The season has arrived at the beginning of winter, the beginning of winter.

The crescent moon is already in the night sky, and the stars are avoiding the light of the moon. The new moon has just passed, and the weather in the capital has gradually become cold, and heavy snow may fall in the near future.

The guards on the night patrol have just returned, and the next group of guards is being handed over by the team leader. Long Xiangtian looked at the file in the council hall and looked up to see that the guards had changed shifts. Walked down the conference hall, arrived in the hall, and made a few words of explanation to the captain of the guard, and said: "The secret sentry of the inner gate near the two gates of Xuanwu and Baihu needs to be arranged one more, and the guards of the concubines and concubines in the harem need to be changed from one shift to two shifts, otherwise one shift will be on duty until dawn, and the second day of handover will be out of spirit." ”

After listening to Long Xiangtian's words, Si Bei, the captain of the guard, said: "Commander Long, so there is not enough manpower in the Wanhua Palace, and the emperor specially allowed the Wanhua Palace to be on duty in three shifts. ”

Long Xiangtian looked at the rotation chart on the wall and said: "The guards in the Imperial Garden have drawn out a small squad of people, and the same is true among the guards patrolling the lake, as well as the section from the Elixir Division to the inner gate, and then a small squad of people to exchange for the people of the Ten Thousand Flowers Palace." ”

Si Beidao: "The rotation of the guards of the Wanhua Palace requires the permission of the emperor. ”

"You go to the night patrol first, I told the emperor that it is-" Long Xiang Tiandao.

Si Bei replied to the order, and then went out of the Moon Dragon Pavilion to inspect all parts of the palace.

At this time, the door opened again, and Zhou Xingyu carried a string of copper coin-like grass into the door, and said to Long Xiangtian excitedly: "The detoxification grass has been found, and there will be eighty percent of toad poison in the future, so don't be afraid." After that, he went upstairs and placed the grass in the medicine cabinet marked in advance by the Elixir Division at the medicine building.

Long Xiangtian looked at the medicine building and said, "Can copper money grass cure toad poison?"

Zhou Xingyu said as he went downstairs: "The dragon commander doesn't know, this is not copper money grass, it is a special herb in Miao Jiang. Although this herb is similar to the copper coin grass, it can be different from the effect of the copper coin grass, if the non-poisoned person takes this medicine externally, then the place where it is applied will be a rash and ulcerated at the heavy; ”

"How did Medicine Officer Zhou find such a wonderful medicine?" Long Xiangtian said curiously.

Zhou Xingyu said: "This medicine is not available in the capital, I went to Miaojiang with all the elixir officials, and under the guidance of Xue Fu, a toad breeder unique to Miaojiang, I found it in Tangba Ridge, which has the most toads in Miaojiang." ”

"It's been so hard for Medicine Officer Zhou, and in the future, I will ask the Elixir Department to teach the antidote of this herb with the guards and other officials. "Long Xiang Heavenly Dao.

Zhou Xingyu said with a smile: "Commander Long, don't worry, we are already preparing for this matter." ”

The gate opened again, Chen Renhai took the door with him, and Zhou Xingyu said, "Where did Commander Chen go?"

Chen Renhai said: "I went to the post station outside the palace to pick up the family letter." Why did Medicine Officer Zhou have time to come to the Moon Dragon Pavilion today?"

Zhou Xingyu told Chen Renhai about the miracle medicine he had just found, and Chen Renhai said: "With the official position of Ouchi for more than a month, Zhou Yaoguan went to Miaojiang to find the miracle medicine, which can be described as doing his best." ”

"Haha...... In less than a month, the eight commanders renovated all the official case files, and after sorting them out, Commander Wang went to Nanyue to deal with the official corruption case...... so Commander Guo also went to Suzhou to investigate and deal with the case of official dereliction of duty Zhou Xingyu said.

"How can there be so many cases to be overturned, what Commander Wang and Commander Guo are investigating is actually only the corruption case of the Ministry of Rites that we have been wondering about together in the past few days. Chen Renhai said.

Zhou Xingyu said: "The corruption case of the Ministry of Rites...... After the ambush, some officials in the south set up secret prices to pre-sell the imperial examination questions, and they also embezzled school funds.

"This matter has been spread to Youzhou-" Long Xiang Tiandao.

