In the middle of the night, the dawn comes.

Xia Mu didn't sleep all night, one was worried about the safety of the knife meteor, and the other was worried about his career and fate.

Before the rooster crowed, Xia Mu got up and reminded Ah Sang not to go out recently, and to guard against Yan Shaoting. But he hid the ledger and went to the cold smoke building in the northwest in the morning mist.

He has also heard of this cold smoke building, the craftsmanship is first-class, the owner is a big family in the capital, and the ancestors have passed down the big restaurant for three generations.

It's just that all the way along, the steps are a little heavy.

His heart was even more sad, it turned out that he just wanted to save the fate of the Ming Dynasty, but this sentence sounded good, but it was even more difficult to do.

How can it be so easy to deal with the relationship of a qiē, not to mention that he has a low status and is soft-spoken.

And just yesterday in Xu Mansion, he saw a shortcut in Xu Jie, from this inextricable promotion road. This is also a shortcut to this era.

Since ancient times, some people want to fight for their background, they have to take the township test, and slowly pass the test, from Huiyuan to Xie Yuan and then to the champion, it is ten years of hard work, once famous, the world knows.

But there are also people from poor backgrounds, who are appreciated by the emperor, and move three times a day.

This kind of person is the darling of heaven.

But for Xia Mu, the different paths are the same, and both of them have won the emperor's trust and appreciation. After all, the whole world belongs to the emperor, and the high-ranking officials in the eyes of ordinary people are nothing more than a drop in the bucket in the eyes of the emperor.

Xia Mu still remembered his uncle Xia Yan, it was with Qingzi that he gained favor and was able to rank first and second. And Yan Song also relied on Qingzi to defeat his uncle and ancestor, so that he could be in power for more than ten years.

It is in response to the old saying that the top is good, and the bottom is effective.

This is indeed an eternal truth.

At the beginning of the third watch, the twilight rain, the frost and wind were still there, and the Yangtze River water flowed eastward without a word.

It's a great view.

It's just that today's market seems to be extraordinary, according to the usual hour, the peddlers and pawns, the hawkers shouting, have long been in front of the eyes, in the ears, in an endless stream, but today's empty streets, actually depressed.

Xia Mu looked at the Hanyan Building and walked away, and before he could wait, he already knew why the market was depressed today, just because the entire street was covered with brocade guards.

From afar, he saw the blood-red bull canopy floating in the wind, as well as the embroidered spring knife reflecting the cold light, fading under the silk to reveal a murderous aura.

"Subordinate Xia Mu came to ask to see the governor." Xia Mu bowed down and shouted at the Jinyi guard who was standing at the head of the cold smoke building.

The brocade guard just glanced at Xia Mu, and then stepped sideways.

Xia Mu nodded at the brocade guard, and walked into the Cold Smoke Building.

This Hanyan Building has been passed down for three generations, and it is also an old restaurant, which is an antique three-story building.

Xia Mucai entered, and felt the deep precipitation of the years in this restaurant, only to see the red-letter bronze style couplet hanging high in the lobby with five big characters "The people take food as the sky". And the little guy on the first floor has already polished the old tables and chairs.

The elderly cousin on the side was silently wiping his wine glass, but the owner was carefully waiting for the brocade guards standing guard.

Xia Mu retracted his gaze and went up the escalator to the second floor.

The window lattice on the second floor is still stained with dew and a little wet, but in the vast hall, it is covered with grass and leaves, mixed with the fragrance of nature.

When Xia Mu stood still and looked around, he saw Zhu Xizhong sitting at the table in the center, playing with the teacup, and when he saw Xia Mu coming up, he raised his hand lightly and let him pass.

Xia Mu didn't dare to take it, so he hurriedly offered to salute: "His subordinate Xia Mu has seen the governor. ”

"Get up, you don't need a little section today, come and sit, I asked you to come just to have breakfast with me, and I have something else to tell you!" Zhu Xizhong was not angry and arrogant, but his voice was much kinder than yesterday.

Xia Mu hurriedly walked over, sat down next to the table, lowered his eyebrows, and pleasing his eyes, but Zhu Xizhong clapped his hands and signaled that he could serve the food.

