He came out of the restaurant and returned to the Yongning Mansion, where he had not lived for three days. When he went inside, and walked outside the courtyard that was separated from her by a wall, he saw that the light on her side was dark.

Pei Xiaoyuan stood on the road for a while.

He knew that it was impossible for her to turn off the lights and go to bed so early.

His instincts had already told him that she would not come back when she said something like that this morning. However, he still seemed to be a little hard to believe, and until this moment, he still hadn't completely come back to his senses.

He was standing like this at the moment, and he didn't know what he was expecting.

Suddenly, there was a sound of kicking footsteps behind him, he turned his head and saw that it was his little servant who came with a lantern, as soon as he saw him, his face cried and mourned, saying that he didn't know what was wrong during the day, the eunuch surnamed Yang and the guards who had lived at home for a few days were gone, and he also took away all the things, brushes and paints in Ye Xiaolangjun's house, leaving only the maid and the maid and others.

I chased after me and asked, but they wouldn't say. What the hell is going on? Did Xiao Langjun tell you? She doesn't live at home, where is she going to live? ”

She's a princess. The only princess of the emperor, Princess Shouchang.

Pei Xiaoyuan's heart vaguely flashed through this thought, but he didn't say anything in his mouth, only took a step, walked towards the place where he lived, and lit the lights inside. Qingtou followed in, and continued to ask when Xiao Langjun would return.

"She's in trouble, she won't come back here."

I had no sleep all night last night, Pei Xiaoyuan only felt tired and tired at the moment, and he was upset by this little guy's questioning, so he said a word, and then sent the little guy out.

Qingtou didn't leave, was stunned for a moment, and suddenly slapped his head hard: "I know!" ”

"Is she angry!"

"I wanted to talk to Lang Jun during the day! Last night I told the little lady that you don't want that tent, she was very upset, and asked me if I told you that she asked me to buy it, and I said you know, guess what? She told me to burn it right away! If I hadn't agreed, the 10,000 dollars would have been gone! In the West Market, a penny now buys three chicken eggs, 10,000 yuan, 30,000 chicken eggs! Oviparous chickens, chickens regenerate eggs, I don't know how much they can be sold for! Firmament! She didn't even blink an eye to burn! ”

"Lang Jun, it's all your fault! Blame you for her off! She buys you things, and she is good for you! You can use it, why do you have to go against her? ”

Since this little guy has been rewarded by the emperor, he has been wide-hearted and fat recently, and he doesn't even respect Pei Xiaoyuan as much as before, and the tone of his speech at this moment is actually a bit reproachful.

Pei Xiaoyuan froze for a while.

His previous perception of her seemed to have been stuck in the scene of her refusal to marry in the Ganliang County Guard's Mansion, and he never thought that she would have any other possibilities for him. After coming to Chang'an, he took the initiative to take the initiative to have several intimate actions with her, and there was a reason for it.

He knew that she trusted him, and after his identity was discovered, he had no secrets about him. But he never imagined that she would fall in love with him.

However, at this moment, because of this little guy's words, when he remembered the emperor's angry face as if he wanted to kill him, and her words before leaving this morning, he couldn't help but be stunned.

Was it true, she really had been pleased with him, and when he knew clearly, it was when she said goodbye and left.

Chapter 64

Not a day, and it is the day of the five-day pilgrimage. Although the saint still did not come out that day, Yuan Zhi of the Sigong Tai came to the Zichen Hall of the main hall of the inner palace and announced a message to the hundred officials, after the Obon Festival next month, the saint will take the royal family, the subordinate officials and the officials of the feudal domains in Beijing to Cangshan for summer vacation. Not only that, but a military parade will also be held, and the teaching workshop will be ordered to rehearse the music and dance to cheer on the momentum.

This news made the entire Zichen Hall agitated on the spot, and it was full of buzzing voices from officials discussing each other.

It's not to blame the Manchu Dynasty for losing its temper, but this incident is really unexpected. It has been almost 20 years since the current saint ascended the throne, and he has never been in Cangshan once, and the hundred officials have long been accustomed to this, and they have almost forgotten that there is such a thing. No one would have imagined that all of a sudden, he would make such a decision.