Zhou Xingyu said: "Aren't all things in the world like this? Good things don't go out, and evil things go thousands of miles." ”

The door opened again while speaking, it turned out to be Pu Mu and Duan Gan's treacherous wind - after the sage saw the sage, the sage asked the scheming style's surname, and the scheming wind said that he was originally adopted by a Jianghu Langzhong, and the latter Langzhong died, and he went to Longhu Mountain to learn the Tao, and he had no surname from beginning to end;

I saw the two of them coming in with two baskets of food boxes, and Chen Renhai said, "Xiangye's family banquet is over?"

"Xiangye was a matchmaker for his eldest son today, and invited Fang Shilang from the Ministry of Officials to come to the Prime Minister's Mansion as a guest, and wanted to be a matchmaker with Fang Shilang's daughter, but he didn't want to let me accompany him. Duan Gan said treacherously.

"Hahaha...... Commander Ouchi is still an iceman now?" Zhou Xingyu quipped.

"Don't talk nonsense, you guy, I'm just one of the guests invited by Xiangye, how can we talk about the matchmaker?" Duan Gan said treacherously.

"Come to think of it, Xiangye should also be a matchmaker for you-" Zhou Xingyu said with a smile.

"It's up to you to say it, after glancing at General Wang's daughter a few times, he chased after Wang Yu and asked, hahahahahaha......" Duan Gan said treacherously.

Pu Mu said: "Don't laugh at the two of you, today's winter night, Xiangye sent someone to cook dumplings, I want you to work hard in the Moon Dragon Pavilion, so let us bring it to you——"

"Don't say goodbye-the imperial dining room has just been sent to the Elixir Division, I've eaten it-everyone eat slowly, I'll take my leave first-" After that, Zhou Xingyu said goodbye to the four of them, went out, and left a sentence before going out, "It's cold this day-"

The four of them carried the food box into the kitchen, found a large table and put it in the kitchen dining room, opened the box, took out the dumplings, and pulled out a pot of wine.

"This ......" Chen Renhai pointed to the wine road - except for the emperor's permission, the Ouchi commanders are not allowed to drink.

"This wine is a medicinal wine, it was given by the eldest son of Xiangye, and it was put in the food box for convenience. Pu Mu said. After a while, he put it in the cabinet of the medicine building, and listened to what the eldest son of the Xiangye said, this medicinal wine was used by the prince of Zhenbei to treat the bruises and injuries of the generals when he was marching, and it was particularly effective. ”

"I see. Chen Renhai said.

"What about Commander Bai?" Duan Gan asked.

"Poplar is resting in the barracks, thinking that he is sleeping soundly, just now that there is such a sound in the Dragon Pavilion this month, he hasn't woken up yet-" Long Xiang Tiandao.

At this time, the door of the barracks opened, and Bai Yang walked out, walked around the floor to the kitchen door, and said, "Who is saying my words behind my back?" After that, he took the chopsticks handed by Pu Mu, picked up a dumpling and put it in his mouth.

"I think you're hungry and looking for a supper—" Long Xiang said.

"Yes, there are so many guards in the barracks, why did you wake up?" Duan Gan said treacherously.

Bai Yang ate another dumpling and said, "They sleep soundly, and I feel shallow." And you haven't been uneducated about the sound of the man who went upstairs and spoke—" Then he found a chair and sat down at the table. When everyone heard this, they all looked at each other and laughed.

"What does the dossier look like, Brother Long?" asked Poplar.

Long Xiangtian put down his chopsticks and said, "I've read all the suspicious points you marked." According to the confession of the corrupt official, it was 45,000 taels of silver, but only 20,000 taels of silver was filled in the treasury of the Ministry of Criminal Affairs. The Criminal Department did not investigate this, and today I invited Yuwen Shangshu to come, but Yuwen Shangshu said that the original file of the Criminal Department was 45,000 taels, and later changed to 20,000 taels. ”

"Is there a mistake in the verification when entering the treasury?" Pu Mu wondered, "But it is also nonsense to think about it, how can so much silver be in and out of the estimate? 25,000 taels of silver, how can it be ......?"

According to the investigation of the Criminal Department, the corrupt officials were the ministers of the imperial examinations of the Ministry of Rites of the three southern provinces, and there were many officials involved in the case, most of whom were officials from various prefectures and counties. When the Criminal Department first confiscated it, it reported 45,000 taels of silver, and from the rough account of the Criminal Department's book, it was not returned the confiscated silver money, and then it was carefully calculated and entered into the account by the Ministry of Justice. Poplar said.

"Did Brother Long ask the officials of the Ministry of Officials?" asked Pu Mu.

