Half a month later, the plague in several provinces south of the Yangtze River slowly subsided, and people's livelihood and industries gradually regained their vitality. Emperor Shenzong received the report of Longyan Dayue and specially rewarded the officials of the provinces. However, a few days later, the Beizhen Fuji handed over a secret compromise, which was very contrary to the situation reported by the officials.

Emperor Shenzong sat on the dragon chair and threw the fold on the ground, and the head of the celebrant Zhang Whale's face turned pale with fright, and he hurriedly knelt down and asked, "Why is the saint angry?" What I hate the most in my life is that others deceive me, and it seems that someone wants to be the second Zhang Juzheng. ”

Zhang Whale lowered his head and said, "Forgive the slave for being stupid, I don't know who the Holy Lord is referring to?" Shenzong sneered: "Except for the head of the cabinet, I don't think anyone else has the courage to do this." Zhang Whale pretended to be surprised and said: "Shoufu has tried his best for my Da Ming and wants him to be the second Zhang Juzheng, and the slave thinks that he doesn't have the courage yet." ”

Shenzong said: "Then you framed him?" Zhang Whale was frightened and broke out in a cold sweat and said: "The slave is loyal to the Lord of Long Live, and the heavens and the earth are clear." This excerpt was collected by the minions at the bottom, and it is also true that it is mentioned on the excerpt. As for whether the first assistant is implicated, the slave really doesn't dare to say anything. ”

Although Emperor Shenzong was not in the court, he was clear about the affairs of the court. He knew that Zhang Whale and Shen Shixing could not be in the same boat, which was exactly what he was happy to see. If these two people were like Feng Bao and Zhang Juzheng back then, their position as emperor would be unstable. For this secret fold, he has long been thinking about it.

Emperor Shenzong said: "I am the Son of Heaven, and I have to have a bowl of water." It is their duty for officials to take the lead in curing the plague, and some of the people share the worries of the court, which is a model. Now I have rewarded the officials, but I have not rewarded the people. It would be unfair to do so. I will summon the man mentioned in your recital to the king, and I will reward him well. ”

On this day, the group gathered in the Jiaye Monastery of Huangshan. A little novice hurriedly rushed to the meditation room, and the presiding Zen master said, "Zhikong, why are you so flustered?" The little novice Zhikong said with a pale face: "Oh no, there are soldiers and horses of the imperial court at the foot of the mountain to surround this place." ”

The Zen master was also taken aback when he heard this, and said: "It is a great honor for all of you fellow martial artists to come to our temple, but I never thought that the people from the imperial court would also come today. How's that okay?"

The leaders looked at each other, and the Zhitong monk Bai Mei Yixuan said slowly: "Senior brother, could it be that the Jiaye Zen Monastery has offended the imperial court?" The monks are also dedicated to worshiping the Buddha, even if they go down the mountain, they are restrained by the old man, and it is impossible to cause trouble. ”

Sima Mingcheng said: "Instead of guessing here, it is better to meet them." Gu Feng nodded and said, "Exactly, you don't need to panic, our sect Zhang Tianshi is the current saint of the Emperor." Even if someone wants to be unfavorable to us, forgive them and don't dare to make mistakes. ”

Several martial arts leaders took the lead, followed by a group of disciples. The crowd walked along a gravel path to the outside of the mountain gate. Looking from afar, there are many soldiers and horses under the mountain. After a while, a team of Jinyi guards wearing flying fish suits and wearing Xiuchun knives on their waists walked up the stone steps up the mountain.

As soon as the team went up the mountain, they divided into two columns and stood apart, and out of them came a man with a fierce face. He said to everyone: "Which of you is Xiao Yunfan, stand up for Lao Tzu." The leaders wanted to speak, but Xiao Yunfan came out and said loudly: "It's down there." ”

The brocade guard arched his hand and said: "Xiao Daxia, the brothers have sent an edict to take you to Beijing for a trip." Xiao Yunfan was puzzled and asked: "This eldest brother, Xiao doesn't seem to have done anything unfavorable to the imperial court, didn't you listen to some rumors and want to take me into Beijing?"

The leader of the brocade guard said impatiently: "Xiao Daxia, the gentlemen are doing the errand assigned by the saint, as for why the old man of the saint called you, then we don't know." Xiao Yunfan turned around and wanted to ask the opinions of these martial arts leaders.