In less than half a day, this matter was spread in Nanya, everyone was talking about it, except for some people who privately speculated about why the saint suddenly traveled this year, more people were excited about it, after all, Chang'an was in the bitter summer, and he could get such an opportunity to go out for the summer, although he nominally had to take a business trip over, but in any case, compared to staying in Nanya all day and entering and leaving the palace gate at a glance, I don't know how much more comfortable and comfortable. And the imperial court's annual performance evaluation of officials, except for a few people who are really unreasonable, it is not difficult for the vast majority of people to think of the performance appraisal in the middle. It can be said that except for some of the stay-behind, this is the meaning that the sage wants to take almost all the Beijing officials above the sixth grade to Cangshan for summer vacation.

As for the music and dance of breaking the formation, it is a kind of martial dance compared to the cultural dance, which is used to show the courage and victory of the soldiers in the army. Three years ago, the war in the West ended, and after a triumphal ceremony for the sacrifice of prisoners, it has not been repeated in recent years. This time it will be staged again, and it will be accompanied by a military parade, so you can imagine how majestic the scene will be. One hundred and twenty dancers are required for this dance. The church has gradually withered in the hands of the saints over the years, and where to gather so many majestic dancers at one time, there is no doubt that they must be selected from the samurai sons of the Jingzhong Guards. When the news spread, everyone regarded it as a great honor to be able to participate in the performance, not only did many children compete with each other, but even King Kang took the initiative to ask for his life, and he also got the permission of the saint.

Although there are still some days before departure, the Ministry of Rites, Gongtai and other departments have already sent teams to Cangshan in advance to make various preparations to welcome the holy car. Almost the entire Nanya was immersed in the warm atmosphere of leaving Beijing for summer vacation, and many people had no intention of doing anything, just waiting for that day to come.

The impact of this incident naturally also affected Fengyi Palace, which could be regarded as an ancient well without waves.

This palace was the residence of the Empress Koyanagi of the dynasty. At this time, she drove out of the De'an Palace where the Empress Dowager lived, and Feng Yuan walked on the road, and even waited to return to the palace, she couldn't suppress the disappointment and resentment from the bottom of her heart. When he walked to a section of the palace road leading to the direction of Zhaowen Pavilion, suddenly, five or six people came from a distance on the fork in the road dozens of steps away from Feng Yuan. In addition to the two eunuchs, there are a few people who look dressed like they are enshrined in the Jixian Palace. The group seemed to be about to go to the Zhaowen Pavilion, when they suddenly noticed the queen Fengren, and immediately came over, calling her Her Royal Highness, and paying a big salute. There was only one boy left who looked like a young man with a weak crown, but he didn't go up and stopped where he was.

Seeing this, the anger that Xiao Yanagi had just held back couldn't help but be hooked out.

She went to the Empress Dowager to find out about the summer vacation in Cangshan Mountain. On this trip, many royal ladies and noblewomen, princesses and court wives in Beijing were all ordered to accompany her, but she was the queen, and the transfer from the palace was an order for her to stay in the harem to serve the empress dowager.

She knew that she would grow up again this time with the jokes of the princess and others, so she endured the humiliation and went to De'an Palace to see her cousin and grandmother Wang.

Wang Shigui is the empress dowager, counting today's saints, he has been the emperor of four dynasties so far, and he has long been in charge of things in his old age. The emperor went out to Beijing for the summer this time, and the first person Sigongtai invited was her. Naturally, she didn't go, and refused on the grounds that she didn't like to move because of old age, but not only that, but she also said Koyanagi's words, saying that she had told herself that she was willing to stay with her.

Just when the Xiaoliu clan passed, the Empress Dowager closed her eyes for a long time, and just when the Xiaoliu clan thought she was sleeping to death, she heard her say lightly, "I made the decision for you for your face." I don't know what to do. ”

Xiaoliu's face was flushed at that time, and he barely came out as if nothing happened, full of resentment, and at this moment when he encountered such a thing, how could he still hold back his anger, and ordered someone to call the arrogant person to the front, but unexpectedly, a palace supervisor of Jixian Hall who came to visit looked back and hurriedly explained, saying that this person was deeply appreciated by the saint because of his meritorious work in painting the picture of the Queen Mother of the West Palace in the West Hall of Ziyun Palace, and was given the privilege of not only walking freely in the palace, but also exempting people from worshipping.

"Even when I see Your Majesty, Your Majesty will allow him to be exempted."

