In the autumn of the fifth year of Qingli, Hong Zhu, the little eunuch in the palace, held a thick stack of papers, half-bent, and trotted all the way to the room on the door of the west corner, looking a little small toe stepping on the slightly wet ground, without half a minute of hesitation. The hem of the light blue shirt he was wearing had been lifted so as not to stumble, but his right hand was resting horizontally on top of the stack of papers, and the wide sleeves covered the papers tightly, lest the heavy clouds of lead in the sky squeeze out a few drops of rain and wet them.

After crossing the threshold, fulfilling the procedures for the handover, and checking the names with the eunuchs in the house, Hong Zhu put his mind at ease, carefully drew a bet on the table, and handed over the documents in his arms.

Zhongshu is the central place of Qingguo to deal with the government, and the usual status is not as important as it is now, because there is also a prime minister in the six departments of the commander-in-chief, and a chapter is always the prime minister's pen, and he will enter the palace to ask for the will, and now the minister Lin Ruofu has returned to his hometown, and the status of Zhongshu Province has suddenly been highlighted.

Now in charge of the affairs of the imperial court in the Chinese book, it is Shu University and several old ministers.

The slightly cold autumn wind blew from the square in front of the palace, Hong Zhu rubbed his hands, sighed, and stood quietly outside the door, waiting for the reply of these old adults. He couldn't leave at this time, so he stood honestly outside the door, listening to the movement inside.

Occasionally, an official walked past him and nodded politely to him. Hong Zhu knew his identity, and hurriedly smiled and saluted. However, no one thought it was strange for him to stay outside the temporary study hall in Zhongshu Province, because they all knew the duties of this little eunuch.

Occasionally, some of the little eunuchs sent out by the palace to serve the elders saw him, saluted him respectfully, and invited him to take shelter in the side room next to him. Hong Zhu didn't have so much courtesy to these little eunuchs, nodded self-respectingly, but still stuck outside the door.

He is only sixteen years old this year, but he has such a small status in the palace, the reason is that his daily work is a very important part of the palace, and more importantly, his surname is Hong, so it has been rumored in the palace that he may be related to the old husband Hong.

Hong Zhu touched the little fire gangrene born on the left side of his lower lip, a little annoyed, the Supervision Yuan has arrested people very much in the past few days, the Wenchen's recitals are very powerful, the Chinese book is very noisy, he is running in and out of the palace several times a day, he is busy with farts and urine, and the fire in his body is too heavy, so he rushed out. He thought to himself that when he returned to the palace, he would have to go to the small kitchen to beg for a bowl of herbal tea.

The sound of the discussion inside the door was not very loud, but it still reached his ears.

............ "This is the affairs of the Supervision Yuan, and His Majesty will return this chapter, I don't know what it means." ”

"Perhaps......" The voice that answered was very hesitant, "Did your majesty feel that Fan Tisi had been doing things a little too much recently?"

An old minister's angry voice rang out: "Why don't you go overboard? He Fan Xian is clearly using the public power in his hands to crack down on dissidents! In just 10 days, he actually arrested five ministers and were hospitalized and kidnapped people in the middle of the night.

Another disapprehensive voice sounded: "Fan Tisi is doing things above board, after these five ministers were arrested, the second rì was charged with detailed crimes, and it was posted on the wall outside Dali Temple, and the people of Kyoto knew it very well. I think what Lord Yan said is a bit excessive, what the Supervision Yuan does is to supervise the administration of officials, what does it have to do with cracking down on dissidents? I see...... It was the five ministers who misbehaved that caused this trouble. ”

The old minister surnamed Yan said angrily: "Isn't it to crack down on dissidents? Then why did the Supervision Yuan suddenly take so many actions after the Metropolitan Procuratorate visited him last time?"

The man sneered and said, "If it's revenge, why doesn't Lord Xiao Fan take any action against the Metropolitan Procuratorate?"

"That's because His Majesty is wise and strictly prohibits the Supervision Yuan from participating in the affairs of the Metropolitan Procuratorate!"