Long Xiangtian said: "Wu Shangshu of the Ministry of Officials told me that the account books of the Ministry of Officials were sent to the emperor for verification, and I also looked at the account books, and the general account books were 20,000 taels, and the amount of the account books copied out by the prefectures and states was also 20,000 taels. Yuwen Shangshu of the Criminal Department also said to the emperor that he had changed the amount by mistake, although the emperor nodded, he was afraid that he still had doubts in his heart. In addition, officials in the three prefectures were killed—five in all, as you all know, and they all died violently in cells in various states, and the autopsies were fruitless. I thought about it, but I still started with the amount of stolen silver, and for no reason, 25,000 taels of silver...... There must be a clue......"

The gate of the Moon Dragon Pavilion opened again, and Gong Pan led a group of eunuchs to come.

Seeing this, the five people immediately got up and went downstairs to greet them, and before the Duke of Pan was angry, he immediately said to the five people in the hall: "Five commanders, the emperor said: There is urgent news from the Dongting Mansion that Wudang Xiaotaiyi Dao Changxian died at the age of one hundred and four; ”

Everyone replied to the order, and Long Xiangtian said: "Dare to ask my father-in-law, when will I leave?"

Pan Gong said: "Just now the old slave was in a hurry, and the commanders will go to the gate of the Qinzheng Palace tomorrow, and the old slave will send the filial piety clothes given by the emperor to you, and the imperial incense of the Internal Affairs Office and the emperor's close-up sacrificial banners and eulogies also need to be taken on the road together." ”

"Thank you so much, father-in-law—" Pu Mu said.

Gonggong Pan bid farewell to the five commanders and left the Moon Dragon Pavilion.

Long Xiangtian said: "Immediately fly the pigeon to pass the book, explain the matter to Nanyue Wang Yu and Suzhou Guo Yu, and let them go to Wudang Mountain immediately." Where did Li Defei go?"

"Li Defei is in Taixue and the pickets are making up the classics of various factions in the rivers and lakes. I'll be back when I'm young—" Pu Mu said.

"Xiao Taiyi Dao Chang is one of the martial arts masters, a rare old man in the rivers and lakes, and now the immortal has passed away, which is a great regret in the martial arts. It is commendable that the emperor treats Tianzun with such a heavy courtesy-" Baiyang said.

Pu Mu said: "The court treats Tianzun with great courtesy, it is for what Tianzun did for the court and the rivers and lakes when he was the emperor......

"What's the matter?" asked Poplar.

Chen Renhai said: "I think it was Tianzun who helped the court to descend the person in the Demon Suppression Tower, and the emperor thanked him for it, and Tianzun is a saint who expects Yi, the emperor is a junior, and it is also common for us to keep filial piety on behalf of the emperor......

The moon has crept to the west, and the night is deep.

A few hours later, the sun was over the eastern mountains. After the six commanders freshened up, put on their official uniforms, hung up their waist cards, and took their respective weapons--after welcoming the Western Army that day, Kai Qi asked the eight commanders what kind of weapons they needed to build, and the eight commanders each said the weapons they needed -- Long Xiangtian took a soft sword with flowers engraved on the hilt; Pu Mu took a set of iron double knives with silver and white scabbards; Li Defei and Chen Renhai took a steel knife; Duan Gan Weifeng and Bai Yang all took a sword.

Six people went to the gate of the Qinzheng Palace together, took the mourning clothes, sacrificial banners, eulogies and the rest of the funeral objects given by the emperor, sealed it, then went to the palace gate, there were eunuchs waiting in front of the palace gate, six people got on the horse, drove the horse out of the palace - because of the need to rush to Wudang, so Pan Gonggong got the emperor's will to hand over all the food offerings and local officials to take, and then reported to the Ministry of Rites.

Six fast horses traveled day and night, and arrived at Dongting Mansion in less than five days. The six of them went to the governor's residence of Dongting Mansion, and after paying their respects, they explained their intentions and invited officials of Dongting Mansion to pay tribute to Wudang.

About two days later, six people gathered the officials of Dongting Mansion above the fifth grade, led some government officials to carry three animals and fruits, and went to Wudang Mountain, at the foot of Wudang Mountain, and happened to meet Guo Yu and Wang Yu. When the two saw everyone coming, they immediately stepped forward to pay a visit. After everyone met, the two put on official uniforms, put on filial piety clothes, and went up the mountain together.

I saw that outside the side hall on the main road of the mountain road, all hung the sacrificial banner and white sails, opened the incense altar, the paper fire was full of cloth, and there were Taoists in front of the incense altar in turn. The people walked up the hill along the main road, and there were cries and conversations in the halls along the way, and the soot from the burning paper money was all in front of them.

