......

......

At the end of the summer of the seventh year of Qingli, it was hotter than usual. The first autumn rain has not yet arrived, and the heat of March has accumulated in the streets of the houses, and the wind does not disperse, making the city of Kyoto feel like a quilt on the kangtou.

When the residents of Kyoto wake up in the morning, they feel that their bodies are covered in sweat residue, and after a little freshening, they go out with a burst of sweat.

The cicadas were happy, and they were desperately screaming loudly, but they did not have the hoarseness and the sadness of the last life in the late summer and early autumn of previous years, but a kind of high-pitched voice that had spare strength and ease. The sound of knowing and knowing is one after another in the green trees inside and outside Kyoto Castle. Disturbing people's sleepiness and laughing at people's embarrassment.

A green bamboo pole suddenly parted the leaves and stabbed precisely at a certain place on the trunk. The cicada brother who was singing only felt that his eyes were white, and he felt that his face was covered with a layer of things, and he could no longer open his mouth. In a hurry, I want to use my tentacles to pull. Unexpectedly, even the tentacles were pasted, and he could no longer break free. It had to sigh inwardly, thinking that it really couldn't be too early.

A little eunuch looked triumphantly at the tree. He put back the gentle bamboo pole, took off the cicada that was bound by gluten, and threw it into the big cloth bag beside him, and was about to continue to shoot. In the afterglow, he caught a glimpse of the one sitting on the bamboo chair next to the courtyard wall to enjoy the shade, and quickly ran over, leaned into the ear and said a few words, and tore open the cloth bag to show the other party like a meritorious service.

The eunuch on the reclining bamboo chair was Hong Zhu. He squinted his eyes and mumbled. Signal that you know. After thinking about it, he frowned, lowered his voice and said, "How many times have you said it......? How many have you glued in the past half a day? Wait a while, the Queen Mother was woken up, and you will take the board yourself?"

The little eunuch hurriedly pleaded guilty. With the green tree in a daze, more than a dozen eunuchs hurriedly continued to stick to Zhi.

Hong Zhu half-leaned on the bamboo chair. Squinted at the figure of the little eunuch, somehow. But I remembered the situation when I first entered the palace - there were many trees in the palace, and there were naturally more cicadas. Especially this summer is too hot. It lasted until this month, and the nobles in the palace were already annoyed with these known tweets, and it was thanks to Hong Zhu that he came up with such an idea. sent a few little eunuchs to the palaces to stick cicadas.

No wonder the emperor and empress liked him, such a careful and considerate minion. It's really rare.

Hong Zhu smiled bitterly. I thought that this method was taught to me by Lord Xiao Fan, and Lord Xiao Fan should be in Dadong Mountain now. I don't know how His Majesty's sacrifice to heaven and earth is going on.

Emperor Qingguo left Beijing to worship the sky. did not follow the ancestral rules by the crown prince to supervise the country, but invited the queen mother to hang the curtain, which contained a very obvious political atmosphere. The people in the palace are carefully waiting for the day when His Majesty will return to the capital. People panicked, and all kinds of gossip spread again and again. The queen mother hung the curtain, and the East Palace had already lost its position at this time, and there was no nobleman in the entire harem who came out to take the lead, and the calm in the palace walls could not help but show a kind of panic.

And Hong Zhu is an alternative in this panic, he originally wanted to stay in the East Palace and wait for the queen and His Royal Highness the prince, but he didn't know why. The Queen Mother transferred him to the Hanguang Palace. Half a year ago, there was a fire in the East Palace, and the people in the entire palace knew that the eunuchs and palace maids of the East Palace and Guangxin Palace all died mysteriously, although everyone did not dare to discuss this matter, but for the only surviving Hong Zhu, there was a little more awe and alienation.

Everyone is dead, but Grandpa Xiaohong is still alive. The incident itself is terrifying.

Hong Zhu stood up. I felt a little gloomy. Yes, he is a minion. But he is a slave with affection and righteousness, so at this time in the palace, he actually didn't know how to deal with himself, looking at the desolation of the East Palace, he was a little sad.

He walked towards the Hanguang Palace, leaning slightly, but at a young age, he began to have the smell of the dead man of the old eunuch Hong.

——————————————————

The officers and soldiers of the 13 city gates fought their spirits in the heat and carefully checked the customs documents of the people entering Beijing. The troops of the Kyoto garrison raised their vigilance at the Yuantai camp, and the thousands of forbidden troops guarding the imperial palace stood on the high palace wall, looking at everything under their feet with suspicious eyes.

The entire defense force of Kyoto is controlled by these three parts of the army, and in such a quiet and strange situation at present, the slightest carelessness is afraid that it will lead to chaos.

The three parties did not dare to relax in the slightest, led by the eldest prince, and forcefully suppressed everyone's dissent and movement.