The man's sneer became even more sneering: "Then dare to ask Yan Shangshu, what does Qin Tianjian have to do with the imperial history of the Imperial Inspectorate? If Fan Xian wants to take revenge, why should he arrest the Qin Tianjian Supervisor?"

Yan Xingshu, the secretary of the ministry, was cold for a while, and only after a while did he say in a cold voice: "No matter what, we can't let the Supervision Yuan expand the situation again, if they continue to arrest them like this, do they have to arrest all the courtiers?"

The man sneered and said, "Lord Shangshu, you can rest assured, ministers above the third grade, the Supervision Yuan has no power to do it." The implicit meaning of these words is a bit poisonous, implying that the official department is still unright, so he is so angry with the Supervision Yuan to investigate the case, but the power of the Supervision Yuan also has an upper limit, and the officials above the third grade cannot move.

Yan Xingshu's angry voice immediately reached the ears of the little eunuch Hong Zhu outside the door: "It's ridiculous! Do you want to watch the Supervision Yuan sit down from now on?"

The person who spoke at the beginning began to act as a peacemaker, and said gently: "Lord Shangshu, don't be angry, Xiao Qin shouldn't say any more, the Supervision Yuan can only investigate the case, and it can't be judged unless it is specially approved, these ministers ......" He coughed twice and said: "Whether you are guilty or not, you must always be tried by Dali Temple." It's just that the meaning of Majesty is very clear, and we must always have an opinion. ”

The man known as Xiao Qin preemptively said: "The affairs of the courtyard are the affairs of His Majesty, and Qin, as a courtier, does not dare to talk about it." ”

Yan Shangshu said angrily: "The old man thinks that this wind will not last, if Fan Xian acts indiscriminately, do all my colleagues really want me to celebrate the dynasty...... Another Chen Pingping?"

............ Hong Zhu, who was guarding outside the door, stood on tiptoe, heard the conversation inside the door clearly, and a sneer appeared on the corner of his lips, thinking that the relationship between His Majesty and Dean Chen was not comparable to that of you scholars.

Just thinking about it, he saw Qin Heng, the counselor of the Privy Council, pushing the door out with a sneer on his face, and he hurriedly stepped forward to curry favor and said, "Lord Qin, the slave is in a hurry to return to the palace, when will I get it?"

Qin Heng is more than Chinese New Year's Eve years old today, he is the biological son of the Privy Council envoy General Qin, last year he fought against the Northern Qi, he was the commander of the Qing army at that time, with his qualifications, it was not enough to enter the Zhongshu Provincial Council, but the old General Qin has been saying that he is sick since the last court cane, and His Majesty specially ordered Qin Heng to enter the Senate of Zhongshu Province, which is considered a generous favor to the Qin family, and also means that Qingguo still attaches great importance to military merits.

Originally, the courtiers thought that this was because the Qin family was not used to seeing Fan Xian's arrogance in the court, but Hong Zhujin listened to Qin Heng defending Fan Xian everywhere, and couldn't help muttering.

Qin Heng glanced at the little eunuch, smiled, and said: "Let them quarrel, in the end, no one dares to go against His Majesty's meaning, you, don't keep eavesdropping here, anyway, give you eighteen guts, you don't dare to tell others as a joke, why bother to stuff yourself." ”

Hong Zhu lowered his eyebrows and smiled pleasantly, watching the most popular military stalwart in the court disappear into the entrance of Gongfang, and shook his head a little inexplicably.

It didn't take long for the deliberations or quarrels in Zhongshu Province to finally end under the mediation of Shu University, and the ministers very tactfully noted their opinions on the documents, asking His Majesty to be more cautious about this matter, after all, although the rank of the five ministers who fell from power was not high, they were all old people in Beijing, and the so-called things hurt them, and these ministers did not want to watch the Supervision Yuan pull them off the horse so lightly.

So Hong Zhu held these documents again, lifted the light blue palace dress to his waist, covered the documents with his sleeves, stood on tiptoe, arched his buttocks, and trotted all the way towards the palace.

