In the 16th year of Jing'an, in front of the Imperial Palace in Kyoto, hundreds of officials waiting for the court were crowded in a few groups in the square in front of the palace. Although it was already April, the temperature before sunrise in Beijing was still very low, and in addition to the cold wind in the empty square, the officials who had been waiting for most of the hour shrank their heads and sleeved their hands, and involuntarily huddled together according to the size of the grade. The sound of discussion buzzed from time to time, mixed with sneezing, blowing nose, and coughing, which was extremely incongruous with the majestic hall. But the imperial history who was in charge of correcting the ceremony was also restless and had no intention of shouting.

Suddenly, the door of the main hall babbled, and the officials immediately shook their spirits and lined up one after another. When I looked up, I saw a eunuch walking out of the gate, but it was Qiu Deyong, the chief of the inner province. Qiu Deyong slowly walked out of the door, stood at the top of the steps, raised his eyes to look at the officials lined up at the bottom of the steps, and said in a sharp and thin voice: "There is a will!" After the officials knelt down one after another, he continued: "Your Majesty does not hesitate, this court meeting will be exempted, and the ministers will still have a recital by the General Administration. After saying that, he turned around and left.

"Wait!" A loud shout rang out behind him, and one of the ministers in the front row suddenly got up and strode forward. Qiu Deyong turned around and saw that it was Yu Zhenkun, the left capital Yushi in a red robe. Yu Zhenkun strode to the bottom of the steps and asked loudly, "Father-in-law Qiu!" The March Great Court Meeting has been held twice, and it has been half a year since the beginning of the year, and the ministers have not been able to see the face of the sky. If the holy bow violates the harmony, the Tai Hospital should have a pulse case, and the minister has asked the Tai Hospital, but the Tai Doctor is hesitant. The minister is really anxious, please come to see Your Majesty. ”

"Filial piety!" Behind him, Prime Minister Lu Yichu's hoarse and slightly majestic voice sounded, "filial piety" is Yu Zhenkun's word. Yu Zhenkun turned his head, Lu Yichu slowly stood up, he was 75 years old, his beard was white, and his body was a little rickety, but he was an old minister of the 3rd dynasty, and he had been the prime minister for 10 years, and there was a kind of majesty between his actions and words. He first raised his hands towards Yu Zhenkun and pressed them down slightly, then turned around and said to a group of red-robed officials behind him: "According to the emperor's will, please go back to your own department, play this traffic secretary, if there is a meeting matter, go to the government hall later to discuss it together." After speaking, he said to Jia Yuan, the Duke of An Guo beside him, "Please take a step back." ”

The 2nd and 3rd rank officials in the back turned around and left, and then the green-robed and blue-robed officials also followed, and some officials were still grinding, as if they were still unsatisfied, but they were dragged and pushed by the people next to them, and they also followed away unwillingly.

Lu Yichu waited until the officials had walked far away, then turned around and walked towards Qiu Deyong and said, "Father-in-law Qiu, take a step to speak." Qiu Deyong waited until Lu Yichu and the three of them went up the steps, turned to the side, gave way to the right side, and took the lead along the corridor of the main hall to the right. He stopped until he reached the corner of the cloister, which was far from the gate, where the guards could not hear the words, and the view around him was so open that no one could peep close.

Qiu Deyong turned around, waited for Lu Yichu and the three of them to stop, and asked, "What advice does the prime minister have?" Lu Yichu said slightly apologetically: "Father-in-law Qiu, just now Xiaozhi was in a hurry, and his words were a little offensive. After speaking, he turned his head and looked at Yu Zhenkun. Yu Zhenkun was helpless, and reluctantly gave his hand to Qiu Deyong and said, "Forgive me Gonggong Qiu." Qiu Deyong's face slackened. Lu Yichu then said slowly: "It's no wonder that Xiaozhi is anxious, at present, state affairs are like a mountain, and many urgent matters are waiting for His Majesty to decide, but it has been more than half a year since the beginning of the year, and His Majesty has not been edicted to see the ministers, and His Majesty has not been present in person for the New Year's Greetings and the two major court meetings after the year, and the ministers are really worried about the dragon body." ”

Qiu Deyong said: "Whenever there is a script, isn't it all wholesale to the political secretary? The affairs of the government hall have also been decreed. ”

Yu Zhenkun on the side said eagerly: "But I can't see the emperor's face, I always say that there is something wrong and sick, can we not be anxious!" ”

Lu Yichu did not blame Yu Zhenkun, and then said: "The emperor has not been here for a long time, even if he is slightly ill, he should be informed by the Tai Hospital, so as to calm the hearts of the subjects of the world.