Koyanagi was furious, and subconsciously looked at the other party, just at this time, the young man also turned two rounds of Qingling eyes to look at him, and when he looked over, Koyanagi suddenly had a sense of déjà vu. Before she could sort out the strange feeling, she saw that the other party's eyes were as cold as a knife, like scales scraping through her skin. The heat is coming, but at this moment, the pores around her body suddenly have a faint chill.

A sense of fear that came from somewhere hit the Koyanagi clan. She came back to her senses suddenly, and when she looked at it again, she saw that the green shadow moved, and the young man actually left her to take care of herself and continued to move forward, and walked towards the Zhaowen Pavilion.

In addition to being angry, Koyanagi also recalled some of the words he said when he painted Yao Xu to make a portrait of her a few days ago.

A few months ago, a painter came to the Zhiyuan, he was young, but he didn't know what kind of means he used, not only did he make Fang Shandu and others bow down to him, but even the emperor was fascinated by him, and his grace was abnormal, even far better than that of the old sage of the previous dynasty to Ye Zhongli.

Yao Xu's words could not hide his jealousy and hatred.

Not long ago, the emperor summoned a painter to make another picture of the Queen Mother of the West in the West Hall of Ziyun Palace, and the Xiaoliu clan naturally knew. As for who the so-called "Queen Mother of the West" is in the painting, this is something that everyone in the palace knows.

It turned out that it was this painter who painted a picture of the Queen Mother of the West to please the emperor.

The other party is pampered and arrogant, and the degree of rampant is incredible, and he actually despises her in public to this extent. However, hearing the eunuch's words, what could the Koyanagi clan do, only to feel that the people around him who seemed to be terrified and respectful were actually secretly ridiculed in their eyes. swallowed his anger and returned to the palace, and the nightmare reappeared that night. She dreamed that she was walking naked □□ in a forest of sharp blades made of upside-down knives, surrounded by yaksha and evil spirits, fangs and green eyes, dancing with sharp thistles, forcing her to walk barefoot through the mountain of knives, and a little slower, then hammered violently, and flesh and blood splattered. She fell into the cold sword forest, the flesh around her body was cut into strands, the white bones were exposed, and the blood flowed. She wanted to cry out, but her tongue was torn off by the bull's head and horse's face, and she couldn't say a word, only spasms all over her body in pain, and hated to die. However, the next moment, she realized that this was the hell of Ah Bi, and when she survived the knife mountain, there were still a sea of fire, cannon branding, peeling, pounding, intestine pumping, and oil pot...... She will suffer forever in this boundless punishment, and she will not be born beyond her birth......

When Koyanagi finally struggled to wake up, there was a terrifying ho-ho gasp and a distorted wail like a person being beaten in his ears, and he sat up in shock, only to know that it was his own cause. And around the flower-painted fragrant wood bed where she was lying, there were several eunuchs and palace ladies who were kneeling with almost blank expressions, and they were calling out over and over again in an undulating tone: "The queen wake up." The queen wakes up. Finally breathed her out of her nightmare. Obviously, everyone has long been accustomed to the Nightmare suppression of the Queen.

Xiao Yanagi's eyes flashed with a fierce light, he screamed wildly, slammed down the bed viciously, grabbed the hair bun of a palace lady kneeling in front, cursed fiercely, and beat indiscriminately. Gong E didn't dare to resist at first, only cried bitterly, and the rest of the people hurriedly retreated, watching in horror as she scratched Gong E's face with sharp nails and pulled out the Dao Blood Flower. She kept her eyes open, and her mouth kept scolding, until the palace was so painful that she couldn't stand it, screaming and breaking free, kowtowing and begging for mercy, she completely woke up, trembled, stood for a moment, drove away people violently, and didn't dare to close her eyes again.

The palace leaked completely, in the dawn, she saw the portrait made by Yao Xu for her, the person in the painting was dressed in the queen's court dress, the face was plump, full of the grace and luxury of the mother's world, but in the mirror, but in her early forties, the face of the person in the mirror was swollen, the corners of the eyes were covered with fine lines, and in front of the forehead, a few white hairs that had been plucked out before.