From the temporary residence of the Chinese book to the imperial study in the palace, it is all under the clouds, in the eyes of everyone, and under the protection of the inner guards, so there is no risk that someone will endanger hài to the most important documents of Qingguo, Hong Zhu ran up very proudly, and along the way, there were some palace maids who asked him softly with affection, and he didn't have time to pay attention to it, and the flattering eyes of those little eunuchs were also turned a blind eye.

Running outside the imperial study, Hong Zhu took a breath, lowered his eyebrows and pushed the door in, carefully placing the documents under the bookcase.

His Majesty the Emperor, who was frowning and looking at the Southern Chapter, picked a copy and looked at it, his brows furrowed more and more tightly, his thin lips suddenly opened, and he said coldly: "These mediocre materials! Shu Wu only knows hehehaha, Yan Xingshu is a little bold...... Well, the kid of the Qin family is not bad. ”

How dare Hong Zhu listen to the thunderous words of these heavenly sons, standing quietly on the side, his heart is very nervous.

The Emperor waved his hand.

Hong Zhu was relieved and withdrew from the imperial study, which was the end of today's affairs. He made a few detours along the bluestone road, and came to the side of the Taiji Palace, where there were a few eunuchs playing with melon seeds, and when he saw him coming, he hurriedly invited him to take a seat, and asked with a smile: "What is the strange thing today?"

Hong Zhu said impatiently: "It's not like listening to those bosses quarrel every day, what's new." ”

These eunuchs hurriedly complimented: "Gonggong Xiaohong goes back and forth between the imperial study and the Chinese book every day, and the important things of our Daqing Dynasty are all happening under your nose, so naturally you don't feel new." ”

Another joked: "That is, if you want to say that the key point of our Daqing Dynasty is all held in the arms of Xiaohong's father-in-law." ”

No matter how proud Hong Zhu is, this is a little bit of a thing, and he hurriedly said with a black face: "What nonsense, I'm just a minion!"

The eunuch said with a smile: "Except for His Majesty, our Qingguo officials and gentry, everyone is a slave...... Father-in-law Xiaohong, don't you know, now that your name can be revealed, even the small one buys embroidered cloth for the palace outside, and when others hear that the little one is friendly with you, they will look at it differently and say, ah, in this Kyoto, in addition to the little Fan Lord on the Shangshu Mansion, you are the little Hong father-in-law. ”

Hong Zhu stretched out his hand to level the strand of flying hair in front of his forehead, smiled, and didn't say anything, although he knew that he was far from being a figure at the same level as the world-famous Xiao Fan, but everyone always liked to listen to the sycophants, especially comparing himself with that one, and he was inevitably a little proud in his heart.

At this moment, a figure walked over from the door of this side hall, and several little eunuchs quickly stopped talking, Hong Zhu also trembled in his heart, and saw clearly that it was Gonggong Dai in the palace of Shuguifei, although he took the messenger to hold the paperwork, but in terms of grade, it was too far worse than Gonggong Dai.

It wasn't until Father-in-law Dai walked away that a little eunuch spat on the ground, as if he felt that the silence just now was a little down, and said hatefully: "This Father-in-law Dai is no longer than at the beginning, I don't have to come back to my senses before, like he is so depressed now, why should we pay attention to him." Hong Zhu's heart moved, and asked, "What's wrong with Grandpa Dai?"

The little eunuch Mei Fei sè dance said: "Some time ago, the little Fan of the Imperial History, he pulled out Dai Gonggong, although in the end His Majesty beat the imperial history with the court staff, but Dai Gonggong was also punished by the good life, and now I heard that not only did His Majesty take away the errand of Dai Gonggong to announce the holy decree, but even the concubine Niangniang was ready to drive him out of the palace. ”

Someone next to him flattered Hong Zhu and said: "When Grandpa Dai was popular, he beat and scolded us below, and now that he has lost power, who else wants to pay attention to him? ”

Hong Zhu listened to this flattering words becoming more and more unbearable and vulgar, frowned, said a few words casually, and hurriedly walked out of the side hall.

