In the twenty-first year of Emperor Zhaohui, the third princess Chu Ning ascended the throne, and King Xin was regent, and the year name was changed to Tianjiao.

The empress welcomed Empress Yao as the empress dowager and moved to Cining Palace.

After the enthronement ceremony, Master Kurong stood up, "Please move your majesty to the Taimiao and erect a tablet for the first emperor." ”

He stopped Chu Ning's car in front of everyone.

Wang Qitang felt that something was wrong, and asked He Chunyi in a low voice: "The old man remembers that after the death of Emperor Ping, the tablet was erected by the national teacher, right?" ”

He Chunyi coughed dryly and whispered, "Maybe there is something else to pay attention to Master Kurong's side." ”

They all looked this way, but when it came to the majesty of the royal family, no one dared to say anything.

Chu Ning saw that Master Kurong wanted to test her, and seeing that Empress Dowager Yao and the others did not move, he bowed his head and said, "There is Master Lao Guo leading the way." ”

Master Kurong bowed his head and saluted, "Your Majesty, please." ”

It was already evening.

After Chu Ning returned to the palace, he called Xiao Youzi after thinking about it and instructed him: "Order someone to pick some rewards and send them to Qingjingguan." ”

Xiao Youzi hurriedly replied: "The slave obeys." ”

He was just about to retire, but was stopped by Chu Ning again.

"Wait, you will bring someone to deliver it yourself." Her eyebrows frowned slightly, "It's best to see the young national teacher." ”

Xiao Youzi was a little embarrassed, scratched the back of his head, and said with a smile: "The slave heard that the young master is still in retreat, I'm afraid I won't be able to see him." ”

Chu Ning said "um" and stopped talking.

Xiao Youzi was confused, stayed for a while, and left uneasily.

The maid cleaned up the bed, freshened up for her, and retreated.

Chu Ning fell on the soft couch and looked at the tassel hanging down from the top of the tent with his eyes wide open.

She was uneasy in her heart, and she always felt that there was something strange about today.

First, Master Kurong, who was seriously ill and difficult to recover, presided over the ceremony, and then made an exception for the new emperor to erect the tablet, and then ......

Liu Tingchuan is not a superstitious person of ghosts and gods!

Chu Ning was well aware of this, and in her opinion, Master Kurong's words were not enough to be believed.

Her heart sank......

As soon as she went to court the next day, an urgent military affair was submitted to her case.

More than 100,000 troops of Chen Wei's coalition army have approached Chaoyun Mountain in the south, and the emperor's eldest son knocked on the pass to ask the defenders to let them go.

Seeing that the situation was not good, the defenders of Houzhao did not dare to delay for a moment, and immediately sent back documents for help.

In the court, courtiers kept standing up and accusing Chu Ning of being imprudent in refusing to negotiate with Chen Wei.

"Chen Wei's 100,000 troops are pressing the border, and the defenders of the southern border of Zhaonan are only more than 50,000, once the war starts, our army is bound to lose!"

"Your Majesty Shengming, if it is not for me, the queen is afraid of Chen Wei, but the enemy army is twice as large as mine, the disparity is too great, and you can't start a war rashly."

"If Your Majesty sends a sage and a capable minister to the southern border for peace talks, the current crisis in the southern border may be slightly resolved."

Shi Yihuai also seconded: "Wechen asked to be an envoy, and he hurried to the south on the same day, and he could arrive at the border for peace talks in less than ten days." ”

Someone sighed: "Lord Taifu is noble, the capital is far away from the south, and this time Lord Taifu is really hard to send an envoy." ”

Chu Ning lowered his eyes and listened for a long time, and when he heard this, he raised his head and looked at everyone with a smile.

"When did Lone allow Lord Shi to be an envoy?"

Yao Xingyuan also answered: "Lord Shi wants to make a noise? Besides, what is the bargaining chip in the peace talks, is Lord Shi's mouth? ”

Chen Wei and the two countries first asked for ten cities, but after being rejected by Chu Ning, they asked for a thousand taels of gold instead, and the border gate was released.

