Meishan Su family, Su Yun is the most virtuous

Chapter 414: Secret War!

Cheng Yi stood in the snow, letting the snowflakes fall on his hot cheeks.

Through the silhouette on the window paper of the provincial government office, he saw Lu Huiqing poking the charcoal fire with a silver stick. The flames suddenly jumped up, illuminating the map of Yan'an Prefecture on the wall. There were three dense vermilion circles marked on the north bank of the Luo River on the map, which were exactly the same as the places where the emperor's uncle stationed his troops in the letter.

"He deliberately hung up the wrong map."

The white air exhaled by Cheng Yi condensed into frost flowers in the cold air.

Lu Huiqing wrote the order for the former members of the Sanbanyuan to guard the inner court vaguely, without specifying the number of people and mentioning the secret code for response.

Although the half fish token was of the same style as the one in the palace, the groove for the token to fit in was deliberately missing - this was clearly a backup plan, which could both show loyalty to the emperor and cut off the power of the empress dowager at any time.

The sound of the night watchman's clapperboard pierced through the wind and snow. Cheng Yi counted the rhythm of the clapperboard and suddenly remembered the Fuyan Road Tax Deed that was pressed next to the remaining copy of the "Continuation of the Qingmiao Law".

Lu Huiqing was the prefect of Taiyuan Prefecture, but he knew the military deployment map of Yan'an Prefecture by heart and even dared to reveal the secret that Zhong Yan's former subordinates changed their route to Heyin. This person must have been secretly communicating with the Northwestern military leaders for a long time, and wanted to seize power in the name of serving the king?

"There will be a reply within three days?" Cheng Yi sneered, and the soles of his boots made a squeaking sound as they rolled over the snow.

How could Wang Zhaorong, a female official, mobilize the imperial guards with only the golden bracelet of the late emperor?

Lu Huiqing clearly wanted her to ring the Jingyun Bell to force the Queen Mother to launch an attack in advance so that his military strategist to support the king could have a legitimate reason to do so.

The secret note to Wang Zhaorong was hastily rolled up before the writing had even dried, which was most likely a deliberate flaw that could be tampered with.

The snow particles hit his face painfully, so Cheng Yi took off his sweat towel covered in oil and mud and wrapped it around his frozen fingers.

He finally understood why Lu Huiqing did not answer questions about the situation in the imperial city - this former capable reformer was now using the government's crisis as a bargaining chip to make a comeback.

He did not want to be involved in the Queen Mother's rebellion-like imprisonment of the government, but he also wanted to take the reputation of rescuing the emperor. When the two tigers fought, he would use the power of the Northwest Army to intimidate the court.
Suddenly, there was a sound of porcelain breaking in the provincial government. Cheng Yi glimpsed through the window and saw Lu Huiqing throwing half of the fish talisman into the brazier.

The dancing flames licked the gilded lines, making the curve of his mouth particularly dazzling. "Lü Jifu, do you want the position of prime minister, or..."

Cheng Yi tightly grasped the empty jade pendant string around his waist, the wind and snow swept away the unspoken questions, and they disappeared into the long night.

Finally, Cheng Yi let out a long sigh.

"What a troubled time!"

The rebel Su Yun has already set a very bad example. Now that Su Yun is in power in the northwest, if he were to seize Chang'an and become the King of the Northwest, then all the ambitious people in the world would follow suit and use the power in their hands to gain power and respect themselves!

Haha, especially someone like Lu Huiqing, I'm afraid he wants more!

Cheng Yi wrapped his clothes tightly and walked quickly in the snow, the soles of his boots making crackling sounds as they collided with the frozen stone slabs.

After the midnight bangzi, in the city of Taiyuan, all the shops were closed and only the sound of a drunkard's erhu floated from the end of the alley.

He clutched the secret decree soaked by snow water and knocked on the vermilion lacquered door of the Transport Office with his knuckles, startling two crows from the eaves.

"Who are you? It's so late at night..."