The people of Kyoto are not as nervous as the officials and the army, and the people of the wealthy Qingguo are not willing to stay at home to resist the stuffy heat, but are accustomed to hiding in the shaded teahouse, drinking inexpensive herbal tea, enjoying the rope and large leaf fan produced by the inner library, talking about what happened in the court recently, and talking about the shortcomings of the neighbors' parents.

For the people of Kyoto, the Imperial Palace does not seem to be much different from their neighbors.

The cicadas were screaming loudly in the trees outside the teahouse, and a few of them even stopped blindly on the green flags on the teahouse floor and painted the big tea characters into the characters of Tu. And these hissing chirps just covered up the discussions of the good deeds in the teahouse.

Of course, the discussion is about His Majesty's trip to worship the heavens, and the rumors have been spread for several months, and everyone in the world knows that His Majesty has made up his mind to abolish the reserve this time. It's just that the prince has shown benevolence and stability in the past two years, which is very different from the appearance of previous years. Therefore, including the officials and the common people, they are muttering in their hearts, why does His Majesty want to abolish the reserve?

Few people dared to ask these questions in person, but there were always people who dared to talk about something behind their backs, and in general, the people of Kyoto were very interested in that

The Son threw himself with enough sympathy and comfort. Maybe it's because people need God, or maybe it's because they're dead. I always hope that the world is more peaceful. I don't want to have too much turmoil because of the waste storage.

Of course. At this time, the people of Kyoto, including the civil officials of the central government. I didn't expect that the turmoil at the turn of the summer and autumn of the seventh year of Qingli would be in a way that no one expected. Rumbling like thunder swept through the sky. I got involved in all the people, all the land in Kyoto.

......

......

Suddenly. Strong winds blow from the wide streets of Kyoto without warning. Rises in dense clusters between houses. Through. The wind came too suddenly, blowing off the hats of the low-haired and sleepy vendors who set up fruit stalls in the streets. Revealing those muddy eyes, blowing all over the street with fruit peels. The cicadas on the green flags outside the teahouse can no longer be attached. It fell to the ground with a thud.

The word 荼 has become the word tea again.

The tea guests sitting on the railing of the teahouse looked out curiously, feeling depressed. It's been a stuffy day for March. Is it finally about to fall in time for an autumn rain?

Then they saw that what had been a blue sky was suddenly covered by layers of cumulonimbus clouds coming from the southeast, all over the land of Kyoto. It was as if a great lid had been added, and the shade enveloped the castle and the people in between.

The clouds twisted and tumbled. It's like countless dragons are lining up in formation. From time to time, clouds are pulled out. It looks terrifying. Such thick dark clouds naturally foreshadowed the heavy rain that followed. Looking at this cloud, I am afraid that this heavy rain will be extremely fierce.

And the tea drinkers were not surprised. I thought that God was finally willing to make this world clearer.

There was a thunderous click. The rain finally came down, and the pedestrians on the street avoided it, and the tea customers upstairs squinted, enjoying the rain that had not been seen for a long time and the beauty of the wet land.

The rain wasn't particularly heavy, but it was very cold. After a while, the tea guests began to feel a chill, and they couldn't help but be a little surprised. I thought that in previous years, the autumn rain was just falling. There must be three games to enjoy the summer, why is this rain so cold this year.

With the knowledge of people in this era, it is natural not to know. A dozen days ago, the largest hurricane of the summer rose over the sea in the East China Sea. The storm rushed straight to Dadong Mountain, and countless rains fell on the ground for more than 50 miles on the seaside, and then the momentum did not decrease. Continue to carry the water vapor and humidity of the transpiration of the sea, and go straight into the hinterland of Qingguo.

The hurricane was interesting, it didn't cause much damage along the road, but it brought immediate cooling and rain to the territory of Gyeongkook, which had been scorching hot for a long time.

The tea guests rubbed their hands, drank hot tea, and secretly scolded this god for being too weird, and everyone went out without an umbrella, let alone a single coat. I had to resist the slightest chill in this building.

"What's wrong?" said a man who suddenly looked in the direction of the city gate.

Hearing this, people gathered to the railing of the teahouse, looking in the direction of the city gate, through the layers of rain and fog in the distance, they couldn't see what was going on there, and only vaguely felt a noise and the panic of those sergeants. The four gates of Kyoto are guarded by soldiers and horses from the thirteen cities. There has always been a strict military ban. It's rare for this to happen. All the tea drinkers were a little curious.

Naturally, there will not be an army to attack the city, first of all, regardless of the absurdity of the imagination itself. Even if an army really attacked the castle of Kyoto, the garrison division on the periphery would be the first to meet the enemy, and the city gate division would be set up in the corner tower to watch the guards, and the alarm would sound as soon as possible.

The sound of horses' hooves and the rain breaking through the long street were hurried.

