The corners of Pei Yuanhao's mouth were slightly raised, and he looked at them: "How am I going to cure your sins?" ”

As soon as these words came out, I felt that the atmosphere of the entire imperial study sank for a while, as if there was a black hand, which suddenly grabbed everyone's heart, pinching it lightly and heavily, suffocating, but not to death.

When the officials heard him say this, they all turned white, and they knew that it would be difficult to get out this time, and they all kowtowed again and again, unable to speak, and only the sound of their foreheads hitting the floor echoed in the imperial study.

Pei Yuanhao smiled slightly: "You are all the ministers left by the Emperor Taishang to me, in the past, when I was still a prince, I often heard the Emperor Taishang talk about your great responsibilities. So over the years, I have also relied on a few of you, although you are old and sick, but I have not allowed you to resign and return to the field. As he spoke, he let out a long sigh: "In the end, it is also me, delaying you." ”

Sure enough, as expected.

I listened quietly, but I wasn't surprised.

Pei Yuanhao looked at the miserable white faces, and suddenly changed his tone again: "However, I didn't live up to you." ”

The ministers were stunned and looked up at him.

I saw that he had a little leisurely expression on his face, and said: "Sun Qing, you enclosed 6,000 acres of land in Huainan in the name of Xingxue, and fourteen villages were forced to relocate, and you have also gained a lot of benefits." ”

When Hubu Shangshu Sun Yehong heard this, his face suddenly turned purple, and he shrank so that he couldn't speak.

Pei Yuanhao smiled again: "Wu Qingjia, you borrowed 70,000 taels of silver from the treasury five years ago, although you have reduced or exempted a lot of taxes in Jiangnan in the past two years, and the treasury cannot make ends meet, and I have not recovered this silver. Counting it, these 70,000 taels of silver are enough for you to buy a few acres of land and some houses in your hometown, and live for a long time. ”

“……”

"Song Qing's family, I heard that your son only added a grandson to you last month, which is gratifying, and teasing your grandson is a pleasure that everyone asks for. Besides, the case of the deficit of the household department has not been clear, so why bother to work so hard? ”

……

Every time he said a word, the people below trembled, and in the end, these people were already colorless, you look at me, I look at you, cold sweat was like rain, but no one dared to speak.

At this time, I heard the sound of gently pushing the door outside, and I also remembered in my heart, I was standing behind these officials, but I didn't open my mouth at this time, but only gently retreated outside. As soon as he retreated to the door, he saw Father-in-law Yu cautiously pushing the door open.

As soon as he raised his eyes, he saw me, and he was shocked: "Yue-"

I lowered my voice and said, "What's the matter?" ”

"Mrs. Shen asks to see you."

I smiled in my heart and said, "The emperor is angry, why did Lord Taifu bump into him at this time?" Father-in-law Yu, you can persuade it. ”

In the end, he is the one who has followed the emperor and Pei Yuanhao for so long, naturally he understands, nodded at me knowingly, and was about to turn around and leave, when a cold wind blew in through the crack in the door with snow foam, and the room was warm, so the hot and cold made me shiver suddenly.

It occurred to me that even if Shin Gong-jin went back this time, these ministers would also have to go back at night, and when the time came-

Thinking like this, I stopped Father-in-law Yu again and said, "Father-in-law, Taifu Shen entered the palace in the snow, presumably there must be something important, don't delay him." In this way, the father-in-law still finds a place to sit and let him wait, and when the emperor is done here, it will not be too late to play. ”

Father-in-law Yu glanced at me, then looked at the dark and difficult situation in the imperial study, nodded, agreed, and turned to leave.

I gently came to the door, but I turned around and walked back, still standing calmly behind.

This time, neither the monarch nor the minister spoke, but it was not quiet in the imperial study, and I could hear the sound of almost everyone's breathing and heartbeat, mingling with the wind and snow outside, giving people the illusion that the world was about to be turned upside down.

I don't know how long I stood there, but then I suddenly felt a dull pain in my ankle.

It seems that although Liu Qinghan rubbed the sprain for me before, it was hurt in the end.

