Sili Lieutenant, although with the word Lieutenant, looks like a petty official, but on the occasion of the Two Han Dynasty, the status of the lieutenant is more respected. Whether it is the eight captains of Emperor Xiaowu who guarded Chang'an, or the current "five schools of the Northern Army" are more than two thousand stones, but with the later warlord melee, the names of various captains began to emerge in endlessly, such as Xiaoqi Captain (Cao Cao), Zhichong Captain (Yuan Shu, Sun Ce), Yingyang Captain (Cao Hong), the status of the captain is gradually declining.

Compared with the general lieutenants, although they are both official ranks of more than 2,000 stones, there is a difference in power, because the essence of the lieutenant is to supervise the history of the hundred officials in Gyeonggi.

In the current dynasty where the three dukes gradually became mascots, the major affairs of the court were mostly decided by the officials in the imperial history and the Shangshu order, and even when the court congratulated, it was also specially attended, and the number was "three solitary sitting".

For example, the reason why Emperor Huan of the Han Dynasty was able to eradicate Liang Ji and regain power was inseparable from the fact that Zhang Biao, the captain of Si Li, was at a critical time when he led the officials of the central capital under his command and surrounded the Liang Mansion by his disciples.

"How did my father hook up with the Son of Heaven who was far away in Luoyang, and did the Son of Heaven have anything to do with my father in the past few years?" Liu Bei frowned and thought deeply, there must be something he didn't know, but in Zhuo County, on the basis of not having enough information, the so-called thinking was destined to have no answer.

Liu Bei took the newspaper in his hand, turned around slowly, looked through the wall, and looked at the location of the southwest imperial capital, he faintly had a feeling of "mountain rain full of buildings", maybe it was not far from the day when he went to Luoyang, and what was waiting for him there?

Under the city of Luoyang, Liu Hong lifted the curtain and looked at it, the crowd surged from the twelve gates in turn, the city was high and the pond was hidden in the sky and it was difficult to see it, but the resort was revisited, and he had to make some emotional memories in the future, and he saw a team of cavalry holding the Son of Heaven and running out of the city gate with a fast horse, and shouted loudly: "Will be the envoy, Liu Gong can come?" ”

Liu Hong hurriedly got down from the carriage, he recognized the identity of this group of cavalry, and looked at the white feathers raised high on the helmet, except for the Son of Heaven's own army, Yulin Cavalry, who dared to wear such a sassy equipment.

"Huiji Liu Yi is here."

Several Yulin cavalry heard the sound, turned over and dismounted, checked the authenticity of Liu Hong's identity, and saluted together, and then led the Yulin cavalry team with a serious expression: "The edict of the Son of Heaven ordered me to wait at the city gate, as soon as Liu Gong arrived, please enter the palace quickly." ”

Liu Hong's expression was also solemn, and he gave Jia Wei, Liu You and the rafters who came with him a "don't be impatient" look, and then got on the horse and rode with Yulin.

Yulin rode Liu Hong straight in from the Pingcheng Gate, and the people on the side of the road, Li Shu, saw that the galloping people and horses consciously gave way to the road, and then stood on the side of the road to project curious eyes and gossip, of course, which was mixed with the arrogance and superiority unique to the people of the imperial capital.

After walking for a while, they arrived at the Suzaku Gate in Nangong, Liu Hong looked at the Yulin horse in front of him and dismounted, and couldn't help asking, "Your Majesty is in Nangong?" ”

The leader of the Yulin Rider looked back and nodded, which was considered a tacit acquiescence, Liu Hong was a little surprised, he thought that even if the Son of Heaven summoned him, he should be in the North Palace, but he didn't expect it to be in the South Palace.

Guangwu Zhongxing, because of the destruction of Chang'an, it takes Luoyang as the capital, and in Luoyang, it is divided into two palaces in the north and south, of which the north palace is the daily residence of the concubines of the Son of Heaven, and the building is the most magnificent and luxurious; Although the palace building of the South Palace is not as beautiful as the North Palace, it is the political center of the Han family at this time, such as the Jiade Hall where the court meeting is held is in the South Palace, which is in the hearts of the majority of scholars and Confucian scholars, and it is much more important than the North Palace built just to satisfy the emperor's own selfish desires.

When he arrived here, Yulin rode his feats and reversed, Liu Hong checked his identity again, and a middle-aged eunuch took him forward in the path of Nangong, but this eunuch Liu Hong was acquainted, and most of the correspondence between him and the Son of Heaven in the past few years was passed on by this person, and his name seemed to be Li Zhong.

After the two of them passed the Hongde Gate, Liu Hong whispered to Li Zhong, who was walking in front, and asked, "Lieutenant Li, I don't know where Your Majesty is Xuanwu?" ”

Li Zhong didn't look back, but also replied in a low voice: "Your Majesty is in the Xuanshu Palace." ”

"Xuanmuro Palace?" Liu Hong muttered softly, and then said, "Ziyi thanked the lieutenant." ”

"Nothing." Li Zhong replied calmly, but a smile appeared on his face, this "Liu Yi" is extremely important in the heart of the Son of Heaven, and he knows how to advance and retreat, in such a trivial matter, it is good to sell him, and he can't say that he will use it one day.

Then the two resumed their silence and continued to walk, walking for about a quarter of an hour before arriving at the Xuanshu Palace, and then Liu Hong and Li Zhong each bowed as a parting.

After that, Liu Hong stepped on the jade steps (white marble) and went up, under the inspection and help of a small eunuch at the palace gate, he took off his shoes and untied his sword, and then strode towards the palace.