Gu Fengdao's eyes flashed, and he pondered for a moment and said, "Brother Xiao, you go." We are the people of the Ming Dynasty, and since we have received the grace of the Holy Family, if you push back, I am afraid that you will lose your head. He stepped forward and whispered in Xiao Yunfan's ear: "Thinking about the good things that Brother Xiao has repeatedly done badly, it is hard to guarantee that it is not the people of the Ghost Xiangmen who are hindering it, and Brother Xiao will be improvised."

I will also rush to Beijing as soon as possible to take care of you. Now the blessings and misfortunes are unpredictable, brother, you are careful in everything. ”

Xiao Yunfan nodded, but thought in his heart: "I'm going, I don't know when I can meet Qing'er again." Alas, the emperor wants to see me Xiao Yunfan, I don't want to see any emperor. He thought for a moment and said, "By the way, if I have the opportunity to meet the emperor, I can take care of Qing'er's affairs." ”

He arched his hands and said to the group of heroes: "Seniors, juniors say goodbye." As he spoke, he turned around and said to the leader of the brocade guard: "Then Brother Lao will lead the way." The brocade guard stretched out his hand and said, "Please." The group hurried down the mountain again.

When everyone walked away, the monk said: "Gu Feng Daoyou, what did you say about the imperial court sending Jinyi Wei to invite Xiao Yunfan to Beijing?" Gu Feng Dao Chang shrank his eyebrows and sighed: "It's hard to say." Brother Xiao has made great contributions to the plague in Jiangnan this time, and the imperial court may reward him. Maybe it's because the Xiao brothers have repeatedly done bad things, and they want to take the opportunity to get rid of him by the hands of the court. "Look at the book house

Sima Mingcheng said: "Although Brother Xiao is young, he is an outstanding figure in our Central Plains martial arts. If something happens to him, it will definitely be a big loss for our Central Plains Martial Arts. The old man advocated that we should do everything we could to protect this person. Gu Feng Dao nodded and said, "The words of the Sima Gang Master are also the words of the poor Dao. My senior brother Zhang Tianshi is still in Beijing, so Poor Dao wrote to tell him and asked him to take care of it on his behalf. ”

The monk of Zhitong proclaimed the Buddha's mouth and said: "Good, good." The Buddha blesses, may Lord Xiao turn evil into good fortune and become auspicious in trouble. ”

The sky is full of stars, and the grains are as bright as pearls. Zhang Whale, the chief supervisor of ceremonies, led Xiao Yunfan into the palace to face the saint. Before the two walked into the palace gate, the two tall guards with spears in their hands hurriedly saluted when they saw Zhang Whale coming: "Grandpa Zhang, okay." Zhang Whale said: "Our family ordered this person to enter the palace to face the saint by holy decree. ”

The two searched Xiao Yunfan's body to see what weapons he had hidden. Zhang Jing smiled: "It seems that the two of you are not at ease with our family. A big man with a long beard smiled and said: "The father-in-law is serious, the villains must be responsible for their errands, and I hope the father-in-law will understand." Zhang Whale nodded, shook the dust in the crook of his arm and said, "Since you have searched it, let it go." The Holy One is still waiting. ”

Xiao Yunfan also came to Beijing for the first time, and when he was in the post house, he saw Zhang Whale. After Zhang Whale ordered someone to bathe and change his clothes, he led him to face the saint. Several little eunuchs carried white paper lanterns in front. Zhang Whale said to Xiao Yunfan: "Hey, boy, when I see the saint later, don't talk nonsense." Xiao Yunfan said lightly: "Okay, I know." ”

Seeing the arrogant tone, Zhang Whale said unhappily in his heart: "Hmph, you rough man in the countryside, if it weren't for the grace of the saint, our family would have to let people take care of you." Xiao Yunfan also has no good impression of him, one is that he speaks in a weird manner, and in Xiao Yunfan's opinion, talking to him more than half a word is an insult to himself. Second, he has no good impression of people in the court.