I frowned, trying to endure. At this time, the ministers finally seemed to have made up their minds, and one of them kowtowed heavily: "What the emperor said is extremely true. Weichen is old and sick, and it is really difficult to be the emperor. Tomorrow, the old minister will go to the book, beg the emperor to take pity on the old minister's sick body, and give permission to tell the old man to return to his hometown. ”

When several other people heard him say this, they also said: "I beg the emperor to allow the old minister to return to his hometown!" ”

……

Under the flickering candlelight, Pei Yuanhao's face was as calm as ever, but a fine light flashed in those deep eyes.

He slowly stood up and said, "The Zhongqing family said this, which made me embarrassed. After being silent for a while, he said: "It's getting late now, and it's snowing outside, so let's go back first, you should think about the resignation carefully, make up your mind to go to the table again, and don't act hastily." ”

The ministers said, "The ministers know." ”

After saying that, he kowtowed again, and then retreated.

I stood by and watched coldly, what happened in front of me was secretly planned by them, Liu Qinghan and him, maybe I don't know how many **** nights and nights I was looking forward to, it was finally realized, and it would have a earth-shaking impact on the court and even the entire Central Plains, but it was done, but there was nothing gratifying, and the faint pain in the ankle also made me feel a little sleepy.

When the ministers left, I stepped forward and said softly: "The ministers have something to do with the emperor." ”

He lifted his eyelids and glanced at me.

I said calmly: "Mrs. Shen entered the palace to ask to see the emperor. Seeing that the emperor was busy with government affairs, Weichen took it upon himself to ask Gonggong Yu to ask Master Taifu to rest for a while, and then summon him when the emperor was free. I don't know if the emperor is now-"

Before I finished speaking, I looked up and met his dark eyes, and my heart sank, and I closed my mouth and lowered my head.

As soon as I stopped, he didn't speak, and there was silence in the study again.

But this time, they couldn't hear each other's breathing, only the strong wind outside, which made it even more deathly silent, which made it extremely difficult.

I endured the slight pain in my ankle, and I didn't speak again, just stood like this, and I don't know how long it took, I finally heard him say: "Yuquan! ”

Father-in-law Yu hurriedly walked in, and he ordered, "Chuan Shen Gong." ”

"Yes."

When I heard this, I was also relieved, so I raised my hand and said, "Since the emperor and the Taifu have a national and political consultation, the minister will sue——"

"You stay." He interrupted me and got up and walked to the other end of the warm seat.

Usually the official business is carried out here, if you sit in the warm seat, it is a small talk, and I saw a chess game on the table over there, frowned slightly, and heard him say: "You come here." ”

“……”

Although I didn't want to get too close to him, but in the end, Shen Gongju was coming soon, and I didn't have to worry too much, so I endured the pain in my feet and walked over slowly, he didn't say anything more, and after a while, Shen Gongju walked in.

The face of this important minister is not very good-looking, perhaps because he came from the wind and snow, with a cold air, and knelt on the ground as soon as he entered the door: "Weichen greets the emperor." ”

Pei Yuanhao glanced at him and said with a smile: "Aiqing, hurry up." ”

Shen Gongyi stood up, and when he saw Pei Yuanhao sitting on the warm seat, with a chessboard on his face, he was stunned, and when he turned his head and saw that I was still standing next to him, his face suddenly became a little cloudy, and after thinking about it, he still said: "Your Majesty, Weichen entered the palace this time for today's fraud case in the examination room. ”

Pei Yuanhao said: "Aiqing doesn't need to say it, I already know." ”

Shen Gongyi saw that he was not angry, and there was even a smile in his eyes, and he was a little puzzled, but he didn't dare to speak lightly.

Pei Yuanhao said: "The imperial examination was originally an opportunity for the imperial court to recruit good materials for thousands of years, and I also attached great importance to it, but now I actually do it for some people to form a party for personal gain, and sell official positions, I am really heartbroken!" ”

After saying that, he slammed the table hard.