This time, the two countries are pressing the border, and what they want is probably not so simple.

Shi Yihuai said proudly: "The ministers are loyal to the country, so they naturally have a clear conscience, and they are not afraid of being framed by villains." ”

"But Lord Shi," Chu Ning asked, "You haven't answered Lord Yao's question yet. ”

Shi Yihuai looked up at Chu Ning suddenly, Chu Ning smiled slightly, and continued to ask, "What to talk about?" ”

Wang Qitang finally spoke: "The old minister thinks that it is appropriate to stabilize the situation in the south first, otherwise once the smoke rises again in the north, Hou Zhao will inevitably suffer from the enemy. ”

He was worried about the situation in the north day and night, lest the Jingshuo Khanate reject Hou Zhao's proposal and instead send troops to attack Hou Zhao with Chen Wei.

"Your Majesty," King Xin was also a little uncontrollable, "The minister thinks what the Prime Minister said is reasonable. ”

Chu Ning picked out a letter from the desk and ordered the eunuch to read it in public.

The letter was written by General Han Qiucheng, the general of the northern border, and the letter clearly wrote the defense situation of the northern border in recent years.

In his recital, he mentioned that this year, the Jingshuo Khanate was hit by a drought that was rare in many years, and the country's grasslands withered, and the people were forced to move to many places.

Therefore, after the guerrillas scattered and plundered the northern border of Zhao, they were also driven back by the defenders of the northern border.

Now, Han Qiucheng believes that the Jingshuo Khanate is anxious to obtain a stable source of goods.

Thinking of this, Chu Ning ordered the eunuch to shut up.

The ministers all understood, and the Jingshuo Khanate said that the supply of military supplies was insufficient, and even the people were short of food and clothing.

"They can't even feed the horses, and they're worried that they will have nothing to do when they're full, so they turn around and attack us Houzhao?"

Yao Xingyuan thought that he had relieved Chu Ning of the siege, and looked around complacently.

Wang Qitang still had a worried face, and said: "The people in the north are fierce and have not yet been civilized, and I am afraid that they will violate the contract in the future and counterattack after Zhao." ”

"Lord Wang, where there is land and people, there is war. But at present, Lone wants to take this opportunity to introduce famous horses from the north. ”

Chu Ning took a deep breath and spat out what he was thinking, "My Houzhao's infantry has been at a disadvantage in the northern border for a long time, I guess you also know it?" ”

"Lone not only wants to introduce the famous horses of Mobei, but also to exchange them for armor and weapons, and Lone wants to create a cavalry team of Hou Zhao."

Shi Yihuai sneered: "Your Majesty has ever heard of 'Handan toddler'? ”

"Master Shi is interesting," Chu Ning said with a calm smile, "If you plan to be a toddler, Gu will definitely learn it, and in the future, it will be faster than them." ”

After speaking, she glanced at everyone again and asked, "Do any of you know more about the northern realm than General Han?" ”

Everyone was silent and bowed their heads.

Chu Ning asked again: "Lone has ordered someone to draw up the regulations of the Northern Border Mutual Market to show everyone, what objections do you have?" ”

Wang Qitang couldn't help but ask, "Your Majesty, is there a reply from the northern border?" ”

"In less than three days, the envoys from Mobei should have arrived."

The Mo family has already sent someone to give her a breath, saying that Mo Pingsheng's activities in the Jingshuo Khanate are going well, and the king of Khan has sent an envoy back to Beijing to restore his life.

Chu Ning was just about to announce his retirement from the court, Shi Yihuai stood up and asked, "Chen Wei's side, who does Your Majesty want to send?" ”

"No."

She got up and glanced back at Shi Yihuai, her eyes were sharp, as if she had the momentum of thunder.

Behind him, Shi Yihuai sneered: "Why didn't Your Majesty ask Lord Yao if the silver in the treasury was enough to fight a tough battle?" ”

Yao Xingyuan's face changed, and he secretly complained in his heart.

