The Bad Guys: Playing the Fake Li Xingyun at the Beginning

People like Shi Yao, Shi Jingtang, and Jing Xinmo may seem to be insignificant supporting roles, but in fact, looking at the world as a whole, they are already rare talents, otherwise, Yuan Tiangang would not rely on them.

Su Ming was very envious of these people.

Although doing so will indirectly expand Yuan Tiangang's power, so what?

If he wanted to be emperor, he would have been one long ago. So what if he expanded their power?

Moreover, a good bird chooses a good tree to roost in, and not everyone is willing to be a bad person in secret. The greatest ideal of the ancients was to become a general or a prime minister and leave their name in history.

They were able to suppress their loneliness in the past because the Tang Dynasty had collapsed and they were willing to work hard for it. Now that the Tang Dynasty has been restored, the mission of the Bad People has been accomplished.

They don't have to lurk around, gather information, and act as unknown spies.

No matter when, people are the most important. No one can fail to unify the world. Liu Bang had his brothers from Pei County, Zhu Yuanzhang had the masters from Fengxiang, and Su Ming had the Bad People.

Yuan Tiangang’s strength is not important; the bad people he has are more important.

If he had not died in the third season, causing many bad people to become disloyal, Meng Po to hide from the world, and only Jing Xin Mo and Sanqianyuan were left alone, how could the situation have collapsed to this extent.

Li Xingyun's awakening came too late, too late.

He also wanted to know what kind of surprises the "famous" Shi Jingtang in history would bring him. Sometimes, people will involuntarily go down that path under certain circumstances.

If Li Congke had not pressed him step by step, Shi Jingtang would not have given up the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun and joined the Khitans in order to protect himself.

Throughout history, there were many independent military governors, and the imperial court had various means to control them. However, Li Congke chose the most violent and stupid method, without considering other variables at all.

So, you still need to read more.

Of course, Shi Jingtang’s crime of being a “puppet emperor” cannot be washed away, and history has already given the answer.

But now, he hasn't reached that step yet, and he won't have the chance to reach that step in the future.

……

Li Siyuan was busy dealing with Li Cunli and had written several memorials, but they were all rejected by Su Ming.

Li Cunli had no time to pay attention to him and was fully focused on the imperial examination.

At the beginning of the year, the imperial court temporarily built an examination hall and used the residence of Prince Qi. But now we can't do that anymore.

The Ministry of Revenue sent people to select a site and designated an area in the east of the city as the site for the new examination. At the same time, the three departments allocated money and grain to build a new examination center.

It's a different time now. Half a year ago, Su Ming took the imperial examination and faced many difficulties. Now he has money and food, and the thing that Luoyang City has the most is people.

With sufficient allocation of money and grain, a new examination hall was built in just one month.

As early as its establishment, the imperial court announced its intention to hold the imperial examination, which attracted scholars from all over the world.

The Longquan treasure and the imperial seal, each and every one of these things seemed to indicate that the Tang Dynasty was destined to succeed.

This special examination caused a bigger sensation than the previous one. Every day, many scholars rushed to Luoyang from all over the country.

The imperial printing workshops were almost busy as the exam questions and candidates' test papers were compiled into collections. Even though the prices were set very high, they were in short supply and even scalpers appeared.

A small workshop has almost become a money printing machine. It is no exaggeration to say that it makes a fortune every day.

Nowadays, would a family that can support a scholar lack the money to buy books?

The arrival of these scholars also made Luoyang city more prosperous. Whether it was merchants or shops, the common people at the bottom of society all got a piece of the pie in this feast.

In such a prosperous scene, the team escorting the Longquan treasure finally arrived in Luoyang.

Shi Jingtang sat on his warhorse and looked at the city in front of him. He felt very uncomfortable. When he came here last year, his father-in-law Li Siyuan was still a powerful official who held all the power.

This year, Li Siyuan withdrew from Luoyang and was transferred from Shanzhou to become the deputy governor of Hedong in name only. It can be said that he was demoted to the lowest position.

The original situation of opposition with the emperor was reversed. His father-in-law Li Siyuan cut off his rear to survive, and he himself left the Bad People and came to join the emperor.