The gatekeeper squinted with a lantern in his hand and saw ice on the hem of the man's dragon robe, so he hurriedly let him pass.

The draft blew snow particles into the corridor. Cheng Yi counted the thirty-six columns in the corridor and thought about the layout of the Bianjing Imperial Palace - was the emperor sitting in front of the lonely lamp, waiting for his response?

The transport envoy Zhang Bowen came out wearing a fox fur coat. The hot steam from the teacup on the desk condensed into white mist between the two of them.

"Lü Zhizhou's army will set out at 3:00 pm tomorrow to support the emperor."

Zhang Bowen pushed the secret report over, and the cinnabar annotation glowed bloody red under the candlelight, "One hundred warships have been prepared at the Heyin ferry."

Cheng Yi's fingers stroked the four characters "Zhong Yan's old subordinates", and his sheepskin gloves rubbed the ink on the table, leaving a dark red stain on the blank space of the secret decree.

"Master Zhang, do you know the rules of the Jingyun Bell?" Cheng Yi suddenly asked, "Since the reign of Emperor Yingzong, it cannot be rung unless the country is in danger. If Wang Zhaorong moves it without authorization..."

The sound of drums outside the window cut off his voice. Zhang Bowen stroked the jade belt around his waist and said after a while: "I can write a letter to the deputy commander of the Palace Front Department, but..."

His eyes swept over the empty jade pendant on Cheng Yi's waist, "The orders of the generals in the army will ultimately depend on the tiger talisman."

At the hour of Mao, the city gates opened, and Cheng Yi rushed to the residence of Empress Dowager Cao's former subordinates with Zhang Bowen's handwritten letter.

There was an endless stream of grain transport convoys on the official road, and the civilian workers driving the convoys were wearing the dark brown turbans of the Lu family army.

He was stopped by a patrol officer on the outskirts of Chanzhou. When he showed his ivory badge, he caught a glimpse of the other party's sword handle wrapped with gold thread - exactly the style of the royal palace mentioned in the letter.

"Mr. Cheng wants to see General Yao?" The military school student put the handwritten letter close to the torch, and the flame illuminated the scar on his face. "Last night, the general suddenly fell ill and has been transferred to defense."

Cheng Yi looked at the big flag with the word "Lu" flying inside the gate, and a taste of rust rose in his throat.

The trusted servant behind him suddenly grabbed his sleeve and said, "Sir, there's a notice posted at the city gate!"

The faded yellow paper rustled in the wind, and the charge of "collusion with the Northwest Rebel Party" on the wanted warrant was eye-piercing.

Cheng Yi touched the secret decree in his arms. The oil paper package had been soaked through by snow water, and the ink was smudged on the four words "as dangerous as a pile of eggs", which looked very much like the official's wet handwriting that day.

The sound of storytelling came from the teahouse on the corner of the street. The story was about "Su Yun occupied Chang'an and established himself as an emperor". The audience clapped their hands and cheered, and the snow on the beams fell down.

Cheng Yi was looking at the laughing crowd in the tea stall on the corner of the street and listening to the joke "Su Yun takes over Chang'an". He suddenly tightened the empty jade pendant string around his waist.

When the late emperor bestowed the jade on Zhengshu, he said, "Zhengshu is like a loyal minister in ancient times." But now this loyal minister cannot even enter the palace. He has a lot of knowledge of "Zizhi Tongjian", but he cannot even send an imperial edict into the Qianqing Palace.

Bai Wuyi is a scholar!
Cheng Yi suddenly burst into tears.

……

The western warm room of the Qianqing Palace.

Zhao Xu placed his frozen fingers on the gilded hand warmer.

The two words "Xining" engraved on the inner wall of the copper furnace were rubbed to a shine. That was the reign title bestowed by the previous emperor. This copper furnace was cast in that year. All other things were replaced by Empress Dowager Gao, but this copper furnace was kept by Zhao Xu.