He hurried forward along the huge pillar of His Royal Highness, and finally in front of the stone gate of the harem, he saw the somewhat depressed back of Grandpa Dai, and hurriedly ran forward, flattering and said: "Grandpa Dai, it is you from a distance, hurry up and come to greet you." ”

Father-in-law Dai glanced at him with some surprise, these days, these little bastards in the palace are rarely as polite as the other party, and he also knows that Hong Zhu has been working in the imperial study recently, and he is gradually becoming popular, so he feels more and more strange.

Hong Zhu didn't say anything wrong, but just fed each other with clever compliments one by one, coaxing Dai's father-in-law extremely happy, and then they broke up.

Looking at Father-in-law Dai who disappeared into the depths of the harem, the young Hong Zhu showed a smug smile at the corner of his lips.

Everyone else thought that the Dai Gong Guild would lose power, but Hong Zhu didn't think so, because since this Dai Gonggong had a relationship with the little Fan outside the palace, he would definitely stand up again - Hong Zhu, the little eunuch, had no confidence in Dai Gonggong, but he had great confidence in Lord Fan Tisi.

Because he has been able to hear the deliberations between the Imperial Study and Zhongshu Province every day recently, and he knows what kind of Cheng Dù that little Fan is so popular now! The Supervision Yuan has arrested five ministers in ten days! His Majesty has always maintained Zhongyun, no matter how big the opinion of Zhongshu Province is, no matter how strong the backlash is, there is no way to move Fan Tisi in the slightest!

The five ministers of the Ten Heavens, although they are all officials below the third rank, as a eunuch in the deep palace, Hong Zhu also knows deeply that in order to make such a big move, what kind of courage does that little Fan Lord need, and what kind of backer stands behind him-he is often in the imperial study, and he knows very clearly that this backer is ...... It is the Emperor of Qingguo!

Hong Zhu touched the green chūn pox on his lips that was about to erupt, and he was extremely envious of the world-renowned little Fan outside the palace, thinking that they were all young people, how could there be such a big difference in the level of life?

――――――――――――――――――――――――――― Qin Tianjian, the Ministry of Officials, and the fall of five Beijing officials in a row once again made the yīn darkness of the Supervision Yuan begin to envelop the entire Kyoto.

However, the people of Kyoto don't pay much attention to these, anyway, the unlucky ones are officials, what do they do?

However, in the officialdom, the evaluation of the Supervision Yuan is more negative, and in addition to the kind of material injuries, it is more incomprehensible. No official could understand why the young Van Tys would have acted upon these seemingly inconspicuous officials.

Except for a very small number of people, no one knew that these officials of various tribes and horses were all important pawns in the secret system of the second prince.

Many people thought that Fan Xian was taking revenge, and was angry with the collective participation of the imperial history, but because of His Majesty's strict decree, he couldn't do anything to the Metropolitan Procuratorate, so he was like a reckless man who was stimulated, holding a seven-pound pig-killing knife, roaring on the long street, and cutting down every person, especially killing children who had no protective power, in order to vent the depression in his heart.

It's just that...... Fan Xian Fan Tisi, judging from the appearance of Xi Xiàn who has been in Beijing for nearly two years, should not be such an impulsive and brainless character.

............ Fan Xian sat in the Xinfeng Pavilion with a smile, holding chopsticks in his right hand and stirring the noodles that were red all over his body and had meat sauce tempting spittle, and he was holding the case file presented by Mu Tie in his left hand and looking at it. These cases were tried very quickly, they were well prepared, and the evidence they took was very real, so it seems that even if they are sent to Dali Temple or the Criminal Department for trial, there should be no problem.

Before this operation began, of course, he consulted his father and the old cripple, and the two old foxes were silent, so Fan Xian knew their attitudes.

This is one thing that must be done, he must make the second prince feel pain, and let him be more cautious when he listens to Xinyang in the future, and at the same time reduce some trouble for himself.

However, the reaction of the second prince was a little unexpected by Fan Xian, after He Zongwei was driven out of the mansion by himself, he did not send anyone to sue for peace, thinking that it was the prince's dignity and self-control that made him stop further contact, but the other party did not start to fight back, this matter is a little strange.

"What kind of place is Moon Tower?" asked Fan Xian with some curiosity.

Mu Tie's face showed a hint of defilement.

