The night was deep, Ji Hu stared at the starry night sky outside the window, his slender eyes full of sadness and confusion. He was an aspiring young monarch who vowed from the day he ascended the throne to revitalize the Zhou Dynasty, if not as imposing as his ancestor King Wu, but at least as mighty as his great-ancestor King Mu. But before he became in power, he felt how difficult this matter was. Don't say that you are the powerful Zhaogong Tiger, isn't it that you are restrained by the forces of all parties and can't move.

The royal family, land, money, food, armor and sharp weapons are all in the hands of the princes of all parties. Even within this royal throne, the combined strength of the lords of each clan can be equal to that of the royal family. In such a situation, how can the dynasty achieve ZTE? If the lynx attacks again, how to block the enemy?

"My lord, it's late at night, and the slaves and maids are waiting for you to settle down." Shaoji moved the lotus step forward and whispered. Her identity is very embarrassing, she is not a slave or a concubine, and Ji Hu has not yet married and cannot be canonized, so she has always called herself a slave.

Ji Hu sighed lightly and was about to say something, but was interrupted by the chamberlain Jia: "The king, the queen mother has the above table." ”

"What's the matter? It doesn't matter, you can dispose of it. Ji Hu was very impatient.

The waiter Jia's eyes flashed: "It's ------ nothing that matters, it's just that there is news from Yingguo's side, saying that the second prince is sick for a while." Niangniang couldn't rest assured, and wanted to sacrifice to the gods in the palace to bless the second prince. ”

"Then let the Taimiao side get ready, you can do it." After Ji Hu finished speaking, he turned around to leave, but the chamberlain Jia said: "Niangniang said that the second prince is in Jinghan, and he must invite the master to enter the palace for a ceremony according to the rules over there, so as to have an effect." ”

"Teacher? Does Hokyo have one? ”

"Yes, I heard that there have been a few masters in the city recently, and they have sacrificed to the gods for several lords."

Ji Hu nodded, if this little thing should not be, it is time to say that he has treated his stepmother and brother-in-law harshly. He nodded: "You can arrange it, and check it out carefully." ”

"No!"

When twilight fell, Ji Duoyou led a team of school riders to inspect the palace gate of Xuanning Palace. There was no melodious sound from the palace wall, but a strange sound of gongs and drums beating, which was a little chaotic and sounded very weird. When I inquired, it turned out that the queen mother was doing what the queen mother invited to the second prince Ji Shangfu, who had just arrived in Yingguo to be the king's eunuch.

Ji Duoyou couldn't help but laugh dumbly, thinking: Why does she still believe this? It's no wonder that when I heard what Shaoji said that day, the Jinghan area revered ghosts and gods more than worshipping ancestors, and it seems that this is true.

"No wonder, I heard that the second prince was sick as soon as he arrived in Yingguo, and the queen mother was in a hurry. No, I can only rush to the doctor. Ji Jie leaned in and whispered: "It's strange to say, since Niangniang is so reluctant to the second prince, why did she go to the table to ask the king to send him to be the eunuch?" Isn't it good to stay around? ”

"You know what?" Ji Duoyou reprimanded: "Parents love their children, and they should have far-reaching plans. As the second prince, it is always embarrassing to stay in the royal city, how can you go out and have a good time? ”

Ji Jie scratched his head, and immediately made a trance-like expression, which made people laugh.

Somehow, how can this daily routine inspection feel extraordinarily long tonight, Ji Duoyou only felt a little uneasy in his heart. But he couldn't figure out where this uneasiness came from, until ------

An hour and a half later, he led the team to the gate of Xuanning Palace, it seemed that the ritual had ended, and an attendant was leading several servants out of the palace gate. Suddenly, a slightly familiar back came into Ji Duoyou's eyes, wasn't that tall man the ghost-faced man who fought with him that day? Although I didn't see my true face, I didn't see a lot of this kind of figure in Hokyo!

"Stop!" He shouted loudly, waved his hand, and all the armor soldiers surrounded the one of the inner servants and the three servants.