Cining Palace.

Yao Xingyuan poured bitter water on Empress Dowager Yao, for fear that Chu Ning would investigate him for dereliction of duty.

Empress Dowager Yao didn't think so, and said with a cold smile: "She can have her current status, all of this was given to her by the Yao family." ”

"What's more, according to what you said before, all the civil and military officials disobey her, and only the Yao family has full support, how dare she cut off her arm?"

Hearing her calm tone, without a trace of panic, Yao Xingyuan felt a little relieved.

But he still muttered with a bitter face: "But the treasury is ...... How should the minister explain where the money goes? ”

"There is still a profit and loss in the bright moon, let alone the harvest of various states and counties? It's a shame that you've been the head of the household for so many years, do you still need to mourn your family? ”

Yao Xingyuan wanted to say something more, but was glanced at by the Empress Dowager Yao, and was so frightened that he quickly shut up.

Empress Dowager Yao counted him down and said, "You, a big man who has lived for half your life, why haven't you made a difference?" ”

Yao Xingyuan was red-faced by his sister.

"She still needs the support of my Yao family, not to mention the foundation of my Yao family for decades, how can she easily shake it?"

Saying that, Empress Dowager Yao sighed, "You, the mourning family can't count on it, but fortunately, Yao Wu has been brought into the palace today." ”

Yao Xingyuan was stunned and asked, "Xiao Wu'er is already here?" ”

"The mourning family has ordered someone to invite the emperor," Empress Dowager Yao waved her hand impatiently, "You should step back quickly, don't miss Yao Wu's future." ”

As soon as Yao Xingyuan walked for a while, Chu Ning came to Cining Palace and saluted the Empress Dowager Yao.

"Erchen has been busy with government affairs recently, and he has no time to visit his mother, so I ask my mother to forgive me. Can this Cining Palace still be used to living? ”

Empress Dowager Yao ordered someone to show Chu Ning a seat, and said with a gentle smile: "The emperor should take state affairs first, don't worry, the mourning family just remembers the emperor." ”

The two gossiped a few words, and the Empress Dowager Yao suddenly said: "The mourning family felt that the surroundings were too lonely, so they ordered someone to take their nephew into the palace. ”

In the past, favored queens and concubines could also take their relatives into the palace to accompany them.

But they are often sisters and nieces, and there is no precedent for accepting foreign men into the palace.

Now, Empress Dowager Yao told Chu Ning about this matter, but she didn't ask her if she agreed, and she naturally understood the truth in her heart.

Chu Ning smiled: "As long as I can make the queen mother smile often." ”

Empress Dowager Yao instructed Qiu Mo: "Go and invite the fifth prince Yao to come in and greet the emperor." ”

Qiu Mo responded, Chu Ning's heart chuckled, and he remembered the conditions that Empress Dowager Yao had thought of her.

The last one is to take Yao Wu into the palace to accompany him.

Outside the door, a young man in green clothes rushed in, knelt down to Chu Ning and saluted, "Yao Yu, a grass man, greets the emperor." ”

Although his head was lowered, his eyes glanced up restlessly.

"Flat."

Chu Ning remembered that Empress Dowager Yao said that Han Tang was "not as good as Yao Wujunxiu", and when she saw Yao Yu, she couldn't help but look twice.

Empress Dowager Yao took this scene into her eyes, sneered in her heart, but said with a smile on the surface: "The emperor has always lacked a caring person who knows the warmth and cold." ”

Chu Ning knew that she wanted to stuff Yao Yu to herself, shook her head and smiled: "Erchen is busy with government affairs, and it is more appropriate for Yao Gongzi to accompany his mother on his behalf." ”

Yao Yu was kicked out as a ball for the first time, and looked at her aunt aggrieved.

He is Yao Xingyuan's sister-in-law and young son, and he is used to being arrogant in the Yao family, and he can't stand being left out in the snub.

