According to the rules of the Zhou ceremony, the funeral generally lasts forty-nine days, and then the filial piety is observed for three years. As a model in the world, the royal family naturally cannot be disobeyed in the slightest, and the forty-nine days of funeral cannot be missing a day, and the three years of filial piety cannot be bad. Taichang and Taifu have drawn up dates for various things in advance, and when the time comes, they will just follow them.

Of course, there are exceptions. The Empress Dowager passed away, and the entire Han Dynasty wore linen and filial piety for it, which could not last for three years, otherwise if Liu Che did not wait for Liu Che to be a faint king, those people who had no food would have to rebel? The emperor is the same as the hundred officials, as the manager of the world, he can't go without work for three years, and the world must be in chaos.

After forty-nine days of mourning, the important yamen began to work, the emperor also began to go to court, and Xuchang, who presided over the funeral of the empress dowager, was also idle. It was already the second half of the night when I returned to the house, and after a tired day, the old man had a sore back and almost couldn't stand when he stepped into the door.

The housekeeper hurriedly stepped forward to support Xu Chang, and after a long time, he limped to the room. It was too late, and Chang'an City had no entertainment because of the Empress Dowager's mourning, and almost everyone went to bed early. The Baizhi Mansion was also pitch black, only the two white lanterns in front of the door were still lit.

The housekeeper settled Xuchang and hurriedly went to serve the dinner that had been heated several times. Xuchang was eating, and the housekeeper was massaging Xuchang. After eating two bites of food, Xu Chang asked, "Can you send it?" ”

The housekeeper hurriedly agreed: "It has been delivered, a total of 200 gold, and the villain has seen that it is a good horseshoe gold, and it is pure gold." ”

Xu Chang nodded, stretched his aching waist: "Okay, remember that no one can say anything about this matter, and Mrs. can't say it, if he asks about the source of these things, you can say that it is the income of the fiefdom, hey, I'm sorry for the Queen Mother!" ”

"Master Hou has no choice, there are so many people in the mansion waiting to eat, if you don't do this, everyone will starve to death!"

Xu Chang shook his head and sighed: "Ben Hou has never taken any other money in his life, except for rank and royal rewards, but now he has done such a thing for this money, Ben Hou feels uncomfortable, and he has no face to see the Empress Dowager again when he dies." ”

Speaking of sadness, Xu Chang actually shed a few tears. Then he said: "You're right, there's no way to do this, the Queen Mother will forgive me, okay, you don't have to be busy, pack up and go, tomorrow the third watch shouts Ben Hou, there are still many things to do." ”

"No!" The housekeeper agreed, cleaned up the dishes that Xuchang was eating, and slowly withdrew.

This night, Xu Chang slept unsteadily, and as soon as he closed his eyes, he saw the appearance of the Empress Dowager, and the empty eyes stared at him, as if questioning, and at the same time a warning, and even hatred. Xu Chang knelt on the ground in fright, trembling all over, and kept wailing, while the Empress Dowager just looked at him quietly, without speaking or making any movements.

A smart woke up with a sore ache. There was a shout out of the door, and several servants hurriedly entered. Xu Chang lay on the couch and slowed down: "How many shifts?" ”

"Back to the Hou Ye, it's already five watches!"

"What? Five watches? Why don't you tell Benhou to get up? What about the housekeeper? Last night, Ben Hou ordered it properly, let him call Ben Hou for the third watch, why hasn't he come for the fifth watch? Go, call him here, how can he bear the great things that he is waiting for? ”

Xu Chang said as he struggled to get up, and the servant hurriedly came over to freshen up for Xu Chang. There was not much time, so the servant sent to find someone came back and crawled at Xuchang's feet: "Back to the Hou Ye, the housekeeper is gone." ”

"Gone? What do you mean? ”

"The villain searched all the places in the house, but he didn't see the housekeeper, and I heard the doorman say that the housekeeper went out during the second watch, and he hasn't come back until now."

"Send someone to find it immediately!" Xu Chang was very angry, today is the last day of Qiqi, the Empress Dowager is going to be buried, how can she not go as the host of the funeral? was delayed by a villain, which is a big deal: "I found it and brought it back to Ben Hou, and when Ben Hou came back, I would personally break his leg!" ”

It's another busy day, and the burial of the Empress Dowager is very cumbersome. This is the empress of the old emperor, and it is necessary to bury it together. Since it is going to be buried together, then dig up the tomb of the old emperor and put the coffin of the empress dowager into it. This is also the reason why the spirit has been suspended for forty-nine days, and it is definitely not easy to dig up the tomb of an emperor. Fortunately, everything went well, and the funeral finally ended without a thrill.

Xu Chang was almost paralyzed from exhaustion, and was carried down from the carriage by four servants, and sent to the room to feed water and beat his chest. When I opened my eyes, I asked the first thing: "What about the housekeeper?" ”

No one spoke, and when they heard this, the servants who had been busy just now hurriedly knelt on the ground. The eldest son, Xu Shen, hesitated for a long time, but he didn't answer his father's simple question.

Xu Chang seemed to sense something, and struggled to get up: "What about people? Dead or ran? ”

Xuchang's mood began to be unstable. Xu Shen hurriedly helped Xu Chang to sit down, and then said slowly: "Father be careful, take care of him, take care of him, and take care ......of him."

"Say, what the hell is going on?"