Outside the window came the rustling sound of palace maids sweeping snow. He looked at the ambergris that was about to go out in the charcoal basin, and suddenly grabbed the copy of "Longzhong Strategy" on the desk. Between the yellowed pages, there was a banner with the words "Restrain Yourself and Return to Propriety" written by Cheng Yi at a lecture some time ago.

"Your Majesty, Wang Zhaorong requests an audience."

The shrill voice of the eunuch on duty pierced the silence.

Zhao Xu quickly stuffed the secret decree into the title page of "Zizhi Tongjian" - it was smuggled into the palace by a servant from the dyeing workshop three days ago under the pretext of copying Buddhist scriptures.

Zhao Xu's eyes lit up when he heard that.

He was imprisoned during this period and it was difficult for outsiders to meet him. Wang Zhaorong was a person in the palace. According to seniority, Zhao Xu should call her grandma because she was the concubine of Emperor Yingzong.

The gilded armor scratched across the parchment, and the words "Jianning Lu Huiqing is willing to obey the imperial edict" glowed dark red under the candlelight, very much like the blood swallows presented by the emperor's uncle Hao the day before.

The golden bracelet on Wang Zhaorong's wrist made a slight sound, and when she knelt to report, her wide sleeves swept the "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" off the table.

Zhao Xu stared at the white hair on her temples.

"Is the hammer of Jingyun Bell ready?"

Wang Zhaorong was shocked when she heard this.

When the fourth tick of the clepsydra clock struck, Zhao Xu dismissed everyone and fished out half of a tiger talisman from the bottom of a rosewood box.

The red silk thread wrapped around the bronze surface has faded. It was tied by the late emperor himself when he was seven years old.

The precious sable cloak on Wang Zhaorong's knees slipped off inadvertently and fell lightly on the cold blue brick floor, bringing up a few strands of fine fluff that fluttered slowly in the dim candlelight.

Zhao Xu lowered his eyes slightly, his gaze fixed on the new white hair on Wang Zhaorong's temples.

However, three days ago, he had seen Wang Zhaorong when he paid his respects to Empress Dowager Gao. The white hair was only faintly visible at the roots, like grass sprouts just emerging in spring.

But now, it is like the snow after a night of frost, climbing over my ears wantonly.

He sighed inwardly, but remained expressionless, and slowly pushed the gilded hand warmer in his hand to the corner of the table. The intricately carved head of a lion on the cover of the warmer seemed to come alive under the flickering candlelight, and the two red lights in the pupils flickered with the flickering of the flames, just like his fluctuating thoughts at the moment.

"Grandma, do you know how much blood will be shed in Bianliang City once the Jingyun Bell rings?"

He spoke softly, his voice was not loud, but it was like a thunder, exploding in the quiet West Warm Pavilion.

For a moment, the sound of the copper clock in the pavilion, which had been deliberately ignored, suddenly became extremely clear. The ticking sound was powerful, as if it was the countdown of fate, hitting the blue brick floor heavily and also hitting everyone's heart.

When the old palace maid Wang Zhaorong heard this, her neck suddenly stiffened, as if someone had suddenly pulled out her spine.

She shrank subconsciously, and the gold bracelet inlaid with gems on her wrist hit the edge of the teacup heavily as she moved, making a clear and crisp sound that echoed in the silent space for a long time.

Out of the corner of her eye, she inadvertently caught a glimpse of a half-rolled copy of "Longzhong Strategy" on the edge of the imperial desk. Between the familiar yellowed pages, there was a calligraphy scroll written by Cheng Yi.

In an instant, memories came flooding back like a broken dam.

When the late emperor was alive, this child always lay obediently in front of the imperial lecture table, with his little hands tightly holding the wolf hair brush, dipping it in bright cinnabar, and writing the four words "Jugongjinwu" stroke by stroke.

At that time, he was very focused, his small body leaning forward, and ink often accidentally rubbed onto his cuffs, but he was completely unaware of it, as he was completely immersed in writing.

"The government is saying..."