It's just that this applause, listening to Xia Mu's ears, is a bit like a Hongmen banquet with a cup as the number? The so-called nothing to be courteous, either treacherous or thief, this dignified governor will invite a subordinate hundred households to breakfast without anything?

Zhu Xizhong didn't notice Xia Mu's abnormality, reached out and picked up the teapot on the table, and poured a cup of tea for Xia Mu.

The teapot is an official kiln with excellent glaze, Yunqing pattern, at a glance, it is everyone's handwriting, and the tea is the West Lake Longjing before the rain, the hot water is rushed, the green end floats, and it exudes a particularly sweet tea flavor.

After a while, the proprietor carefully served a simple four dishes and one soup.

Xia Mu took a look, the dishes were extremely bright, one was a mellow fat sausage, the soup was watered, boiled out, fresh and delicious. One is the crispy dumplings with shredded meat stuffed and wrapped in egg skin, the other is the steamed pork with crystal juice, and the other is jade egg drop soup.

Zhu Xizhong didn't move his chopsticks, and Xia Mu naturally didn't move.

Zhu Xizhong glanced at Xia Mu, as if he was very satisfied with Xia Mu's etiquette, and at this moment he was about to speak, his expression was extremely serious: "The saint wants to see you alone!" ”

This sentence, like thunder, exploded in Xia Mu's heart in an instant, making his eyes widen.

Zhu Xizhong looked at Xia Mu's surprised look, and a smile appeared on the corner of his mouth: "You don't have to be surprised, I have already investigated your details, you are Xia Yan's descendant, I just told the saint truthfully, and the saint heard that you have evidence of Zhao Shilang's guilt, and you are Xia Yan's descendant, so he touched the scene and wanted to meet you." ”

Xia Mu was so shocked that he couldn't speak, but he was in his heart, this face saint was a real opportunity for him, if he could get the emperor's heart, then he would be invincible!

Zhu Xizhong has been the commander of the Jinyi Guard for many years, so he naturally knows what Xia Mu is thinking in his heart, which is also the reason why he is called to breakfast: "You kid! How can I not know what you are thinking in your heart, but I want to solemnly remind you that the mind of the saint is unpredictable, and the so-called companion is like a tiger, if you say too much, you have too many thoughts, and your life will be gone! ”

Xia Mu was excited, and hurriedly said humbly: "Thank you for reminding the governor." ”

Zhu Xizhong sighed unexpectedly: "Bingchen's external inspection is imminent, your account book appears at this juncture again, and many forces are staring at you, do you think the Governor's Mansion of the Five Armies is a monolith?" There is no impermeable wall in this world, and the Dongchang Fanzi you encountered last night is the best example! ”

Xia Mu was really shocked this time, and secretly said that Zhu Xizhong's eyeliner was really all over the four or nine gates of the capital, and there was nothing he didn't know.

I wanted to hurriedly say: "That group of people is rushing for the account!" ”

Zhu Xizhong already knew in his heart, and seeing that Xia Mu was nervous, he couldn't help but smile: "Actually, your kid is going to die last night, I won't care, let them fight and fight, it has nothing to do with my Jinyiwei, we are just loyal to the saint!" But you kid survived, and you are still the person from the Fusi of Beizhen, the capital of my five armies, then I can't ignore you, not to mention that your uncle Xia Yan also had kindness to me back then. ”

Hearing this, Xia Mu hurriedly stood up, bowed to Zhu Xizhong, and said sincerely: "Thank you for the order!" ”

Zhu Xizhong nodded, but his expression changed, and he waved his hand to signal the surrounding brocade guards to strictly guard it, beware of the wall with ears.

Xia Mu knew that he had to get to the point, and hurriedly listened attentively.