At dawn, the Xiaoliu clan called his brother Liu Ceye, and asked sharply: "Your Majesty went east, but you left me alone and asked me to guard the old woman!" What do people in Beijing think of me? How long will I have to live like this? ”

When Pei Jiazi entered Beijing, he couldn't get rid of it for a while, and Liu Ceye was afraid that he would be used by the Feng family, so he wanted to use the Wei family to win him over. The Wei family is the prince's family, and if the marriage is successful, it will be a big deal to break off the marriage in the future. Even if it doesn't work, as long as there is contact, it is an opportunity for the prince to show his influence to the officials. Especially after the crown prince was confined some time ago, he was even more eager to ease relations with Pei Xiaoyuan, so he begged the emperor. If the emperor does not object, it can also be regarded as the emperor showing an attitude to the court, he intends to resolve the feud between the two families, and the position of the crown prince is still stable.

So he expected that Pei Xiaoyuan would give the Wei family, or rather, the crown prince face, at least to keep moving around with the Wei family no matter what.

He didn't expect that he wouldn't come to the Wei family's birthday banquet. On that day, only Cui Daosi appeared, saying that his nephew was entangled in official business and couldn't get out.

Liu Ceye has been worrying about this matter for the past few days, while suspecting that Pei Xiaoyuan will be used by the Feng family, he is even more worried, could it be that the emperor privately instructed him to do so? At this moment, how could he be in the mood to appease the Koyanagi clan again, and he was not polite immediately, and complained: "If you hadn't done such a thing without permission, why would you be today?" It's all my good deeds for you! If I don't tell you to go, I won't go! What's wrong with staying to serve the Empress Dowager and keep an eye on the Wang family? ”

Koyanagi's face turned red: "How did you arrange it at the beginning?" Didn't you say that I would marry to take over my sister? Promise me to wait for nothing, have you done it? It is also because you are afraid that the woman will be favored, and Mao'er's status will be lost sooner or later! I helped you turn people into dead ghosts, and now everything is my fault? ”

Liu Ceye saw that her face was pale and her eyes were blue, and he hurriedly silenced her: "You can bear with it again!" What about a moment of humiliation? When the crown prince ascends the throne, you will be the queen mother, and when the time comes, it will not be as you want to do! ”

"It's the last minute. If you act recklessly and spoil the prince's affairs, you know it yourself. ”

Liu Ceye's threatening words made Xiao Liu Ruru pour a basin of cold water on his head. She stared at the person in front of her, as if squeezing out from between her teeth, and said word by word: "I did it, and you are not clean!" If one of me is bad, don't think about it one by one. ”

Liu Ceye knew that she had been sitting in the cold palace for more than ten years, her temperament had already changed greatly, and she was a person who dared to do it, with a lot of means, seeing this appearance at this moment, she didn't dare to push her too much, so she hurriedly pressed the disgust in her heart, and persuaded by the way: "What did Ah Mei say?" Isn't everything we do for the future of the prince? It is precisely because of this that my brother asked you to endure it a little longer. It's been all these years, so why wait. It's almost the end. ”

Xiao Yanagi was silent for a moment, and said slowly: "Zhao Zhongfang, that old thing suddenly came back, what does Your Majesty mean?" ”

"Also, there is a painter in the palace recently, who is very favored by His Majesty. Yesterday I didn't meet by accident, for some reason, I always felt like an acquaintance, but I couldn't think of where I had seen it for a while......"

The night passed, and the feeling of darkness and coldness that arose around me at that time still didn't seem to have completely subsided at this moment.

Liu Ceye naturally had heard of the painter, and knew that he was close to Pei Xiaoyuan, like a brother. But how could he put a court painter in his eyes.

Over the years, he had also tried to install his own people in the emperor's Purple Cloud Palace, but after all, he couldn't find an opportunity, and he was even more afraid of the emperor's shrewdness and didn't dare to act rashly.

In his opinion, this matter is nothing. The emperor is using Pei Xiaoyuan, and naturally treats this painter well, which is one of them. Second, the emperor may still be obsessed with Concubine Yin, and now his body is declining day by day, and it is inevitable that he will miss the old man more and more, and call Zhao Zhongfang back, and the painter is just a good painter, and he wants to come to the emperor's favor, so that the emperor can see the painting, as if he sees people, and has some comfort, which is the grace is abnormal.

