On the sixth day of December, Prime Minister Du Huangshang, despite his advanced age, insisted on asking for orders to serve as the comfort and pacification envoy of Jinjiang in the river, and went to Jinyang under the escort of 300 cavalry of the Guards. The day before, an edict had been sent to Li Yong, and at the same time, the neighboring towns had also been instructed.

Fortunately, there was little wind and snow this year, and the official road was renovated last winter, and Du Huangsheng, who was almost 70 years old, finally arrived in Jinyang six days later.

On December 12, on the official road outside Jinyang City, where the city gate was closed, a group of cavalry guards without banners escorted a carriage at a gallop. When the cavalry arrived at the city, they slowed down their horses and raised their banner:

"Zhongshu Order, Hezhong Jinjiang Xuan Comfort and Pacification Envoy: Du"

The officer pressed his chest and said:

"It's finally here."

After checking the papers, the soldiers guarding the gate opened the gates, and the general who led the troops asked for a guide from the guards and sent someone to open the way. Du Huangshang lifted the curtains and looked out, the city was deserted, Jinyang imitated Chang'an, demolished the walls of the various squares in the city, and opened many shops. When the pedestrians on the road saw this group of men and horses coming, they stood indifferently on the side of the road, watching the cavalry with leopard prints painted on the cuirass, and their brows were furrowed. Seeing that Du Huangsheng's heart was also heavy, he lowered the curtain again.

Turn a street corner, and you will arrive at the Dejiedu official office. The desertion inside the official office was not lost to the streets, and there were not even soldiers guarding the door, only a few soldiers who had just learned the news rushed out to greet them. When the carriage stopped, the Guards soldiers dispersed automatically, protecting the front and back, left and right. After Du Huangshang got out of the car with the help of his entourage and moved a few times, he didn't know who to say:

"In the end, I'm old and sore."

After that, he asked the little official:

"Li Jiedu makes An here?"

The officer replied:

"Back to Du Xianggong, since the day before yesterday, in order to stabilize the situation, Master Li moved outside the city to live with the veterans. Other officials were also ordered to go to the city and take soldiers with them to maintain law and order. Only Judge Su was promoted in the middle. ”

Du Huangshang colored:

"Nonsense, whose bad idea was it?"

The little official bowed his head and said:

"It was Judge Su's idea."

"What Judge Su?"

"It's Judge Su Hongsu, since Lord Li went out of the city, Mr. Su has been piling up firewood inside and outside his room, as long as Lord Li has any accidents, Mr. Su will plan*."

Du Huangshang was stunned, and immediately understood, this Su Hong is the brother of Liu Bi's son-in-law Su Qiang, originally in the Jinzhou Shogunate, after Su Qiang sat on Liu Pi's rebellion and was killed, although Su Hong was not investigated, but Su Hong was also dismissed, no one dared to requisition him anymore, and his life was naturally poor. After Li Yong arrived in the river, he knew that Su Hong was a talent, so he specially wrote: "Hong has talent, you can't abolish it with his younger brother, please make him a judge." ”

Some people among the prime ministers think that it is impossible, Du Huangshang is one of them, but the emperor is very much in favor, Li Yu said: "If Su Qiang does not die, if he is really talented, he can be used again, let alone Su Hong?" So Li Yong summoned Su Hong to the Shogunate of the Jin Festival in Hezhong and served as a judge. It seems that Su Hong is very grateful to Li Yong, and the one who intends to be a confidant dies. Du Huangshang pondered for a while and said:

"Have the veterans outside the city moved in the past few days?"

The little official smiled bitterly:

"Since the festival lord went out of the city, the veterans no longer make trouble, but seeing that the New Year has fallen, and there are more and more people outside the city, no one can guarantee what will happen at that time. Everyone's hearts are hanging, many families in the city have begun to run away, Du Xianggong, you see in this city, where is there still a little bit of the New Year? ”

Du Huangshang didn't answer, with his identity, it was rare to be able to talk to the little official like this, Dao

"Where is Judge Su now? Go and bring him to see him as he is. ”

The little official said:

"Yes, Judge Su went to assassinate Shifu, and the next official will go to find it. Please go to the court to rest. ”

Du Huangshang walked into the Jiedu official office with the support of his entourage, but the general of the guards who was responsible for protecting him did not dare to relax, and saw that the defense force of the Jiedu official office was weak, so he sent another team of people into the official office.

"Alas, alas, alas! Just give me half a head's position, and the arrow will be shot. ”

In a restaurant at the corner of the street, a lean man in his thirties put down the iron bow in his hand and sighed.

"I didn't expect this old thing to come so quickly, if you set up an ambush on the road to kill him, we will send it this time."

A fat man sitting at a table behind him swallowed the meat in his mouth and chimed in.

A scholar-like man sitting opposite the fat man poured his wine and drank it all:

"What's the hurry? Now that the situation is under our control, what can he do as a bad old man? Let's see what flowers he can produce first, and when our people arrive in a few days, they will turn him upside down. My lord promised us a big reward after the work was done. The second, third, and fourth, when the time comes, take over your friends in Luoyang, and we will also live the days of being officials and eating meat. ”

A man sitting in the shadows laughed:

"What's the good thing to do then? E-Ke heard that this young lady of the thorn history is good-looking, fat, fat, and meaty, so don't rob •••••• with E-e."

In the second hall of the Jiedu Embassy, Du Huang's face sank like water after the case, Su Hong, who had just arrived, was unkempt, and the official uniform on his body seemed to have not been washed for several days, it seemed that he was not lightly tired, and when he saw Du Huangshang in purple clothes in the hall, he looked cramped and uneasy, and he stepped forward to salute awkwardly:

"The sinner Su Hong has seen Du Xianggong."

Du Huangshang didn't raise his eyelids and said:

"No courtesy. Judge Su, since the emperor has not held you accountable, you don't have to call yourself a sinner, everything is as usual. You sit down and talk. ”

"Xie Xianggong."

As soon as Su Hong's buttocks were next to the chair, he heard Du Huangshang slap the table and asked sharply:

"Su Hong, you are so bold, I heard that you instigated Li Jiedu to go into danger alone and live with the rebels?"

Su Hong was startled, stood up suddenly, and saw Du Huangshang staring at him viciously, and the grievances in his stomach suddenly came up, his eyes were full of tears, and he knelt down and said:

"Du Xianggong asked to calm his anger, not because Su Hong wanted to trap Master Li in danger, but because the situation was urgent, he had to do so. Otherwise, Jinyang is in danger, and the river is in danger. Please Du Xianggong listen to Su's words. ”

Du Huangshang's face remained unchanged, and he waved his hand, seeing that everyone in the hall had withdrawn, he said:

"Say it."

••••••

Du Huangsheng's complexion gradually softened, and he said:

"Judge Su, please get up, it's your mistake to blame you. Judge Su, in this way, someone manipulated it with bad intentions? ”