Fate is really fickle.

With such emotion, Shi Jingtang handed his identity token to the soldiers guarding the city and led his troops into the city.

Soon, the news that the Longquan treasure had entered the city spread like wildfire.

The convoy was so long that it seemed as if it had no end. Su Ming even asked the bad guys to open the boxes. The stacked gold and bronze objects shone brightly under the sunlight, so dazzling that it blinded everyone's eyes.

"Wow, that's a lot of gold."

"Oh my god, this is the first time I've seen so much money in all my years!"

……

On both sides of the street, onlookers were eagerly waiting, drooling with greed. Although they couldn't get it, just one look at it would be enough for them to talk about in the future.

……

Imperial City, Qianqiu Palace.

Su Ming looked at the two people in front of him with a faint smile on his face, "Jing Xin Mo, Meng Po, you have worked hard."

"It is our duty to share the worries of His Majesty." Jing Xin Mo said respectfully.

Meng Po stood there without saying a word.

"You don't have to leave when you come to Luoyang this time. How about staying by my side and doing things for me?"

The Mirror Heart Demon was overjoyed and bowed down immediately, "Thank you, Your Majesty!"

He had second thoughts about Yuan Tiangang and could no longer stay in the Bad People. His only option was to join Su Ming.

"Okay, you go down first. I still have something to talk to Meng Po about." Su Ming turned his gaze to Meng Po and said lightly.

"I'll take my leave." Jing Xin Mo was a smart man. He bowed and turned to leave.

At this moment, only Su Ming and Meng Po were left in the hall.

Suddenly, he walked down and bowed deeply to Meng Po.

Seeing Su Ming's action, Meng Po was startled and quickly dodged, "Your Majesty, this is unacceptable. You are embarrassing me."

"In the past, when I left the Bad People, Meng Po helped me learn the art of disguise. I have always kept this kindness in my heart. Now, I finally have the opportunity to speak it out."

Chapter 257 Shi Yao, meet your majesty

"Your Majesty, you are joking. I am a bad man, so naturally I have to obey the orders of the Marshal. If Your Majesty wants to thank someone, please thank the Marshal." Meng Po's turbid eyes sank slightly as she said respectfully.

"Bad Guys? Are you and Mirror Heart Demon still considered Bad Guys?" Su Ming stared into her eyes and continued with a half-smile, "Back then, when I was still dormant in Luoyang, it was you who brought the news that Yuan Tiangang had returned?"

For a moment, Meng Po was silent. She didn't know how to answer this question, and she couldn't answer it. Ever since Li Xingyun came back from the isolated island overseas, she realized that the Marshal no longer trusted her.

At this point, she and the Bad Guys have drifted further and further apart, and now, they are almost strangers.

"If it weren't for the disguise technique you taught me, I wouldn't have been able to disguise myself so perfectly over the past year or so, and no one would have noticed my flaws. You have played an indispensable role in my current situation."

"Your Majesty..." Meng Po was about to speak when she was interrupted by Su Ming, "Don't be impatient, listen to me first."

"You knew that my identity was fake, but you have always assisted me wholeheartedly. You established the Jinyiwei, and you coordinated the Xuanming Sect and the Bad People."

"Without you, I would be sitting alone in this imperial city."

After hearing this, Meng Po's old face showed no other expression, and she still declined, "Your Majesty, you are too kind. What I have done is just some insignificant little things. Your Majesty can be where you are today, it must be the blessing of your ancestors. The Mandate of the Tang Dynasty is still there, and it has nothing to do with me."

"Don't worry, Yuan Tiangang will have no objection to the person I want. From now on, you can focus on doing your job by my side and don't have to obey his orders."

"Besides, you don't have to be Meng Po anymore."

After these words were spoken, Meng Po's body shook, and she suddenly looked up at Su Ming, very surprised.

"Compared to Meng Po, I want to see Shi Yao more. Meng Po, I wonder if you can fulfill my wish?" Su Ming walked slowly closer and stared into her eyes with a wanton and bold look.