But this kind of thought is not good to say in front of the Koyanagi clan, so as not to provoke her to go crazy again, so he comforted: "Your Majesty's body is getting worse and worse, and it is normal for people to call the old people back to serve." As for the little painter, he is just flattering with his strange skills, such as Ye Zhongli back then, what is there to fear? ”

The queen had nightmares and abused the palace people, he naturally heard about it, and when he looked at the queen with a tense and suspicious look, he put his voice more gently: "Your Royal Highness the queen, don't think too much, it's useless to think too much." It is better to take this opportunity to go to the imperial temple more, listen to the Dharma, and have the Dharma in your heart, then all the demons in your heart will naturally retreat. ”

After Liu Ceye left, it is unknown whether the Koyanagi clan listened to his advice. However, like Fengyi Palace, the Zhiyuan of His Royal Highness Jixian has also become popular in the past few days because of the news that suddenly came out of Sigongtai.

The sage Cangshan took refuge in the summer, and the court painters must be able to accompany them, and record the military parade or other scenes at the time of the painting, which is also their duty. The little painter Ye Xuyu has won the favor of the saint and will follow the saint to walk, but the rest of the people, who can go, is not sure. In the past few days, except for Fang Shan, who doesn't care about everything, since Yao Xu, everyone expects that they can be selected, and even the original going out has stopped. The Cao Eun, who was in charge, was very cunning, and accepted bribes from Yao Xu and Yang Jiming, but turned his head and announced that Song Bokang had brought his apprentices with him, saying that it was equally important to collect wind here, and it was necessary to keep capable people to continue, so as not to delay the advancement plan of the murals of the Shenshu Palace.

Song Bokang knew that Cao Eun was a man who saw the wind and steered the rudder, and he must have made such an arrangement in order to please Ye Xuyu. It can be seen that this apprentice is really his own lucky star, and after he comes, he can be said to have everything going well, and he naturally takes care of her. But Song Bokang is not a person who gets carried away, this time it is a glorious thing to be able to overwhelm the opposite side and be able to accompany the royal car, but painting that mural is a real big thing, which he has never forgotten. I am afraid that I will be compared to the other side, so I have to take advantage of the remaining days to hurry up and go to the rest of the suburbs of Chang'an. The progress of the two sides is different, so it is natural to go their separate ways. So busy, travel once a few days, come back to sort out the paintings, show your eyes, the season into July, a few days later is the Obon Festival, and then, the sage's summer trip to Cangshan will also come.

The news came back from there, the palace was sprinkled and cleaned, and it was completely new, and the capital was also ready, and the many officials and attendants who were able to accompany them were even more eagerly looking forward to it, just waiting for the sage's order.

Early in the morning of this day, Song Bokang led several disciples out of the palace again. It was the last time he planned to go out on a location trip. The rain is still walking together. When I went out of the palace, I met Pei Xiaoyuan.

He and several subordinates in Lu Wusi were entering the palace.

Because the saint is about to travel, this is the first time to go out to Chang'an in nearly 20 years since he ascended the throne, among the sixteen guards, Jin Wuwei bears the most direct responsibility for security, so Han Kerang did not dare to have half a point of relaxation, although he had already set the escort plan for the trip, but in order to ensure that nothing went wrong, early in the morning, he called all the chief officials of Jin Wuwei and Lu Wusi into the palace.

Pei Xiaoyuan was dismounting near the palace gate. On one side was out of the palace, and on the other side was in the palace, and they were caught off guard, and the two collided together.

This is the last time the two have met again in more than half a month after saying goodbye in Yongning House.

Pei Xiaoyuan knew that after she moved out that day, she had been living in the palace in the Xianfu Palace, which was the side hall of the Ziyun Palace, because it was for the later polishing of the mural of the Queen Mother of the West. The emperor's arrangement, who dares to ask more than half a sentence.

He also knew that her movements these days, as before, were either walking back and forth between the palace, or the Zhaowen Pavilion, or the Jixian Palace, or the Shenshu Palace, or going out with Song Bokang to pick up the scenery.

Today, like her peers at the Academy, she wears an official top-collared Xia Bu Tsing Yi, slightly rolled up her sleeves to her wrists, and wears a sunshade bamboo hat on her head, which is worn very low, and the brim of the hat covers most of her face. However, in a group of travelers, he still saw her for the first time, and couldn't help but slow down.

"Ye Xiaolangjun!"

Liu Bo also discovered her at this time and called out happily.

