The competition for the throne was not the only thing going on in the capital, the officials had to work as usual, the people had to support their families as usual, and throughout the winter, babies were born as usual, and the old and weak died as usual.

In the middle of the first month, Princess Hengyang died at home, and the cause of death was different, or she died of anger after dinner, and some people said that she died because she was too happy to laugh.

Princess Hengyang is the younger sister of Emperor Wu, and a powerful force has been established around the Chai family, and her death is a big deal for the court.

At the beginning of February, the Chai Mansion was mourned, and the princess was noble, and her body would not be buried in the ancestral tomb of the Chai family, but would be in the royal mausoleum, and she would be reunited with her father and brother after her death.

The funeral was grand and grand, lasted for a whole day, the colorful shed on the road stretched from the city to the outside of the city, attracting countless spectators, comparable to the excitement of the lanterns on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, the dignitaries and nobles in Beijing came to send the funeral, and the tired marquis Han Ruzi was no exception.

This kind of personal exchange is not in charge of Han Ruzi himself, the Ministry of Rites and the Zongzheng Mansion automatically make arrangements, although the palace did not approve it, adding some trouble, but the etiquette that should be there cannot be omitted, since there is no holy decree, then everything is as usual.

Han Ruzi didn't want to send the funeral in person, because Princess Hengyang hated him to the bone, there is a rumor that Princess Hengyang had a little to do with Tired Hou whether she was happy or angry before she died.

Yang Feng advised him to show his face to show reconciliation, and those who wanted to be emperors should minimize their personal grievances, even if they couldn't resolve them, they should make outsiders feel that the fault was not in the marquis.

Han Ruzi doesn't need to participate in the entire funeral process, he only needs to show his face in the colorful shed of the Tihou Mansion when the funeral procession passes by, and he doesn't even need to get off the sedan chair.

There are many filial sons and grandsons of the Chai family, only a small part of them were locked up in the broken iron city, and there are many who remain in the capital, the team is mighty, no matter what you think in your heart, the etiquette on the surface cannot be destroyed, since the tired marquis has come forward, the marquis of Hengyang and the eldest son have to come over to thank you.

is also a liehou, Han Ruzi is more than the princes and kings, you can sit in the sedan chair to return the salute to the Hengyang Hou father and son, the sedan curtain is rolled up, Han Ruzi only needs to show up, and other matters are handled by Yang Feng.

The Marquis of Hengyang is not young, and he can live longer than the princess, which is really a hard-won victory for him, on his face, the sad face is just right, and Yang Feng exchanged heads and ears for a while, and after talking, he looked very excited, and took his son to kowtow to the tired Hou to thank him.

This scene was clearly seen by the funeral procession and the crowd of onlookers, so the news soon spread: the Tired Marquis had ordered the release of the prisoners in the Broken Iron City, and the trapped "Chai family" would soon be able to return to the capital.

This is Yang Feng's idea, his idea is very simple: "It is not too late for a gentleman to take revenge for ten years, and it is never too late for the emperor to take revenge, even if it can't resolve the hatred of the Chai family, it is necessary to reduce a little suspicion from the outside world." ”

Han Ruzi agreed, he didn't care about the Chai family, although the Chai family always had ghosts in his heart, but he never regarded them as equal enemies.

The crowd followed the funeral procession and left, but several people came against the current, came to meet the tired marquis, handed over the stickers, saluted each other with the tired marquis, and then said a few words to Yang Feng, said goodbye and left, but the identity of these people is a bit special, without exception, there are children and nephews who were locked up in the broken iron city, and now they have been released.

Seeing that no one was coming, Han Ruzi was about to order to get up and go home, but Yang Feng brought another visitor.

Dr. Qu Zixi of Guozijian didn't know when he arrived, he had no relationship with the Chai family, his official position was low, and he was not even qualified to send a funeral.

Han Ruzi wanted to get out of the sedan chair to meet him, but Yang Feng signaled that he didn't have to.

Qu Zixi walked to the front of the sedan chair, but he was not polite, and said directly: "There are indeed some rumors in the Western Regions, and in the past few years, there have been fewer and fewer tribute envoys from the west, and there are only three left last year. ”

In the last "confrontation", Han Ruzi claimed that Great Chu was facing a huge threat from the West and needed a new emperor who could turn the tide, Qu Zixi really went to inquire, but his opinion was different from that of the tired marquis, "The extreme west is not a state of etiquette, and it is common to change the dynasty, and the so-called attack on Great Chu is just a momentary rhetoric, and there is no need to take it seriously." ”

"If you can force the Western Huns to move east, such a change of dynasty is also a common thing?" As soon as Han Ruzi saw Qu Zixi, he cheered up and didn't want to fall behind in words.

Qu Zixi came today but was not arguing, and said with a smile: "There is one thing, not in the extreme west, in the territory of Dachu, not in a few years, more than ten years later, it is close at hand, it is imminent, if the fatigue can be solved, then the people of the world will benefit, and the scholars are also willing to bow down and thank you." ”

Han Ruzi glanced at Yang Feng and said with a smile: "Mr. Qu, please speak." ”

Qu Zixi coughed, "Natural disasters and man-made disasters have continued over the years, so that the people are struggling to make a living, and they have left their hometowns to wander the rivers and lakes, either for the displaced people or for the thieves. It is only because the imperial court has not issued an edict for a long time, although the government has surplus grain, but it refuses to open a warehouse for relief, which is tantamount to not saving the fire. If the tired marquis can let the counties and counties of the world open warehouses and release grain, it will be a great achievement than blocking the Huns. ”

Han Ruzi was dumbfounded, he talked to Zhuo Ruhe, the Shou Zhuo of Hongnong County, the government refused to open a warehouse to help the victims, one is that there is no holy decree, and the other is to hoard grain for the imperial court to requisition, the reason is very complicated, unless the queen mother and the emperor resume the ruling and personally pass the decree, this dilemma of having food and no food cannot be solved at all.