Shen Gongyun was taken aback, and hurriedly knelt down again: "Your Majesty! ”

Pei Yuanhao hurriedly said again: "Aiqing, hurry up." ”

Shen Gongyi stood up again, looking at him more and more anxiously, Pei Yuanhao said: "This time, I have thoroughly investigated the matter, and the people involved in the case will be severely punished, if you don't make an example of this, I am afraid that there will be more fraud cases in the future, and when the time comes, how will I have face in the court!" ”

"The emperor is wise!"

Shen Gongyi saw that his words had led to this, and was about to say something more, when Pei Yuanhao suddenly waved his hand again: "Okay, don't mention these troubles." ”

"Ah......?"

"Speaking of which, I haven't discussed chess with Aiqing for some days, and it just so happens that I'm a little interested tonight, and Aiqing has entered the palace again, so it's better for you and me to play two games."

Shen Gongjun has been a little overwhelmed by him back and forth since he entered the door, but he doesn't look like he wants to be punished, and it seems that the case of fraud in the examination room does not involve him, but he is relieved, and after confessing, he sat sideways opposite the emperor.

Pei Yuanhao has already begun to play chess: "Yue Qingying, hold tea." ”

"Yes."

I stood for a long time, and the pain in my ankle became heavier and heavier, but when he opened his mouth, I had no choice but to force myself to walk over and take the tea tray, and carefully put tea on both sides of the table, cold sweat dripping from the corners of my forehead, and when I was close to the candlelight, cold sweat flowed out.

He looked at me, and I pursed my blood-fading lips and stepped aside.

The two of them killed on the warm seat in the imperial study like this, you come and go, it took nearly two hours to finish a game, Pei Yuanhao won the sixth son, but said that Shen Gongyi gave up, and he had to play again.

The bang was knocked three times. Shen Gongyi's face was embarrassed, and he was just about to speak: "Emperor-"

Pei Yuanhao lowered his head and waved his head, and said without raising his head: "By the way, I went to Chonghua Hall two days ago to see Nianyun again. This kid is good-looking and quiet, and I like it very much. ”

When Shen Gongyi heard this, he immediately rejoiced: "It's the emperor's joy." ”

Pei Yuanhao looked up at him: "Joy, joy." ”

I stood next to me, although I was still indifferent at this time, but only I knew, but the inside was tormented like a fire, the vision was a little blurred, the candles in the imperial study were bright, but I saw like a vast snowscape, a little dazzling white, the sun shone through the clouds, sprinkled on the snowdrifts, reflecting a snow-blue, almost brilliant light.

Even brighter was the man's smile.

I was in a trance again, but I pulled myself together and opened my eyes.

On that dark face, his eyes narrowed slightly, revealing a clear light, but there was something slowly precipitating in it, his teeth were very white, and his smile gave people a particularly gorgeous feeling, as if he was in a place, it would make spring bloom there.

Even I can't help but warm up with his smile.

However, it is clear that it is cold winter around me.

Not only was it cold, but the snow was falling one after another, with a biting cold accumulating on my body, the cold was so cold that I could hardly help but shiver, the snow fell under my feet, slowly piled up, not past my ankles, it was only a slight pain, and at this time it was also a little painful.

I bit my lower lip and barely allowed myself to support myself, but these days, for what Chang Qing entrusted, I have consumed too much energy, and standing until now, it is almost the end of the crossbow.

I...... Tired......

The two people on the warm seat seemed to be playing chess back and forth, I only felt cold sweat behind my forehead, I couldn't tell whether it was cold or hot, I only felt that my whole body was so uncomfortable, I couldn't hold it anymore, I staggered back two steps and leaned against the wall......

I had forgotten when I had closed my eyes, and it was only when my mind slowly recovered from the darkness that I realized that I had fallen asleep.

What's going on? I-

Before I could open my eyes, I felt that my whole body was shaking, and there was a feeling of violent turmoil, and when I was more awake, I felt as if I was being held, and the hot body temperature was ironed around, making my heart palpitate slightly.

This feeling is-

I opened my eyes all at once.