The tea guests looked intently, only to see a horse at the city gate hurrying forward, only this one, everyone understood that there must be urgent news into the city, and they were relieved.

But looking at the white foam on the horse's mouth, the knight's face was full of dust and haggard, and everyone's hearts were tight, and they all secretly thought, could it be that there was a problem at the border pass?

The rain kept falling, and the extremely tired horses rose up to the last of their strength, facing the wind and rain, galloping desperately. Immediately the clothes were in tatters. With a serious expression, the knight did not care about the life and death of his mount. Swing the whip in your hand fiercely. Urging the horses on his body, he maintained the fastest speed, stepped through the long street under the teahouse, and splashed all the way to the rain. Sprint in the direction of the palace!

Luckily, it rained first. The pedestrians and vendors on the road were driven to the side of the street. Otherwise, the knight would run wildly, and I don't know how many people would be killed.

The tea guests watched as the man disappeared into the rain. Disappear at the end of the long street. I exhaled involuntarily. Digest the previous quiet and extremely nervous, and look at each other. I don't know what exactly happened to the imperial court.

"Wearing a white scarf,......" said an older tea guest in a trembling voice.

The teahouse was quieter, although the people of Kyoto, who were born in the late years, had not experienced the time of the Great War when the country was enlarged, but they had heard of it. The most tragic of the three Northern Expeditions that year. The Qingguo army suffered 10,000 casualties in the battle, and the knights who flew thousands of miles to report the news were ...... It's also a white scarf!

"The knight who reported the news is ......" someone asked suspiciously, "Yan ...... Grand Governor. Didn't you win?"

"It's a fast horse in the army. "The old tea guest was obviously also in the army back then. The voice was still shaking. The informant fastened a white scarf. Something big must be happening!

The chatter in the teahouse suddenly stopped, everyone. Even the shopkeeper and the shopkeeper fell silent, and everyone stood quietly by the railing. Look at the streets in the heavy rain. Pray secretly that nothing will happen to your kingdom.

......

......

"Here we go again!"

In the teahouse, a young man shouted in panic and helplessness. At this time, there was no restlessness at the city gate. There is only a place of slaughter and vigilance. However, the second rider came faster than the first, like a puff of smoke, and sped under the teahouse.

The knight was not armoured. Just a dark black ground robe, with a reins in one hand. Kick your feet sharply. His face was covered with black stains of water from the rain.

He also wore a white scarf around his left arm. In his right hand, he held a token-like object aloft and rushed directly through the city gate. Stepping through the long street, he also galloped in the direction of the palace.

Everyone in the teahouse looked at them expectantly. looked at the tea guest who knew the etiquette of the imperial court before. Hope to hear some good news from his mouth.

The old tea guest's face turned pale and he muttered, "Yes...... It's the Supervisory Yuan. ”

......

......

After a few more moments, the third Thousand Miles teleported a fast ride and forced its way through again

The city gate division guarded the city gate and stepped on the rainy street under the teahouse. This is the same position. It is also embarrassing, it seems that it is a long way to change horses, and it is really hard to report to Kyoto as quickly as possible.

Then immediately the knight did not feel hard, he only knew that if he could not report this earth-shattering news to the palace as quickly as possible. Qingguo is only afraid of ...... There will be big problems.

The rain washed the knight's sun-scorched face, and struck his eyes, which had become blood-red, but it could not stop him, and the horses galloped across the long street in the direction of the palace.

He still had a white scarf on his left arm.

At this time, the tea guests in the building had been numbed by the shock that had come repeatedly, and they opened their mouths one after another, but they couldn't say anything. Although it is not known which side of the court this third horse represents. But they know. The news that these three riders brought to Kyoto. It must be the same, confirmed by these three parties. So...... There must be a disaster in Qingguo.

There was a deathly silence in the teahouse, and everyone bowed their heads. The old tea guest, with a pale face and trembling, sat down, but his eyes were dark and he fainted to the ground.

Everyone hurriedly stepped forward to help, but no one noticed that the rain outside the building was a little lighter. Although the rain was light, the coolness had arrived, and those cicadas who were still showing off their majesty a moment ago finally began to feel the irreversible violation of the destiny of heaven, began to feel the impermanence of life, began to feel the sadness of autumn, began to burn their lives, and kept chanting the last words in the streets and alleys of Kyoto.

"Shhhh......h Sizzle...... Dead...... Dead......"

—————————————————————

The whole of Kyoto began to fall into a sense of unknown fear and confusion, and people did not know what was happening, except that in the evening, they heard the chimes in the corner tower of the Imperial Castle, beating slowly and violently against the background of the red twilight after the rain.

Knock! Knock!

Layers of deep palaces. There were a lot of people in that vast earth Taiji hall. But it was silent. The Empress Dowager, who temporarily presided over the state administration, had already walked out of the beaded curtain at this time, wearing a phoenix robe and being majestic.