"Your Majesty, what do you mean? I don't understand." Meng Po lowered her eyes and deliberately avoided looking into his eyes.

Su Ming smiled faintly, "The meaning is very simple. The name Meng Po will let her be buried with the Xuanming Sect. From now on, you don't have to pretend to be an old woman. Just be what you are. Shi Yao, what do you think?"

Just when Meng Po thought Su Ming was teasing her, she suddenly saw the sincerity in his eyes and was stunned.

Since the fall of Liang State, she changed from Shi Yao to Meng Po, from a beautiful woman to an old woman. Whenever it is late at night and everyone is asleep, she occasionally thinks of her past self.

Now, this secret was revealed by Su Ming. She felt as if everything in her past had been exposed, and she stood in front of him as if she was naked.

After a long silence, she nodded, "Okay, since your Majesty has requested, I can only obey your command. Please ask your Majesty to dismiss the two of them."

Su Ming didn't say much and walked straight out of the hall.

After a cup of tea, a tall woman with a slender figure and pretty face appeared in the hall. She looked at her snow-white and delicate arms and her purple hair that flowed like a waterfall, and she felt relieved as if a burden had been lifted from her.

"come in."

The door of the hall opened, and Su Ming was surprised by the woman in the hall as soon as he came in.

It turns out that Shi Yao is really beautiful. She looks graceful in her flowing purple dress, and her purple eyeshadow and purple hair make her look tall and mature. No wonder Zhu Youzhen is so fascinated by her, she has the charm of a mature woman.

Seeing Su Ming, Shi Yao bowed and said, "Shi Yao, I pay my respects to your Majesty."

"Flat body."

Su Ming looked at her with appreciation, his eyes frank and indifferent, "Sure enough, I once heard the Corpse Ancestor Hou Qing say that Meng Po was a charming beauty. I didn't expect that what he said was actually true."

"That's good. Why would a young woman in her prime pretend to be an old woman with wrinkled skin and white hair? You've wasted your best years. You've been traveling so long. You should go down and rest first."

Shi Yao was stunned for a moment. She didn't expect Su Ming to let her go like this. "Shi Yao obeys your command."

……

"Shi Jingtang, it turns out that you are also a bad person. Yuan Tiangang really put a lot of effort into it." Sitting on the throne, Su Ming looked down at Shi Jingtang below and said lightly.

Shi Jingtang half-knelt on the ground and bowed his head, saying, "Your Majesty, I am no longer a bad person. This is my duty, please forgive me, Your Majesty."

Su Ming had no intention of blaming him. He picked it up high and put it down gently. "Forget it, it's not your fault. How is Hedong doing now?"

"Your Majesty, Hedong has tens of thousands of troops, including more than 10,000 elite soldiers, all of whom are under the command of my father-in-law. At the same time, Hedong Jiedushi Li Congke seems to be restless?"

"Unruly? Doesn't he want to submit to me?"

Shi Jingtang replied in a serious tone, "Li Congke is the adopted son of my father-in-law. He and I do not get along well. This time my father-in-law wants to raise an army to surrender to the court. Li Congke is very dissatisfied and thinks that my father-in-law is too timid. He secretly wins over the generals and seems to be planning a mutiny."

"mutiny?"

Hearing this word, Su Ming suddenly became interested. If he remembered correctly, Li Cunxu was stabbed in the back by Li Siyuan because of the mutiny in Ye City, which led to a series of reactions. Under the general trend, the bad guys took advantage of the opportunity and killed him.

how?

Li Congke doesn't even listen to his adoptive father. Does he want to be the second Li Siyuan?

"It's a good idea, but unfortunately, you are not strong enough, you can't see the big picture, and you only care about the petty gains in front of you. You are destined to be a dead body in the grave." Su Ming shook his head and continued, "What do you think of the 5,000 elite troops you brought from Hedong? The cavalry will be incorporated into the Shen Ce Army, and the infantry will be added to the Imperial Army?"

These troops were sent by Yuan Tiangang on purpose, so Shi Jingtang naturally had no other ideas. "Everything is up to your majesty, and I will not say anything."