Empress Dowager Yao also knew that she couldn't be in a hurry, so she smiled and said, "In this way, the emperor might as well come to Cining Palace to walk around more often." ”

"The son-in-law obeyed the order, and hoped that the queen mother would be well alive and take care of her health."

Chu Ning replied without leaking, but he didn't mention Yao Yu in half a sentence.

If a young lady from a different family dared to treat him like this, Yao Yu would have snorted and slammed the table and left.

But because of Chu Ning's identity, he had to pretend to be affectionate and whispered: "Your Majesty is here another day, and Yao Wu will cook tea for Your Majesty again." ”

Chu Ning sneered, he was stunned and looked up at her.

This woman was born with a bright and beautiful thing, but he only had to look at it to know that it was not something he could play casually.

The corners of her lips hooked and she asked, "Why didn't you cook today?" ”

Yao Yu's smile froze, and he was bitter in his heart.

Everywhere he goes, he is hugging each other, and a large number of followers are waiting, where can he cook tea?

Just now, he was just pretending to be elegant and casually flirting with beauties as usual.

Empress Dowager Yao saw that Yao Yu was a little embarrassed, and relieved him: "It's past noon today, and I'm afraid I won't be able to sleep at night when I drink tea at this time." ”

"What the queen mother said is that her sons still have government affairs, so they will leave first."

Saying that, Chu Ning was just about to leave, and Empress Dowager Yao was busy ordering Yao Yu to send her out.

Han Tang was already waiting at the gate of Cining Palace, and when he saw Chu Ning coming, he was just about to greet her, and he saw that there was a soft and weak boy beside her.

Chu Ning walked to Han Tang's side, smiled back at Yao Yu, and said, "Lone likes to watch beauties and elegance the most, and the fifth prince is exactly what Lone's mind is." ”

Han Tang and Yao Yu's faces changed at the same time.

Chu Ning's eyes were rolling, there was no smile in his eyes, and he sneered: "Fifth son, you and I will come to Japan for a long time." ”

Yao Yu was so frightened that her legs and feet were weak, and her little face, which was more delicate than a woman, was also miserable.

Chu Ning turned to leave, only to find that Han Tang's face was already as black as the bottom of a pot.

"I heard the Queen Mother say that the Yao family has a handsome and romantic fifth son, and you have also seen it, what do you think?"

Han Tang's heart was extremely unhappy, and he snorted and said, "It's weak." ”

"You haven't married a wife yet, so naturally you don't understand," Chu Ning said with a smile, "The action office is like a flower branch swaying, and it will be extremely pitiful." ”

After returning from the imperial mausoleum, Chu Ning had a gap in his heart, and he didn't laugh with Han Tang for a long time.

Today, because of Yao Yu, she was a little relieved, and joked: "Lonely thinks that this Yao Wugongzi is still good-looking." ”

"Besides," she felt funny in her heart when she saw Han Tang's unconvinced face, "He is the son of the Yao family." ”

Han Tang's brain was hot, and he said without thinking about it: "Weichen is also the son of the Han family!" ”

Chu Ning smiled and said, "That day, Empress Dowager Yao said that Gu didn't believe it at first, saying that the children of the capital family were even more important than Han Tang. ”

His heart had sunk to the bottom, and because of her words, he suddenly went straight into the sky.

"But Empress Dowager Yao said that Han Tang was 'not as good as Yao Wujunxiu', and when I saw him today, he was really smart."

Han Tang let out an "oh", and his expression fell again.

Chu Ning said patiently: "Look, he is dressed in green clothes, green and oily, like shallots. ”

Han Tang suddenly had a hint of luck in his heart.

It's shallots, not delicate flowers.

Chu Ning's smile turned cold, and he said in a low voice: "Since it is a beauty like an onion, it is used to break." ”

Although Han Tang didn't know what she meant, his mood also brightened.

He nodded solemnly and said, "Yes! Break! ”

Chu Ning couldn't help but smile and said to her little milk dog: "Thank you for the matter of Old General Han." ”

"As long as it's good for the community."

He said this, but his heart was bubbling with joy.

Chu Ning's next sentence immediately pulled him back into reality.