This voice immediately attracted the attention of the group of painters. Song Bokang saw that it was Pei Xiaoyuan and others, and hurriedly came to salute. Pei Xiaoyuan saw that she seemed to turn her face as well, as if she was looking this way, her heartbeat increased slightly, but her face was as if nothing happened, and she exchanged a few words with Song Bokang. But I heard him say: "In a few days, I will be fortunate enough to go east with the saint to Cangshan, and while I still have leisure, I will go out of the city for the last time." Today's road is a little far, I'm afraid I won't be able to come back at night, but fortunately, with Yuan's internal servant, I can settle in an official's courtyard tonight. When I return to the city tomorrow, I will be ready to go. At that time, I will have to bother Pei Sicheng to take care of the people in my hospital. The lower official thanked him in advance. "Finish and give up.

Pei Xiaoyuan answered the words, and saw that Liu Bo had already gone up to greet her, saying that she hadn't seen her these days, and she should have said that there was something in the courtyard, so she was busy. Liu Bo said a few more words about the Cangshan trip, and then said in a somewhat flattering tone: "I heard that in the past, every time the old sage traveled, he would ask the painter to make a picture. If this time is the same, bother Xiao Langjun, remember to draw me in! At that time, I will be by Pei Langjun's side, touching his light! With that, he bowed his hand to her and looked back again.

She also turned her eyes and followed Liu Bo to look at him.

Pei Xiaoyuan's heart was beating extremely fast for a while.

At this time, several other subordinates beside him heard that they didn't know that this little painter who had recently won the blue eyes of a saint had a good relationship with his boss, so they all learned from Liu Bo's example, and surrounded her to get close to her, hoping to call themselves into the painting at that time.

She looked at the crowd, as if amused by them, and raised her hand to lift the brim of her hat upwards. With her raising arms, the sleeves were crumpled together, and a piece of snow wrist was exposed, and then after she lifted her hat, she dropped her arm, and the sleeves were quickly straightened, covering her jade arms again.

"I am valued by your brothers, and if Your Majesty orders me to paint at that time, I will definitely paint you in it." She smiled and said with an easy-going and generous attitude.

Liu Bo and the others were all happy and thanked them loudly. Song Bokang and other people from the painting academy also knew that Ye Xiaolangjun and Pei Xiaoyuan had a good relationship, and they laughed when they saw this, and the atmosphere outside the palace gate was rarely so warm and relaxed, which attracted several palace guards to turn their heads and look around.

There is no room for noise here, everyone naturally knows this reason, and each has something to do, after the narration, he said goodbye to her.

Finally, Pei Xiaoyuan waited for her to look.

I saw that she still had the unfinished smile on her face, her eyes stopped on her face, continued to smile, nodded at him, and then closed her eyes, pressed down the brim of her hat to cover half of her face, got on the horse and left with everyone, and the figure quickly disappeared outside the palace gate.

Chapter 65

On that day, it was also the death day of Pei Xiaoyuan's deceased mother, Cui Niangzi.

Soon after the Danfengmen incident that year, she died of excessive depression, and before her death, she did not accept Cui Daosi's proposal to raise her nephew when he met her privately, but ordered her son to go out of Beijing and go to his uncle Pei Ji in the northwest.

Naturally, these are old things, and now that Pei Xiaoyuan is an adult, the attitude of the princess of Cui's house has also changed, and this time she took the death of her late sister-in-law very seriously, and called her nephew, Queen Zhenfeng, to help prepare. On this day, there is a big ritual in the Temple of Mercy and Grace, and because it is the Obon Festival three days later, this ceremony will also be done for three consecutive days, in response to the Obon Festival, with the Dharma offering the merits of the Three Jewels, and the intention of increasing the lotus products of the ancestors of the Upper Clan.

After this casual encounter, Pei Xiaoyuan quickly put away his mind and entered the palace to attend the meeting.

Han Kerang was able to sit firmly in today's position, except for his identity as a dragon hero who was born and died in the early years of following the Dingwang Formation, and he was not an ordinary person, he made the guard plan very thoroughly, from the departure to the stationing on the road to the arrival at the Cangshan Palace, not only every step was arranged clearly, but even the details of how many people were lined up in each post and the secret guard did not let go, and personally asked one by one. After making sure that there were no more omissions, Fang ordered everyone to disperse and make preparations.