The two walked towards the hall from the Taihe Hall on the square. Zhang Whale said: "Hey, boy, our family will tell you again, when you come here, don't look at what you shouldn't see, and don't ask what you shouldn't ask." Xiao Yunfan said: "Okay, got it." ”

Passing through a long corridor, the palace is full of patrolling forbidden troops. Although Xiao Yunfan has seen some scenes, he is still very unfamiliar with this palace. In the past, I only heard about it in the play, but now that it is really here, I am naturally curious. For Zhang Whale, he naturally went in his left ear and went out in his right ear.

The two came to a majestic hall, and Zhang Whale asked Xiao Yunfan to wait, and went to the hall to report. Xiao Yunfan looked up at the starry sky and thought, "What will this emperor be like?" While pondering, Zhang Whale said loudly: "Xiao Yunfan is here." ”

Xiao Yunfan strode into the main hall, and in front of him sat a twenty-five-year-old young man with a handsome face, wearing a winged coffin and a robe with narrow sleeves with a disc collar. Zhang Whale said: "Your Majesty, Xiao Yunfan brought it." He looked sideways at Xiao Yunfan and said in a low voice, "When you see Your Majesty, you still don't salute?"

Xiao Yunfan was stunned, did not salute, and said to Shenzong: "You are the emperor?" Shenzong smiled and said: "Why don't I look like an emperor?" Zhang Whale broke out in a cold sweat and said loudly: "You kid, dare to be rude to the emperor, come here." Shenzong stood up, waved his hand, and said, "Zhang Whale, you can step aside." He is an ordinary person, don't let the rules of the palace frighten him. ”

Shenzong's words were calm, but he was not angry. Xiao Yunfan never dreamed that the current emperor was actually a young man in his twenties.

Zhang Whale lowered his head and said, "Yes." As he spoke, he bowed his head and walked out of the hall. Emperor Shenzong looked at Xiao Yunfan and asked, "Do you know that you have committed a capital crime when you see me?" Xiao Yunfan said: "Xiao is used to being comfortable, it is the emperor who wants to see Xiao, but not Xiao who wants to see the emperor." Besides, my knees are so hard that I can't bend them. ”

Shenzong smiled: "Then do you believe that I have a way to bend your knees?" Xiao Yunfan said: "Believe." Shenzong said: "Since you believe it, why don't you kneel?" Xiao Yunfan said: "In Xiao's opinion, you are just my peers, and I will not kneel to you." Shenzong smiled: "I am the Son of Heaven, and you are a grass people." When you see me, you neither call me a grass people, nor kneel down to me. Are you really not afraid that I will kill you?"

Xiao Yunfan touched his nose and said, "The emperor likes to kill people very much?" Shenzong said: "Then it depends on whom." Obedient people will naturally not kill, and disobedient people will naturally kill. Xiao Yunfan looked at Shenzong, he had an innate kingly aura on his body, saying that he was a young man, but his old age was like an old man with a deep city.

The more coercive the other party was, the arrogance in Xiao Yunfan's heart was even more Ling Ran. He looked at Shenzong's face and said lightly: "In this way, the emperor only likes to be obedient, and if someone disobeys you a little, you will be unhappy." This kind of mind can be called a chicken belly, and even I am not as reckless as the rivers and lakes. ”

The Divine Sect's gaze showed a sharp light and shouted, "Bold, you are probably the first person in the world who dares to talk to me like this." Xiao Yunfan smiled: "If you are not happy, it will soon be the last one." Shenzong said: "Do you know that 'when the Son of Heaven is angry, millions of corpses will be ambushed, and thousands of miles of blood will be shed'." Xiao Yunfan said: "The emperor probably also knows that 'a strong man is angry, bleeding five steps, and the world is vegetarian'." ”

Shenzong stared at Xiao Yunfan's face, Xiao Yunfan also looked at him, and after a while, the two looked at each other and smiled. Shenzong said: "I have never seen such a bold person as you, come and sit down and talk." As he spoke, he stretched out his hand to grab Xiao Yunfan's hand. Xiao Yunfan was stunned at first, only to feel that his palms were as warm as jade. Then he raised his eyebrows and said with a smile: "The emperor doesn't want to kill me?"

Shenzong said: "I have heard about your rescue of the people, if I kill you, will I not be hated by the people." Xiao Yunfan felt that this person from Shenzong was also straightforward, and said, "Okay, then let's talk." But don't talk to me all the time, or I'll feel uncomfortable. Shenzong smiled and said, "Okay, I ...... I promise you. ”