She asked: "If Hou Zhao starts a war with Chen Wei, are you willing to lead the troops to fight and keep the enemy out of the country?" ”

After returning to the dormitory, Chu Ning immediately summoned Xiao Youzi.

Xiao Youzi cried with a sad face and said, "The children of the pure view all say that the young master is in retreat, and no one is allowed to approach, and the slave is powerless." ”

Chu Ning shook his head and said, "Lone has another thing to ask you." ”

Yao Yu was accepted into the palace today, but she didn't know it, and then she remembered that Liu Tingchuan had revealed information to her in advance.

Although this matter was small, Chu Ning was inevitably uneasy in his heart.

Liu Tingchuan is missing, she is blind and deaf, and the source of information is completely cut off.

Seeing Chu Ning's solemn expression, Xiao Youzi hurriedly asked, "Master, you said, the slave listened." ”

"When you were the most depressed, you served me loyally, and when Mrs. Cai wanted to beat you with a cane, you sacrificed your life to protect you."

Speaking of this, her words changed, "What exactly are you trying to do?" ”

Xiao Youzi knelt down with a thud and replied sincerely: "Someone framed the minion, saying that the minion's fate and Mr. Zhao were guilty. ”

"The minions were bullied by others everywhere because of this, and when they wanted to kill the minions, the young national master passed by and saved the minions' lives, and the matter was stopped."

As he spoke, his eyes were faintly red, "Later, the slave was selected into the master's womb, and the master actually gave the slave a bite of food. ”

Xiao Youzi kowtowed, and there was a hint of choking in her voice.

"This is the first time since the slave entered the palace that he has not robbed the dog in the palace for food, and the slave lives like a person by the master's side."

Chu Ning pondered for a moment and asked, "Lone can reward you with more dignity, but dignity still needs to be earned by your own loyalty, do you dare to ask for it?" ”

Xiao Youzi kowtowed again and again: "The slave is afraid, I only hope to serve Your Majesty well." ”

"You are the most clever minion by Lone's side, and this matter is entrusted to you, and Lone can rest assured."

Chu Ning said: "Pass on Gu's message, make you the head of the Internal Affairs Office, and take over the previous position of head of Zhao." ”

Xiao Youzi was grateful to Dade and kowtowed again and again.

"That's it, the wind and grass in the harem, you are all watching Lonely."

She is in the palace and can't see beyond the palace walls, but she can't be blind or deaf for a moment.

Liu Tingchuan is her eyes and ears.

Chu Ning's eyebrows furrowed, and he said in a low voice: "Also, secretly find out the whereabouts of the young national teacher." ”

In the early years, when Emperor Zhaoping ordered the construction of the Pure Temple, he specially built a stone room for Master Kurong to retreat and retreat.

Guru Kurong personally drew the drawings of the stone chamber, divided the drawings into several parts, and handed them over to different craftsmen to complete.

This stone chamber is densely packed with secret doors, and no one else knows about it.

Only Master Kurong was free to enter and leave the stone chamber.

And Liu Tingchuan was imprisoned in the deepest part of the stone chamber.

"Good apprentice, when the teacher brought you out of the snowy mountains, why didn't you see that you were a snake that couldn't cover your heat?"

Guru Kurong smiled kindly and raised his hand to gently brush his scalp.

Strands of silver hair poured down from the old man's withered hands.

Liu Tingchuan was not shallowly poisoned, and at the moment he was lying weakly on the straw mat, his face seemed to be whiter than his hair.

"Master, cough, misunderstanding apprentice......"

Before he could finish speaking, he coughed violently, his throat sweetened, and he coughed up a mouthful of blood.

Guru Kurong lovingly removed the bloodied hair from the corners of his lips for him.

When his knuckles touched his jaw, Liu Tingchuan felt as if he was gnawing at the fangs of a poisonous snake.