The governor of Dongting, who walked behind the eight people, asked: "All the adults are wearing filial piety clothes, do you want to hang filial piety for Xiao Taiyi?"

"I didn't mention it to the adults when I came, this is my filial piety on behalf of the emperor. Tianzun is a martial arts master, and the rivers and lakes are all admired by the courts, which is a tribute to the emperor, and we will act on my behalf. Pu Mu said.

"All the adults have worn filial piety, I waited for this to go up the mountain, I think it is inappropriate, I don't know if the Wudang Taoist still has any extra filial piety clothes to wait with me-" The governor of Dongting said.

Li Defei said: "Governor Liu doesn't have to be like this, I and the other eight people originally came to come on behalf of the emperor, if we don't bring all the adults to come to mourn, it will seem that the people from my court are thinner than the people in the rivers and lakes, but this is just a condolence memorial." As for Dai Xiao, it was done by us for the emperor, and you don't have to be like this. ”

"Lord Li's words are inappropriate, the eight adults are hanging filial piety on behalf of the emperor, and we are waiting for the official uniform to mourn, won't we lose the courtesy of the monarch and the minister?" Governor Liu said.

"yes...... yes......" The officials also chimed in. "How can there be a reason why the king wears filial piety and the courtiers don't wear it?"

Long Xiangtian said: "If you want to hang your filial piety, go to the main hall, and go to wear it with those Taoist priests." ”

"What Lord Long said is extreme—" Governor Liu said.

While speaking, everyone had arrived at the foot of the hill where the main hall was located, and a group of Taoist children with filial piety saw everyone coming to greet them, and said, "You officials are ......."

"The eight of us are the commanders of the Great Interior, followed by Governor Liu of Dongting Mansion, Deputy Secretary Wu, Master Pang Zhu, Xu Langzhong, and Governor Zhang of Xunyang Prefecture of Dongting Mansion. Chen Renhai said.

Dao Tong saluted and said, "It turned out that the adults of the imperial court came to mourn the ancestor, and I missed the distance, please forgive me——"

"Little Daotong, I have never heard of a funeral that requires guests to be greeted from afar. We are waiting for the court to offer gifts and condolences, and then we need to keep a vigil for the patriarch for three days. "Long Xiang Heavenly Dao.

"In that case, please go up the mountain—" the boy replied.

Everyone was about to go up the mountain, and the little Taoist boy said: "The weapons of the eight adults still need to be unloaded and kept with us, and we will return them after the adults go down the mountain——"

Pu Mu looked at the double knives chained to his waist, shook at the little Daotong, and said with a smile: "The Lingtang doesn't have weapons, I'm rude, and I ask the little master to forgive me-" After that, he untied the double knives and handed them to the Daotong.

In this way, Long Xiangtian, Bai Yang, Guo Yu, and Duan Gan handed over their swords, Li Defei and Chen Renhai handed over their swords, and Wang Yu untied the mixed iron chain and handed it over to Daotong.

Everyone was led up the stone steps by a Taoist boy, and after walking about a hundred steps, they arrived at the entrance of the main hall. When Xiaodaotong was about to say goodbye, he was stopped by Governor Liu, who said: "Dare to ask the little master, your faction still has extra filial piety clothes, I came in a hurry, and I didn't wear filial piety...... I also bothered the little master to get some filial piety clothes for me and a few others. ”

The little boy said: "There is still a surplus of filial piety, everyone wait a minute, I will quickly go and get it-"

After running to the main hall, Xiaodao Tong took a few filial piety clothes and the adults, who put them on and tidied them up a little, and the rest of the little ones were all dressed in linen, so they went to pay tribute with the eight commanders.

The mourning hall is located in the main hall, everyone stepped forward to put on the royal incense, knelt down to worship and mourn, put a golden cloth on the coffin, sent a sacrificial banner, Pu Mu took off the sealed sacrificial text from his body, and began to read:

In the winter of the year of Wei Jiayin, on the 12th of November, I sacrificed to the royal food and delicacies

In front of the Wudang Xiaotaiyi Dao Chief's Spiritual Seat, he said:

Woohoo lament, the birth of the heavens, the blessing of the same, the good Bingyi, the unique Tianzun.

Hang Tianzun's divine skills are world-shattering, and he fights against the evil demons with me. Hanging Tianzun has the common people in his heart, and he is inspired to make great efforts.

Hanging Tianzun's Taoism is self-contained, awakening and broad-minded. The Hanging Heaven Venerable disciples are full of people to help me stabilize the government and the opposition.

Time has passed for hundreds of years, seventy are rare, and there are four hundred years old in the sky. I can't hate the thousand-year-old grass, I regret that I can't send the 10,000-year-old Dan, only the sad wind sends the autumn, and the early winter sends the dragon.

Looking at the sail and sighing, thinking about the unforgettable fan. I forgot that Yujing was vast, and the bright moon was short. Offering imperial food and delicacies, may the heavenly spirit be used——

Vovi Shang feast!

After reading the memorial text, everyone inside and outside the mourning hall got up - I heard that the imperial court had sent people to pay respects, and there was also a large internal commander who came to read the memorial written by the emperor himself instead of the emperor. The Jianghu sects and wealthy families who came to pay tribute all came out of the living room and came to kneel down to listen to the text, and it was not until Pu Mu finished reading it out that everyone got up.

The Taoist children brought the eight leaders to help all the Taoist elders who wore filial piety one by one, and then the little servants served their meals in front of the spirit.

Long Xiangtian said to the external officials: "It's good for you to go to the living room, we still need to keep the spirit-"

A Taoist chief asked, "Why did the eight commanders keep the spirit?"

Pu Mu said: "This is the emperor's holy decree, let me and others keep filial piety on my behalf." ”

"Since it is the emperor's holy decree, please also keep here for half an hour, and after passing the meal, go and eat. The chief replied.

"No, we have the responsibility of keeping filial piety for the king, how can we be so casual? This disrespectful spirit of heavenly respect and disrespect for the emperor's grace secondly. Chen Renhai said.

"Yes...... But the mourning hall is already full of my Wudang disciples, and if the eight adults also come to guard the spirit, I think the mourning hall is a little crowded. The chief explained.

"In this case, how many people can be allowed to keep the spirit?" asked Pu Mu.

"There is only room for four people. The Taoist replied.

Long Xiangtian said: "In this way, it is good for us to take turns to guard the spirit, and the four of us will keep watch for six hours." Three days like this is fine, and may I ask the chief, how many days will the spirit be suspended?"

"Master's Spirit needs to stop for twenty-two days—" replied the Daoist.

Long Xiangtian asked to know if the eight people could keep the three days of filial piety, because after counting the hours on the road, the number of days when the eight people stopped the spirit was less than three days, so returning to the palace could not help but explain, and the government could not interfere with the suspension of the Jianghu sect, which was a traditional rule. In this way, if there is enough time, Long Xiangtian will be at ease.

Pu Mu, Duan Gan Weifeng, Chen Renhai, and Li Defei preceded the mourning hall.

In the mourning hall, Pu Mu saw that there was a statue covered by an oilcloth behind the coffin, so he asked the Taoist priest next to him, "Dare to ask Dao Chang, why do you cover this statue?"

The Taoist priest replied: "The main hall is enshrined in the immeasurable Tianzun, there was no mourning hall here, most of my Wudang stopping places are in the hall behind the main hall, but the name and reputation of the family teacher are rare in the Wudang dynasties, and the end of a hundred years old, is already a longevity and Tianqi, is a great joy and mourning; ”

"I see. Pu Mu said.

In the living room, after Long Xiangtian and the others met the people from the various factions in the rivers and lakes, they went to the courtyard behind the hall to find a chair and sit down.

"Don't—" Wang Yu said. "The mourners are all guests, and the hospitality is equal, so why let others let us, and there is nothing bad in the courtyard. ”

"Follow the orders of the adults—" Governor Liu and the others also found chairs and stools with the four commanders and sat down.

When the Taoist children saw that there were guests seated, they found a table, wiped it and put it in front of everyone, and invited everyone to come forward and sit down. "There are many guests today, please forgive me for neglecting all the officials-" Xiao Daotong apologized after serving tea.

"Since ancient times, guests have to take care of some things by themselves, and there is nothing rude about this-" Long Xiang Tiandao.

After Xiao Daotong retreated, Long Xiangtian and several magistrates of Dongting began to talk. Long Xiangtian came to Dongting this time, and wanted to investigate the corruption case of the Ministry of Rites by the way, so he still asked about the money.

"Lord Long, the silver on the file was handed over to the Criminal Department for trial, and the Criminal Department also came to review it, and the money has not been discreted?" Governor Liu said.

Long Xiangtian remembered the official who died violently in prison, so he also made an inquiry. But there are still no clues to Governor Liu's words.

"Dongting Five Lakes and Three Gangs—" A sound interrupted Long Xiangtian's thoughts.