The Queen Mother stood indifferently in front of the dragon chair, her right hand was supported by Hou Gonggong, and Hong Zhu waited beside her with pen and ink, but she saw the Queen Mother's hand clearly. In the hands of Gonggong Hou, he kept trembling.

His Highness knelt on three informers who had been exhausted to the extreme, and the rain on their bodies had wet their luxurious blankets, but they still knelt with their heads bowed. Don't dare to speak out. I am afraid that this unlucky crow will eventually destroy this palace that has stood proudly in the world for 30 years.

The Queen Mother glanced at the three of them coldly. Gritting his teeth. Yin Han scolded: "What are you crying about?"

As soon as this statement came out. The concubines in the hall who were constantly mourning and crying forcibly stopped their tears. But he couldn't erase the horror and fear on his face.

The Queen Mother sat on the chair next to the dragon chair with the support of Gonggong Hou. said: "Immediately close the palace, and the prince presides over the imperial city guard." Violators will be beheaded. ”

"Yes. ”

His Royal Highness responded, and with tears in his eyes, the eldest prince glanced up at his grandmother in some surprise. felt the burden on his body, but his mood was extremely agitated at this time, and there was no way to distinguish what the queen mother's will meant.

The Queen Mother continued: "Xuanhu and Su two scholars entered the palace. ”

"Yes. ”

"Xuanchengmen Division led Zhang into the palace. ”

"Yes. ”

"From now on, the gates of the city are closed, not the will of the mourning family. Do not open without permission. ”

"Yes. ”

"After the Dingzhou army offered prisoners, Ye Chong returned within two days, and the frontier was struggling. State affairs should be given priority. ”

"Yes. ”

The Queen Mother's brows suddenly furrowed. Although the old man has been calm at this time. But after all, she still felt that her head began to buzz, she gently rubbed her temples, and after thinking for a while, she said: "King Xuanjing, Fan Jian, the head of the household." Qin ...... Constant, enter the palace. ”

"Yes. ”

The Queen Mother finally said indifferently: "Let the Queen and Her Royal Highness the Crown Prince move to the Hanguang Palace...... Ning Cairen and Yi Guifei also came over, and the third child also brought it. ”

The eldest prince bowed his head. My heart tightened, knowing that my grandmother was still not at ease with herself. But in the mood of pathos at this time. He didn't want to care about any of these things at all.

It's twilight, the bell outside has stopped, and the candles in the Taiji Hall are fluttering, looking so bleak and uneasy. At this time, the queen mother, who was actually in control of Qingguo, suddenly coughed twice, a touch of complicated emotions flashed in her eyes, and said lightly: "The inner court...... Please invite Her Royal Highness the eldest princess and Lord Chenjun to enter the palace for a temporary stay. Fan Xian...... The concubine who was pregnant with the child also entered the palace. ”

"Yes......"

The Queen Mother ignored things for a long time. However, at this time, every will is so clear and direct to the hearts of the people, she tries to isolate the whole of Kyoto from the outside world as soon as possible, and control those who may cause turmoil in the imperial city.

Suddenly, a childless concubine screamed frantically: "Fan Xian stabbed him! The Queen Mother wants to copy his nine clans, how can he let his family enter the palace!"

As soon as these words came out, the palace was quiet. The Queen Mother looked at the concubine coldly, like looking at a dead person, and said slowly: "Drag it down, bury it." ”

Several guards and eunuchs stepped forward and dragged the concubine, who had fallen into a state of madness, not knowing that they would bury the poor man in the dirt under the flower tree in the palace.

The Queen Mother glanced coldly at everyone in the palace, and said in a cold voice: "Take care of your mouth and brain." Don't forget...... There are still a lot of open spaces in this palace. ”

And all the people in the temple were filled with sorrow. But he didn't dare to say anything. The sorrow and doubts in their hearts were the same as those of this concubine, except that they were not crazy. So there is no opening.

"What about Chen Pingping, why didn't she enter the palace?" asked the Queen Mother with a cold face.

Hong Zhu stopped the brush in his hand, met the inquiring gaze of the Queen Mother, and said in a trembling voice: "After Dean Chen was poisoned, he went back to Chen Yuan to be treated by the imperial doctor, but I am afraid that I will ...... I don't know ...... yet."

The queen mother's eyes were cold, and she gritted her teeth and said angrily: "Send a decree to this old dog, saying that if he doesn't enter Beijing again, his mother and son will die!"

......

......

People go to Gongjing. Suppressing the sadness and horror in her heart, in the shortest possible time, after making the most secure arrangements, the Empress Dowager of Qingguo suddenly seemed to be drained of all her strength, leaned on the back of the chair weakly, slowly closed her eyes, and a cloudy tear wet the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes.