurriedly stepped forward, gritted his teeth and said: "The minister still has a plan, if His Royal Highness accepts it, he will be able to remove the king of Luling from his official position and return to the first." ”

Xiao Changmao stopped and turned his head with doubts on his face.

Hu Huozhi looked left and right, stepped forward and whispered for a while. Xiao Changmao listened to Hu Huozhi's words, listened to the silence for a long time, and slowly went downstairs, until he walked to the east gate of Hualin Garden, and then said: "What Qing said, I don't hear it." Wangqing is good for herself. ”

Hu Huanzhi listened to Xiao Changmao's words, touched his beard and laughed. He knew that Xiao Changmao had adopted his strategy.