"The so-called 'Jane is in the emperor's heart and is arbitrary', which is the most appropriate way to say it in today's saints. In today's court, there are no more than three people who can really use this sentence properly, one is the father and son of the Yan family who have speculated about His Majesty's holy will for 20 years, the other is Tao Tianshi, who has been alchemy for His Majesty for more than 30 years, and the other is your teacher Xu Jie, who has just worshipped! This person can also be among the top three...... Serving the emperor for more than ten years, although he is shorter than Yan Ge, he has a deep understanding of His Majesty, after all, Yan Song is already old, so he relies on his son Yan Shifan to support him. ”

Xia Mu was extremely shocked when he heard this, he only worshipped Xu Jie's teacher yesterday, and today he said it from Zhu Xizhong's mouth, does this Daming still have a secret that Jinyiwei doesn't know!? No wonder Xu Jie is so wary of Jinyiwei, and he has to do everything possible to win himself over.

"This time, you have to remember three points." Zhu Xizhong looked at Xia Mu's expression in his eyes, smiled knowingly, lowered his voice and continued, "Although His Majesty has not been in court for more than 20 years, His Majesty is sensitive and resourceful, and he can play with many courtiers and applaud ...... them, so if Your Majesty asks you about the affairs of the courtiers, you must not express your own opinion, but see if what you say is in line with his heart." ”

Xia Mu nodded and remembered: "If Your Majesty wants to ask about something, you have to guess what Your Majesty thinks in your heart?" ”

"Yes, exactly!" Zhu Xizhong nodded with satisfaction, he really didn't look at the wrong person, this Xia Mu is far more intelligent than others, and he is an object worth cultivating, and continued, "The second point, Your Majesty asks you, don't be distracted, take care of him, so he will be regarded as a cunning person." Only when you guess your Majesty's mind and express it accurately will you be considered by Your Majesty as a person with the same heart, and you will be rewarded and reused, you must remember. ”

Xia Mu smiled bitterly in his heart, saying three points is equivalent to saying in vain, according to such a person, except for the sycophants who slap the horse, is there anyone else? But if he wants to protect himself in the party struggle, he must be a sycophant!

Zhu Xizhong ordered a few more points, and seeing that the sky was about to dawn, he hurriedly said: "The person who will take you into the palace will be Huang Companion, this person is Huang Jin, the eunuch who holds the seal of the celebrant supervisor, but don't underestimate this person, this person is an old minister of the palace who followed His Majesty Xià out, and he is the commander of Dongchang, but he is not a cheater, he is the number one person, you have to respect him." ”

"Yes, my subordinates remember."

Not long after, Xia Mu was sent to the gate of the Imperial City Palace by the Jinyi Guard.

The Jinshui Bridge in front of the palace gate is turbulent, and the bluestone square is magnificent and vast, with yellow tiles and red walls, but it is slightly less prosperous. The reason for this is naturally conceivable that the Yongle Emperor moved the capital here, originally in order to "guard the country by the Son of Heaven, to secure the eight wildernesses and the four seas, and to guard the Yongxing of China", but it was accompanied by the invasion of the Northern Yuan Dynasty, because the city of Beijing is extremely close to the Mongolian steppe, which is the throat of the southward movement, and the collision between the nomads and the farming peoples naturally has to start a war!

It's just that at the beginning of the country, it was okay, the Ming Dynasty pressed Mongolia to fight, but there was no problem, but later the decline of national strength was repeatedly brought to the city by the Tatar Wara soldiers, and the suburbs of Beijing without the protection of the city wall will be ravaged every time, and it will lose its former prosperity.

The country was down, Xia Mu was naturally uncomfortable, and seeing that no one had come to the palace, he stood at the gate of the palace and waited, but when he remembered that he had met Emperor Jiajing, he felt a little painful.

This Jiajing Emperor Zhu Houxi was originally just a prince living in Anlu, Hubei. After the death of Emperor Zhengde, the unlucky emperor had neither heirs nor brothers, and according to the Ming etiquette law, after the heir of the great sect, the small sect should be enthroned, so the fifteen-year-old Zhu Houxi was invited from Anlu to Beijing to inherit the throne, for Ming Shizong, that is, Emperor Jiajing.

At first, Emperor Jiajing, with the assistance of Yang Tinghe, the first assistant, was indeed a little extraordinary at the beginning of his reign. He issued the "Enthronement Edict" to the people of the world, in which 8,000 words, to the point of the disadvantages of the times, there is something to say, and the maladministration during the Zhengde period was comprehensively cleaned up and put in order, and there is a great atmosphere of "Zhongxing and great governance".