The Xuanshu Hall is not big, and the decoration is relatively simple, but among the halls of the South Palace, its fame is in the forefront, and the reason is naturally because of the dialogue between Emperor Xiaowen of the Han Dynasty and Jia Yi in this hall; After the fall of Chang'an, Emperor Guangwu rebuilt the Xuanshu Hall in the Mingguang Hall and the Chengfu Hall in the South Palace.

After walking dozens of steps, Liu Hong came to the middle of the main hall, and when he looked up, he saw a young man sitting next to the imperial case on the platform in front of him, he was wearing a black gold silk gown, wearing a crown of heaven, and at this time he was holding a silk scroll in both hands and was looking at it with relish.

Seeing this, Liu Hong hurriedly lowered his head, took a few steps forward, bowed solemnly, and said in a loud voice: "Minister Liu Yi greets Your Majesty." ”

Hearing this, the Son of Heaven put down the book in his hand, but he didn't show any annoyance, but said with a smile: "Aiqing, get up and sit down." As he spoke, he stretched out his hand and pointed to the long case on his left.

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Liu Hong replied respectfully, then got up and walked towards the long case, and then knelt down in front of the long case in a regular manner.

Seeing Liu Hong like this, the Son of Heaven couldn't help but feel a little happy in his heart, like all adult emperors who are difficult to hold power, he attaches far more importance to things like etiquette than ordinary emperors, but he still said: "Qing doesn't need so many courtesies, this is a family banquet, not a court, and you don't need to call it 'Your Majesty', just call me 'Your Majesty'." ”

"By the way, Zi Yi can eat?"

Liu Hong was about to make some excuses, saying something like "etiquette cannot be abolished", and suddenly, he asked again for the Son of Heaven, or "Have you eaten" and other questions, so he said: "Back to Your Majesty......"

"Huh?"

Hearing the pretending unpleasant voice from the stage, Liu Hong had no choice but to change his words: "Back to the king, the minister ate some on the way." ”

Hearing this, the Son of Heaven shook his head and said, "If you eat some, you must still be a little hungry, Ziyi, am I right?" ”

At this point, Liu Hong could not do anything except agree with his head, and he was really a little hungry, and the journey was tiring, which not only made people tired, but also ate as simple as possible.

"Well, I haven't eaten yet, but I picked a good time." After that, the Son of Heaven waved his hand again to interrupt Liu Hong's prevarication, and said, "Okay, it's just a meal." ”

"Thank you for your kindness."

Then the Son of Heaven ordered a waiting little eunuch in the palace to go to the stove room behind the Xuanshu Palace, and chatted with Liu Hong for a while, and after a while the wine and food came up, and ate for more than a quarter of an hour before ending the prelude to this family banquet.

Watching the little eunuchs pack up the bottles, bowls and other utensils, Liu Hong's mood that had been slightly relaxed after a wine banquet suddenly became serious again, and he knew that the real test had just begun. And the most important thing is that the Son of Heaven is far more wise (difficult) than he imagined, which is certainly a blessing for the empire, but for the person being assessed, it must be said that there is a slight headache.

Sure enough, after those little eunuchs retreated with their eating utensils, the Son of Heaven withdrew from the guards and eunuchs in the hall, and then looked straight at Liu Hong, and said straight to the point: "What do you think the current situation should be?" ”

Although Liu Hong also raised his head, he knew his own sense of proportion, and did not look at the Son of Heaven: "Please forgive the ministers for being disrespectful, if the ministers have a question, please answer them." ”

The Son of Heaven didn't notice that Liu Hong quietly changed his honorific title again, he frowned slightly, and spit out a word from between his lips: "Yan." ”

"Your Majesty, do you know what the current situation should be like when the scholars and Confucian scholars of the present day think?"

"How?"

"Most of them think that the disaster of the imperial court lies in the eunuchs, and if the eunuchs are removed, it will inevitably be clear in Haiyan and the river will be clear, and Kyushu will be under great rule."

Hearing this, the Son of Heaven narrowed his eyes, and was a little disappointed in his heart, this Liu Ziyi is a capable minister, but it is not enough to support me to rejuvenate the Han Dynasty, and he only relied on the one-sided views of past correspondence and exchanges, so he appointed him to the position of the lieutenant of the school, whether it was too reckless, but he still said patiently: "What about the Qing's opinion." ”

Liu Hong's expression was solemn, and he said in a deep voice: "The minister thinks that this is a big fallacy, but it is the ear of the erector!" ”

"Why?" When the Son of Heaven heard this, he suddenly became interested, and even his body couldn't help but lean slightly.

"The eunuch is a minister of His Majesty's family, even if he is guilty, it is enough to send a prison official, why bother to mobilize the people and the world to make noise, don't you hear about Deng Tong's old affairs?"

"The crime of eunuchs is nothing more than greed for money and bribery, how can they disrupt the world? Those who disturb the world, those who are decadent, are not eunuchs, but ......"

"Where?"

Liu Hong arched his hand and said word by word: "In this court, the princes of the court are powerful and powerful in this place." ”

"Qing Shenyan!" As soon as Liu Hong's words fell, the Son of Heaven couldn't help but stop him, then he stood up and paced two steps, and said to Liu Hong: "Go to the inner hall with me." ”

"Your Majesty's orders."

Then, under the leadership of the Son of Heaven, the two came to the inner hall of the Xuanshu Palace, which was obviously much smaller than the main hall outside. ”