Fan Xian scolded with a smile: "You are so old, go home and hug your grandson obediently, don't keep thinking about these good things." ”

Mu Tie said with a bitter face: "Although the Moon Tower is a green building, it is the latest place in Kyoto this year, and it is secretly found that there should be a big man behind this building, and the recent movement there is a bit big, it seems that some people are secretly planning something." ”

Fan Xian has no interest in Qinglou, the Liujing River is the sphere of influence of Li Hongcheng, the prince of King Jing, although he is now fighting with the second prince in secret, but he doesn't want to tear his face with Li Hongcheng so soon, a friend, maybe what will happen in the future.

But he was very interested in Mu Tie's words: "How old is the big man?"

Mu Tie pondered for a while and said: "This building is a little evil, very bold, dare to do anything evil, and in a few months, several women were forced to die...... Looking at the silent attitude of Kyoto Prefecture Yin, I am only afraid of the characters behind it...... It should be a prince. ”

Fan Xian was silent, I don't know if it is the crown prince or the second highness behind this Moon Tower, the eldest prince only likes to compete with people in the military department every day, and His Majesty's reward is thick, and there is no need for money for the time being.

In today's situation, it is certainly impossible for him to offend everyone at the same time. Thinking that the possibility of the Second Highness being greater, he felt a little relieved, and said to Mu Tie: "Find a time for you to explore, if it is really as you said, this high-level jì courtyard is the place used by the prince to contact the Beijing officials, then you can stuff a few people in." ”

Mu Tie shook his head: "It's tightly managed, it's newly opened, it's difficult to get in for a while, and the Supervision Yuan only supervises hundreds of officials, and there is nothing to do about private businessmen." ”

Fan Xian glanced at him with some annoyance, and said: "Although the courtyard can't manage the jì girl, it can always manage the yamen of the jì woman, in short, you keep an eye on it." ”

There was a sentence he didn't say to Mu Tieming, the second prince was too modest and quiet, and Fan Xian always felt that the other party was holding a certain trump card and was waiting to play it at some point.

After finishing his official business, he did not go back to the house, but took the carriage with a headache and went directly to the Jingwang Mansion.

Today, the entire family of the Fan family is in the Jingwang Mansion.

King Jing was born, and he didn't invite any outsiders, but just invited Fan Shangshu's family, this kind of affection, this kind of favor is placed here, even if Fan Xian doesn't want to see Li Hongcheng now, he must go this way.

Walking into the palace, the first thing Fan Xian remembered was that a year and a half ago, he had memorized Lao Du's poem by the lake in the palace, and then there was a later night banquet, Zhuang Mohan's vomiting blood, and the gift of books from the Northern Qi Dynasty - many reasons seemed to start from the quiet and noble palace in front of him.

Fan Xian suddenly remembered the precious books in that carriage, and after he gave these books to Taixue, he had never had a chance to take a look. Just thinking about it, Li Hongcheng had already greeted him, holding a bowl of sour syrup outside the palace in his hand.

Fan Xian sighed in his heart, took it and drank it, and said with a smile: "You know that I am hungry for this mouthful outside your mansion." "When he first came to King Jing's Mansion, he once fainted and vomited, and he relied on a bowl of sour pulp to restore the god jīng.

Li Hongcheng, the prince of the world, looked at his eyes, shook his head and sighed: "You now have the power of supervision, you can arrest whoever you want, why don't you arrest the sour pulp dealer outside my house back to your house?"

Fan Xian heard the blade in the words, and smiled bitterly: "I know that I can't escape this difficulty today, when you come over with a bowl of sour pulp, I was surprised, I thought you had to smash it with a fist." ”

Li Hongcheng snorted, walked side by side with him to the palace, and said, "Do you still know that I am not happy in my heart?" He glanced at Fan Xian, and said hatefully: "Not only I don't understand, but the second child also doesn't understand, since you are not the prince's person, why bother with these things?"

Fan Xian shook his head and said with a wry smile: "Are you willing to offend people everywhere?" ”

After saying this, he pointed to the thick autumn clouds in the sky, and his fingertips were straight, and he was indescribably helpless.