Jia Yuan, the Duke of Anguo, who had not spoken, also said, "Yes, Father-in-law Qiu. If this continues, I don't know what kind of rumors will be out there. ”

"Oh?" Qiu De glanced at Jia Yuan obliquely, "I don't know what kind of rumors there are?" Jia Yuan paused. Since the "Five Princes Rebellion" in the 8th year of Hongzhi, in addition to the five princes who directly participated in the rebellion, the other two princes were also seized of their titles and homes shortly thereafter, and only he An Guogong has survived to the present. Although he is the only prince of the Great Sui Dynasty at present, but the Great Sui has always been on guard against the Xun Qi family, although he is the grandfather of the country from the first grade, and the prime minister is at the same level, but he usually speaks and acts in a low-key manner.

Yu Zhenkun, as the imperial history of Zuodu, is the leader of the Yanguan, just in his early 50s, in the prime of life, usually poor and self-controlled, upright, and even His Majesty the Emperor tolerates him for three points. Seeing that An Guogong was so frightened by Qiu De's words that he didn't dare to speak, he continued: "The rumors and rumors are unsubstantiated, and it is also human nature to be suspicious when I see things, and I ask Qiu Gonggong to make it clear." ”

Seeing that Lu Yichu didn't say anything, Qiu Deyong had to sigh and said: "Our family is just a slave, acting according to the emperor's will and speaking, the emperor didn't explain, how can you let me make it clear?" ”

Lu Yichu said: "We just want to know how the emperor's dragon body is?" ”

Qiu De looked left and right habitually, then leaned forward, and said in a low voice: "The emperor's health is fine, and the emperor also said, if they are in a hurry, tell them to do their duty, and don't always think about the dragon and the phoenix, and add extra chaos to me." ”

The atmosphere was suddenly a little solemn, and after being silent for a while, Lu Yichu arched his hand to Qiu De and said: "Thank you Father-in-law Qiu, please return to the emperor, and the ministers will definitely follow the emperor's will, abide by their duties, and do their best." I also hope that the emperor will be healthy and come to the court as soon as possible, so as to calm the hearts of the subjects of the world. ”

Qiu Deyong also bowed his head and turned to leave.

Lu Yi and the other three walked slowly on the empty square in front of the Imperial Palace, and the three of them had not spoken since Qiu Deyong left. At this time, the sky was already bright, the morning sun of early spring was warm and warm, sweeping away the previous cold, and the flat and white stone bricks on the ground were also glowing with a lively halo, but the hearts of the three of them became more and more heavy, and the slightest chill sewed their mouths like silk threads.

When he was about to reach the gate of the square, Lu Yichu stopped and said to Jia Yuan and Yu Zhenkun: "The emperor's will is clear, and we will follow this meaning and control the below, especially you." He said to Zhenkun: "Don't use this kind of script in the imperial history and give things." ”

Yu Zhenkun said: "I can explain this meaning, but daring to discuss matters is the duty of the official, such a big event, how can the public mouth be blocked?" ”

Lu Yichu said solemnly: "The country's major event is extraordinary. If you are not careful, the sky will fall apart, and it was a matter of the previous year, which was your majesty's special kindness. Now that His Majesty can't help but be sick, it may not be a bodhisattva's heart. Besides, there has been a clear edict: the prince of the state is in a major matter, and the cadres are arbitrary, and non-courtiers should put their beaks in their mouths. Today, Gonggong Qiu said again, and if he is entangled in this matter, he has the intention of climbing the dragon and attaching the phoenix, that is, he has no selfishness and selfishness. ”

Jia Yuan nodded and said: "The prime minister is right, since we know that Your Majesty is fine, we will be at ease, and we won't worry about things that shouldn't be our worries." After speaking, he bowed his hand to the two of them and left first.

After An Guogong left, Yu Zhenkun said to Lu Yichu: "Prime Minister, although this is the case, it is not a matter that you can't see Your Majesty's face, now there are fires everywhere on all sides, wolf smoke on all sides, the drought in the four northern counties, the continuous plundering of the northern Tatars and the northwest Uighurs, how to deal with the southeastern refugees, how can you take care of it properly by just relying on words, even if the great court meeting is not opened, the emperor can also meet the relevant ministers and discuss it in person." ”

Lu Yichu sighed, shook his head and said, "Let's do it first, let's do our best, try our best to maintain, and live up to God's grace." After saying that, he slowly went out of the house.

Yu Zhenkun followed behind Lu Yichu, and before going out, he looked back at the majestic Imperial Palace, the golden glazed tiles on the hall were brilliant in the sun, and the weather was thousands. He looked up at the sky again, and the sky was so blue that there was not even a trace of a cloud. He sighed and said hatefully: "This ghost weather, and there is no rain, I am afraid that the drought in the north will not be alleviated this year." ”