Xu Shen gritted his teeth and made a sad face: "The housekeeper was taken by Ting Wei!" ”

"Ahh Xu Chang sat on the ground, there was no movement for a long time, and he didn't even breathe. Everyone was busy for a while, and then they rescued Xu Chang, panting and trembling and asking, "Why was it taken by Ting Wei?" What happened? ”

Xu Shen hurriedly said: "The child doesn't know, this morning the father asked them to find, the father left only to know that it was taken by the Tingwei, the child hurriedly went to the Tingwei Mansion to inquire, but Tingwei didn't say anything, the child didn't know why, I was going to wait for the father to come back to report, seeing that the father was tired and the child was ready to talk about it tomorrow, the father asked about the child and had to say." ”

"Tingwei?" Xu Chang suddenly got up and ran to the back house. Xu Shen didn't know what was going on, so he hurriedly chased after him.

Liu Che sat quietly in his seat, and Ting Wei Zhai Gong stood opposite several cases. The old man was not lightly frightened last time, but this time he didn't speak when he saw the emperor, and he saw sweat on his head. He didn't know why the emperor suddenly ordered the arrest of Bai Zhihou Xuchang's housekeeper, and after waiting for someone to come back and ask, Zhai Gong was so frightened that he almost collapsed on the ground. did not stay for a moment, and entered the palace overnight to reply to the emperor.

Liu Che finished reading Zhai Gong's recital word by word, and slowly raised his head: "That's all?" ”

"The housekeeper of Bai Zhihou Mansion has only explained this, maybe there is something else, then you can only ask Bai Zhihou to ask."

Liu Che nodded: "What kind of crime should it be to have so much?" ”

"Your Majesty, according to the law of the Han Dynasty, those who are greedy for 10,000 yuan will be punished, 50,000 yuan will be beheaded, and 100,000 yuan will be sitting.

Liu Che rolled up the music, nodded and said: "Since this is the case, it will be done according to the law, and the other deputy Zhuang Qingzhai may not be able to excuse himself and check it." ”

"No!" Zhai Gong didn't dare to say more, took the song from Liu Che's hand, bent down and retreated.

There was a lot of commotion in the court, and Bai Zhihou Xuchang knelt in the center, his head banging on the floor. Tears and snot flowed, but no one dared to say a word for him. Zhuang Qingzhai knelt next to Xu Chang with his eyes closed, he was still calm, he already knew that his official had done the job, and he had already had the intention of retiring, and this time he had fulfilled his wish.

Liu Che waited until the court lieutenant Zhai Gong finished reading Xuchang's guilt, then slowly straightened his waist and looked at Xuchang: "Bai Zhihou, what else do you have to say?" ”

"The minister's self-government crime deserves death, just because the minister is greedy for a while, and he doesn't ask His Majesty for forgiveness, but I beg Your Majesty to remember that the minister has been loyal to the Han for so many years, and I pray that Your Majesty will leave my Xu family a bloodline, and the minister's death will be blind!"

"Humph!" Liu Che was furious and stood up with a shout: "You dare to covet the money for the Empress Dowager's funeral, and say that you are loyal?" Do you want me to forgive me for such a big crime? Come on, drag it out! ”

The guards in front of the palace swarmed and dragged Xu Chang and Zhuang Qingzhai out of the hall. Zhuang Qingzhai was silent, and Xu Chang was still begging for mercy. After a long time, after no longer hearing Xu Chang's voice, Liu Che let out a sigh: "Where is Tingwei?" ”

"The minister is here!"

"Xuchang is greedy, according to the law, the three tribes are wiped out, the men are beheaded, and the women are confiscated into the church; Although Zhuang Qingzhai did not participate, he did not stop it, and he was dismissed and demoted to a concubine! Liu Che's eyes swept over the courtier's face, and he suddenly stared at Han Anguo, the imperial historian.

Han Anguo's heart chuckled, and he hurriedly stood up and knelt down and saluted: "Your Majesty, as a doctor of imperial history, did not find out about Xuchang's crimes, and lived up to Your Majesty's trust, the minister has no face to stand on top of the court again, I am willing to resign and return to my hometown, please allow Your Majesty!" ”

Liu Che's face softened a little, and he nodded slightly: "I can't blame you for this matter, but you, as the imperial historian and the supervising officials, let such a dirty thing happen on the funeral of the empress dowager, it is really hateful, so you should be demoted to the Taishou of the East China Sea!" ”

Han Anguo hurriedly kowtowed: "Thank you, Your Majesty!" ”

Blasphemy is not a serious sin, and although the law is strict, it is very difficult to enforce in practice. The Han Dynasty could also forgive sins with copper coins, so no one in the court dared to guarantee that they were clean. Besides, Xuchang is not greedy, and it is only five hundred gold, which is far from the uncle and Cheng who are still standing on it and are sleepy. Just such a thing, one is the former prime minister, the other is the captain, and there is a doctor of the imperial history.

Back in the Xuan room, Su Kai was already waiting inside. Liu Che took off his robe and began to be busy with today's affairs, picked up the brush and wrote a few words, folded it and sealed it with fire paint, and handed it to Su Kai: "Immediately send someone to the Louguan Platform and hand it to Su Ren." ”

Su Kai took it with both hands: "No, the minister will do it himself." ”

Liu Che nodded: "You did a good job this time, stay there for a few days after delivering the letter, and also take a look at your children, don't be in a hurry to come back." ”

"Your Majesty, the minister understands."

After sending Su Kai away, Liu Che lay down comfortably, trying to find a suitable position, but unfortunately it was uncomfortable to lie down. Kneeling is really uncomfortable, whether you are used to it or not, your legs will still be numb after a long time.

"Liu Jiqing, what do you think of the Su family's so-called tables and chairs?"

Liu Jiqing didn't speak. Liu Che sighed: "It's really boring to talk to you, you will send someone to move a set of tables and chairs from the Su family to me, and I will try to see if it is really as good as Su Ren said?" ”