The chamberlain didn't know why, and asked: "General, this is the master specially invited by the Queen Mother, and the king also allowed it." What does Sima mean by this? ”

"Ben will guard the safety of Miyagi, and everyone has the right to inquire when they enter and leave. You," he said, pointing to the masked masters, "the ceremony is over, you all take off your masks." If you go in and out of the royal city, if you don't show your true face, how can you be at ease? ”

The two of them took off their masks, and Ji Tayou was sure he hadn't seen them. Only the tallest and stout man ignored his words and nailed there motionless, and Tayu became even more suspicious and asked, "You, why don't you take off the mask?" ”

"The general is glorious," the chamberlain stepped forward and explained, "This master has rules for praying for blessings, and they only do it to drive away evil cults and pray for the safety of the lord." This exorcism is attached to the mask of the chief priest, and the mask must be burned in front of the victim in order to pray for peace. Now that the second prince is far away in Yingguo, the master needs to wear this mask to go out of the customs and travel thousands of miles, and he can't take it off on the way. Once it is taken down, the cult cannot be suppressed, and the owner will be in trouble. I hope the general will understand. ”

"Really?" Tayou stared at the man, although he changed into a mask with a pale face and a big mouth, but the more this person looked at it, the more he looked like the ghost-faced man on the night of the fire. He pointed at the man and asked, "You can't take the mask, you can always speak, right?" Are you dumb? ”

He calculated that this person was not from Jing Han, and he would definitely reveal his stuff as soon as he opened his mouth, and one hand had already pressed the Tianyue Sword on his waist, and he made up his mind that once the other party moved, the sword would be unsheathed immediately.

"Sima is so aggressive, why did he come? Could it be that he was ordered by someone to specifically target the palace and the second prince? E Yao suddenly appeared in the threshold of the palace, her face was gloomy, and she asked angrily.

Seeing that her face was not good, all the people knelt on the ground, Ji Duoyou turned over and dismounted and knelt down to ask for sin: "Niangniang, please forgive me, the last general will protect the safety of the royal city, this person refuses to show his true face, and he doesn't speak, it's really suspicious." Where the duty lies, it has to be cross-examined. ”

"What's the responsibility? Hum! E Yao sneered: "The second prince should be the prisoner of the country, he went thousands of miles away at a young age, and he was sick in bed if he was not satisfied with the water and soil, what is wrong with praying for him in this palace?" You actually want to take off the mask of the master, obviously to release the evil worship, so that the father will not be cured and die of illness in another country? Your heart is so vicious! Isn't it that Father Shang didn't save face for you when he was acting in the martial arts arena? You hold a grudge like this, and take revenge for personal gain! Is it your own intention, or is it a knife for someone else? ”

Her voice grew louder and louder, almost shouting. Xuanning Palace in the night, originally quiet, was sandwiched with crying in the noise of Eyao, which could be heard from far and near.

Everyone saw that she suddenly made a fuss, and she had no idea for a while, so she had to kneel and dare not move. E Yao became more and more arrogant, and scolded: "You people never take me, the queen mother, in their eyes, and bully me openly and secretly all day long, don't you know? ------”

The more she talked, the more angry she became, snatched the whip of a school rider, and hit Ji Duoyou with a slashing head and face. Ji Jie was anxious, knelt down and moved to Duoyou's side, and said: "Niangniang, after all, Sima is the middle doctor of the king's own title, so the slave will receive the whip of the mother for him." ”

E Yao glanced at him coldly and said, "If you want to eat my whip, you are not worthy, my whip is still to talk to the middle doctor who is the prince himself." ”

After about twenty lashes, E Yao seemed to be tired, threw the whip on the ground, and said, "Go back to the palace." ”

Ji Duoyou pushed away Ji Jie, who came to support, and looked around, where are the figures of the three masters? He looked back angrily at the door plaque of Xuanning Palace, both angry and puzzled, what did she mean?