She just opened her mouth tremblingly, and before she finished her words, Zhao Xu had already bent his slender fingers and gently knocked open the thick cover of "Zizhi Tongjian".

The sheepskin secret decree slid down and lay quietly on the table. The words "Lü Huiqing of Jianning is willing to obey the secret decree" glowed an eerie dark red under the dim candlelight, like blood stains that had not yet solidified, emitting a hint of chillness.

"What Lu Jifu wants is just a reputation as a loyal king." Zhao Xu narrowed his eyes slightly, his eyes revealing a sharpness that did not match his age.

He stretched out his fingers wearing gilded armor and slowly stroked the words "willing to serve", his nails leaving shallow marks on the flexible parchment.

"Grandma, take a closer look at this ink stain,"

He raised his eyes slightly and his gaze fell on Wang Zhaorong's face.

"The ink on the two characters '願奉' is more than three points lighter than the three characters '衣带招', which clearly indicates that they were filled in later."

As soon as he finished speaking, he suddenly stood up, and his boots with dragon patterns on the soles rolled heavily on the floor tiles, making a rustling sound.

The pages of "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" spread out on the desk trembled slightly.

Wang Zhaorong looked at the young man walking around the imperial desk, and a ripple appeared in her heart.

She noticed that there was a conspicuous ink stain on the hem of Zhao Xu's black uniform. It must have been caused by the Hui ink that he accidentally spilled while reviewing the mountain of memorials yesterday.

She couldn't help but think to herself, this child, who looked like just a teenager on weekdays, was so diligent in handling state affairs, and even showed his attentiveness in such subtle details.

However, those so-called state affairs were nothing more than some minor details, which were just trivial matters that the Empress Dowager Gao carefully picked out for the officials' amusement!

"Grandma, do you still remember which page of the 'Forbidden Army Deployment Map' submitted by Cen Qiheng last month contains the plum blossom scent?"

Zhao Xu's voice came from behind Wang Zhaorong. Wang Zhaorong subconsciously stretched out her wide sleeves and gently swept across the scattered pages of the book, her fingertips unconsciously lingering on the page "Green Plums and Wine".

The corner of the page had become hairy from being rubbed repeatedly by her, which showed how much she loved this page.

Seven years ago, in front of the late emperor's spirit, it was this child in front of her, clutching the corner of her clothes tightly, her small body trembling slightly, but in that childish but firm voice, she recited "The Memorial to the Emperor on Leaving the Capital" word for word.

At that time, his voice still had some childishness, but the weeping and hoarse voice kept echoing in the empty and silent hall, like a sharp blade, piercing the hearts of everyone present.

"The emperor wants to summon Deputy Commander Cen?" Wang Zhaorong turned slowly and met the flickering candlelight in the young man's eyes.

His eyes were deep and steady, not like those of a sixteen-year-old boy at all. Instead, they were exactly the same as the expression of the previous emperor when he reviewed border reports, revealing an awe-inspiring majesty and wisdom.

"Tomorrow at 9:00 pm, the Cining Palace should receive the new tribute of Mengding tea."

As Zhao Xu spoke, he reached into the bottom of the rosewood box and took out the half tiger talisman.

The bronze tiger talisman felt cold to the touch, and a chill seeped into his palm.

On the corners of the tiger talisman, there were still teeth marks from when he playfully bit it as a child, now faintly visible in the candlelight.

He carefully stuffed the tiger talisman into Wang Zhaorong's sleeve, and his fingers touched the thick calluses on the old man's palm, which were caused by years of copying scriptures.

"Mrs. Lao asked Empress Dowager Cao for mercy, and said..."

He paused for a moment, and slowly glanced over the scroll on the desk with the words "Restrain Yourself and Return to Propriety" written by Cheng Yi. A breeze blew quietly through the hall, lifting the corner of the scroll, revealing the densely written red comments on the back.

Upon closer inspection, they were actually small flags painted with cinnabar, with the initials of the imperial guards' generals' surnames neatly marked on each corner. It was obviously a carefully planned layout.