The scholar did not support the Tihou to compete for the throne, but asked him for the rank of "emperor".

Qu Zixi really didn't come to argue today, and he didn't wait for the tired Hou to give an answer, so he took his leave and drifted away.

Back at the Tired Hou Mansion, Han Ruzi asked Yang Feng, "What does Qu Zixi mean by this?" ”

"This is a test, the Tired Marquis once claimed to be a fertile field and a big ship, and now it's time to prove it."

"Doesn't he think I'm too 'smart'?" Han Ruzi's impression of the reader is not very good.

"The Tired Marquis should be happy, which shows that you have convinced Qu Zixi, and he also thinks that Da Chu needs an emperor of Zhongxing, not a mediocre person."

"But the conditions he put forward cannot be fulfilled, unless I become emperor first."

"You have to try, tired, and the support of the reader is very important."

Han Ruzi thought for a while, "Okay, then try, I did this because I believe you, Yang Gong, I value scholars very much, but I really don't see what use they are now." ”

"Take your time, the usefulness will always show."

Yang Feng's attitude of being confident but only willing to show a branch and a leaf can make people angry, Han Ruzi had to smile bitterly back, some of Yang Feng's methods are the same as those of the Qi Seeker, I just hope that this eunuch really has a bamboo hidden in his heart, instead of being like the Qi Seeker and "following the trend".

"What should I do, does Yang Gong have an idea?"

"I'm tired of thinking of ideas, I'll run errands."

Han Ruzi couldn't cry and laugh more and more, it was an important moment to seize the throne, but Yang Feng led him to the wilderness, always saying that there would be a big road behind the mountain, but he never saw it, so he could only trek hard and climb the unknown mountain all the way.

"If I ask Qu Zixi to help, will he agree?"

"As long as it is within my means, I can persuade them to agree."

Anxious wisdom was useless at this time, Han Ruzi thought for a while and said, "No, I may be able to let a few counties open warehouses and release grain, but I can't make all places obey." Let me think again. ”

Yang Feng said goodbye, he rarely stayed in the mansion during the day, and often ran around outside.

After lunch, the king of the East China Sea came again, and he was like receiving the official position of the Tired Marquis's Mansion, and he must arrive every day, and the palace officials and doormen did not even report it anymore, and let him come and go.

"Princess Hengyang died at a good time." The king of the East China Sea was very happy, and he also went to the funeral in the morning, "Without this old guy, the Chai family is not afraid, I saw it, the father and son of the Hou of Hengyang went to see you, and when they came out, they were happy, they didn't dare to provoke you again." ”

"It's a good thing." Han Ruzi actually knew very well in his heart that all the clans and nobles had the same idea: betting on both sides and watching the fire from the other side, as long as the emperor had not ascended the throne, they would not be sincerely loyal to anyone.

"There's a scholar who went to see you, why?" The King of the East China Sea had to understand Han Ruzi's every move.

Han Ruzi didn't hide it, and said Qu Zixi's request, and finally said: "You said that the capital is your 'battlefield', help me think of a way." ”

"It turns out that that is Qu Zixi, he is obviously putting the cart before the horse, you haven't been the emperor yet, but you let you do the emperor's business."

"I said the same thing, but Yang Feng felt that it was necessary to win the support of the readers, this Qu Zixi, and Guo Cong, who are said to be the leaders of the readers, have a great reputation."

"That's right, especially Qu Zixi, the official is not big, but he loves to evaluate people the most, a few words can make a person famous, but also make him notorious, if you want me to say that this is a moth in the court, put him in prison, beat him dozens of boards every day, see who dares to be rampant?"

Han Ruzi said with a smile: "This is also something that can only be done after becoming an emperor, no matter what, Qu Zixi and Guo Cong have influence on scholars, and scholars have influence on officials in the DPRK and China, and they are worth fighting for." ”

"Don't overestimate the ability of scholars, their influence on the minister is likely to be weaker than that of the Tan family." The King of the East Sea lowered his head and thought for a while, "Have you ever thought that Yang Feng deliberately led you astray?" ”

"Why?"

"For the champion!"

Han Ruzi shook his head, "In the eyes of the champion Hou, I'm not that important." ”

The King of the East China Sea shrugged his shoulders, and he couldn't think of a way, "You didn't succeed in persuading Han Xing to recruit the homeless people into the army, and now you want the local government to open warehouses and release grain, it's even more impossible, I advise you to give up, or just deal with it." How many people have come back from your part? ”

"I don't contact them unless necessary, so I don't know how many people, and according to the plan, they won't all be there until mid-March."

"That's right, there are many people in the capital, even if you see a fly, someone will tell you."

"How's the 'Guanghua Tigers'?"

"The Tan family has persuaded the two tigers and is trying to find a way to arrange for them to meet with the two of us, it is estimated that it will be done within a few days, this is a secret meeting, don't tell others, especially Yang Feng, just talk to him afterwards."

"Hmm." Han Ruzi got up and approached the East China Sea King to take a look, "There seems to be an injury in the corner of your eye." ”

The face of the King of the East Sea changed, and he said hesitantly, "Where did the injury come from...... Maybe it was somewhere, I didn't feel ......"

was embarrassed, Fu Cheng came to report, and Zhang Yin, the Marquis of Biyuan, begged to see the Marquis.

Zhang Yanghao, the grandson of the Marquis of Piyuan, was one of the very few people who were imprisoned in the Broken Iron City and was not released, Zhang Yin seemed to have interceded for his grandson, and he was also the first nobleman and minister to visit him. (To be continued.) )