Master Kurong smiled and said: "Being a teacher is just pretending to be sick, not really sick, and when the new emperor ascends the throne, he will naturally get better immediately." ”

Liu Tingchuan replied in a weak voice, "Master is deeply blessed. ”

"Really? But the good apprentice I raised single-handedly, but I wish I would die for the teacher. ”

He brushed Liu Tingchuan's hair, revealing a little scalp, picked up a golden needle and stabbed it straight in.

Liu Tingchuan's pale pupils shrank suddenly.

In the next moment, the golden needle entered the skull.

Guru Kurong pushed back the silver hair on the top of his head and asked with satisfaction, "Do you remember what Master Wei told you?" ”

There was a hint of excitement in his voice, as if he had ruined a rare treasure in the world.

However, a silver-haired young man was hard to find, not to mention that this person also had a fairy-like face.

Liu Tingchuan is the most suitable puppet he has found in the past few decades.

Master Kurong felt some regret in his heart, but the pleasure of destruction swelled up.

He pinched Liu Tingchuan's chin, looked at the pale face, and sighed: "It's also distressing to see it as a teacher." ”

As he spoke, he picked up another quenched gold needle.

Liu Tingchuan had a splitting headache, his skull seemed to have been torn open by a knife and axe, and the pain spread from the top of his skull to the hundreds of limbs.

Guru Kurong pinched his chin, forced him to raise his head, and handed him the golden needle with a green tip.

"Did the teacher ever teach you that if you are poisoned, you will be poisoned with no cure."

As he spoke, he poked the tip of the needle into Liu Tingchuan's eyeball.

The tip of a miserable blue needle swept over his eyelashes, then lightly tapped his eye sockets.

Master Kurong smiled lovingly, "Apprentice, how many years have you been a teacher? ”

Liu Tingchuan was tortured to death, hissing and gasping in his mouth, and slowly replied, "...... 10. Seven years ......"

"So long?" Master Kurong let out a long sigh.

Before the words fell, another golden needle pierced into the bone.

Liu Tingchuan bit his lower lip tightly, his face was as white as paper, and the dripping blood dripped on the straw mat along the corner of his lips.

"When I was pretending to be sick, I kept sending people to monitor you, and I saw you supporting the three princesses all the way to the throne, and I also saw you poisoning me every day."

Master Ku Rong said with a pleasant face: "Now that the new emperor has been established, as a teacher, you only need to cater to the new emperor, and there is no need to use you as a scapegoat. ”

"Tingchuan apprentice, what should Master do with you?"

Liu Tingchuan seemed to exhaust the strength of his whole body, desperately trying to restrain the painful cry that would overflow at the corners of his mouth at any time.

Master Ku Rong raised his hand and gently stroked his back, and persuaded, "If you want to die, ask the master well, and the master may answer you." ”

Ningning.

Liu Tingchuan only had this name left in his mind.

He endured the severe pain and said slowly, "Ask Master...... Leave the apprentice alive. ”

Can't die.

A hint of surprise flashed in Master Kurong's eyes, and he sneered, "I thought the disciples were used to being cold and wouldn't beg anyone." ”

Liu Tingchuan heard what he meant, and squeezed out a few words with all his might, "Ask Master to spare ......"

Before he could finish speaking, a sharp pain hit him, and he completely lost consciousness.

Master Kurong glanced at him, his eyes were a little cruel, and he sneered: "Good apprentice, do you know what life is better than death? ”

He turned around and counted the quenched golden needles, and found that there was not much left.

"Okay, it's enough to leave three gold needles in your skull for the teacher."

Three pieces were enough for him to have a headache day and night.

Master Ku Rong sighed faintly: "You have been with me for seventeen years, and I wanted to plant seventeen golden needles for you, but I was afraid that you would die. ”

He instructed the boy outside the door to bring in a box of tiny poison nails.

"Apprentice, there are fourteen golden needles left, and they will be replaced with bone piercing nails for the teacher, and they will be left in the cracks of your bones, how about it?"

If you meet a skilled doctor in the future, the bone nail can still be pulled out of the bone crack.

But the golden needle enters the skull, and no one in the world can solve it.