When the clepsydra sounded crisply for the seventh time, Wang Zhaorong slowly raised her head and looked at the young man who had sat down again.

Zhao Xu was concentrating on using a paperweight to flatten the secret decree. His knuckles turned slightly white from the force, showing his inner tension and solemnity.

Outside the window, there came the rustling sound of palace maids sweeping snow with bamboo brooms, mixed with the sound of night watchmen striking clappers in the distance, interweaving into a dense and invisible web in this silent and cold winter night.

Wang Zhaorong suddenly remembered that before the late emperor died, he held the child's hand tightly, his eyes full of expectation and satisfaction, and said, "Xu'er has the style of an ancient wise king."

At that time, she only thought that those were the loving words of the late emperor, but now, looking at the young man in front of her, she truly understood that the late emperor's words were by no means empty words!

……

At three quarters past the hour of Mao, Cen Qiheng walked into the side hall of the Qianqing Palace on the lingering morning frost.

The ice on the black armor had not yet melted, but when he glanced at the first half of the "Imperial Guards Cavalry and Infantry Commands" on the imperial desk, the back of his neck suddenly tensed up - it was the version he had personally presented half a month ago, and the traces of the fragrance of plum petals were still on the corners.

"Mr. Cen, do you know 'The bow is put away when the bird is dead'?"

Zhao Xu stroked the gilded hand warmer. The heat seeping from the cracks in the cover blurred the cold light in the boy's eyes.

"Yesterday, my uncle Hao transferred the Three Yamen Military Equipment Bureau to the direct management of the Royal Palace. In three days, all the bows, crossbows and arrows of the Palace Front Department will be inspected by the Cishou Palace."

He tapped the desk with his fingers, and the camp logo circled in red ink on the page trembled slightly with the vibration.

Cen Qiheng knelt on one knee, his knee hitting the blue bricks, and the sound of armor plates colliding echoed in the hall.

His eyes swept across the bronze tortoise carrying the stele standing beside the throne, and he remembered that when the late emperor was buried, it was this young man who stepped on his shoulder armor and placed the will in front of the coffin.

"Your Majesty, I will..."

"Mingjian?" Zhao Xu suddenly stood up, and the corner of his black silk robe swept down Cheng Yi's "The Great Learning" on the desk.

"Your uncle's wine shop on Huanqing Road uses the imperial army's grain transport documents?"

Before he finished speaking, the red sandalwood box snapped open, and half of the fish token glowed coldly in the morning light. "If this fish token doesn't match the half from the Privy Council, who do you think the Queen Mother will believe in to secretly form an alliance with the border generals?"

Amid the sound of the night watch, Cen Qiheng stared at the brocade belt exposed from the young man's waist - it was the gilded Suanni pattern specially bestowed by the late emperor, and it was exactly the same as the wax seal on the cover of "Shao Sheng New Revised Order" on the imperial desk.

"The Queen Mother has promised that I will be promoted to Deputy Envoy of the Privy Council after the success." His Adam's apple rolled and cold sweat seeped out of his back under the iron armor.

"Deputy Privy Councilor?" Zhao Xu suddenly laughed out loud, grabbed the "Han Weigong Bielu" on the desk and threw it to the ground, and the pages scattered. "Back then, Di Qing's contribution was much greater than yours!"

He squatted in front of Cen Qiheng and whispered, "If you are willing to protect me, I will grant you three generations of inheritance and grant you a golden book and iron certificate - but if you dare to step out of the Qianqing Palace..."

The voice stopped abruptly, and the sound of palace servants carrying tea cups came from outside the window.

Cen Qiheng looked at the dark tide surging in the young man's eyes, and seemed to see the decisive and murderous emperor.

The coolness of the fish symbol seeped into the palm of the hand through the cuffs.

"I will follow your Majesty's orders."

When he kowtowed, his forehead hit the blue bricks hard, startling a bird that was sleeping on the beam and flying away.

(End of this chapter)