Roselle Peony

The living room of Nalai Mansion is very spacious and magnificently decorated.

Sitting in the hall is a middle-aged man, dressed in a crimson official uniform, with several cranes embroidered on the front and back, and peonies embroidered on the hem.The man was in a fit of anger, his eyebrows were raised upright, and his face showed a fierce look.

Lu Shangqiu knew that the crane and peony clothes were the clothes of the first-rank civil servants of the imperial court. Lai Junchen, a fourth-rank official, dared to wear the prime minister's clothes at home, it was really audacious and reckless.But seeing that the rest of the ministers did not have any objections, he was just a small official, so he had to bow his head and follow the crowd to greet Zhongcheng.

I only heard the man say: "I intercepted that kid Di Guangyuan secretly handing brocade strips to the Holy One. The old man thought that Di Renjie would surely die. Now the Holy Majesty found out that the "Thank You for Death Form" was forged, and he released the old thief. Send it to Jiangxi to do Peng Zeling."

Lai Zhongcheng threw the teacup in his hand on the ground with a "bang", and the blue and white porcelain pieces were scattered and shattered.He stood up and said, "Di Renjie is thinking about bringing down this old man. If he doesn't die, I, Junchen, will not be able to sit securely as the prime minister."

He looked around slowly, and said: "Each of you don't want to let me sit in this official position!"

Frightened by his lust, all the ministers held their breath and shrank.

The first person came forward and said: "Zhongcheng calm down, the next official has an idea."

Lai Zhongcheng's expression softened, and he said, "Oh, what is Hou Yushi's plan?"

Shi Yushi Hou Sizhi said: "According to the plan of the officials, we can intercept and kill Di Renjie when he is out of Beijing."

Lai Zhongcheng was silent.The subordinates whispered and talked a lot.

Hou Sizhi said again: "The sky is high and the emperor is far away. When old man Di leaves the court, it is like that lamb leaving its ewe, without milk to eat, crying in anxiety."

Everyone laughed, and Lai Junchen was also amused by his vulgar metaphor.

Wu Huiwen, the supervisory censor, immediately echoed: "Mr. Hou's metaphor is very good. Di Renjie's power is concentrated in the capital area. Now the Holy Majesty sends him to the south, away from his sphere of influence. It is really a good opportunity to assassinate him."

Lai Zhongcheng pondered for a while, and said: "For the current plan, this is the only way to do it. Hou Xianqing, do you have someone who can take action?"

Hou Sizhi said: "The lower officials have already expected such a day, and have already prepared the top ten masters for that old man Di!"

Lai Zhongcheng said: "Okay, so I will entrust this matter to you." Turning his head again, "Wu Yushi."

"The subordinate is here."

"The old man asks you to assist Hou Yushi, and make sure this matter is kept secret."

"The next official must live up to the heavy trust."

At the end, Lai Zhongcheng said: "As for the rest of you, don't listen to what you shouldn't listen to, don't say what you shouldn't say, and seal your mouths tightly when you go back."

Everyone knelt down and said, "I obey the orders."

After a group of people dispersed, Lai Junchen breathed a sigh of relief.Thinking that he is not afraid of heaven and earth, the emperor and his father don't pay attention to him, but he is afraid of Di Renjie, an old thief, which is really a crime.

***

When Lu Shangqiu came back from his home, he was depressed, he didn't like food, and he stopped playing chess.Zhao Xiangling asked him what happened, but he remained silent.

At night, the surroundings are silent.Both Zhao Xiangling and the two maidservants had fallen asleep.

A black figure quietly got up and left.

Di Fu.

At this time, Prime Minister Di Renjie had left Chang'an, and only the second son Di Guangyuan and some servants remained in the huge Di mansion, which was very desolate and deserted.

Relying on the skills of a three-legged cat, Hei Ying managed to find Di Guangyuan's living room.

Di Guangyuan was writing with his head down when suddenly a stone fell on the desk with a "thud".

"Who?" Di Guangyuan stood up and opened the door.There was no one around in the yard, except for the sound of cicadas and frogs.

He went back to the room to pick up the stones, saw a crack, and broke them open.

Inside was a secret letter, in petite lowercase script, with elegant handwriting.Letter to:

"** wants to assassinate the Duke on his way to Pengze"

Di Guangyuan was shocked.

***

In June of the first year of Changshou, Wu Zhao relegated a generation of Qingming prime ministers—the Minister of the Household Department, Di Renjie, Fengge Luantai Pingzhang Shi, to Pengze County, Jiangzhou, as a small local county magistrate.

Di Renjie led the decree and set off from Chang'an with his family, planning to pass through Luoyang, the eastern capital, to Xuzhou, Tangzhou, Guangzhou, and finally Jiangzhou.

During Di Renjie's tenure as the prime minister, he was upright and upright, and he was only capable when he was good.Now being framed by traitors and relegated to local places, all the people along the way weep bitterly and send each other with tears.

Traveling to Luoyang, the eastern capital, the Di family exchanged documents with the city guard and stopped here.

Wen Shi, Di Renjie's wife, said: "Mr. Di, why don't we spend the night in Luoyang City and start our journey tomorrow morning."

The eldest son Di Guangsi also persuaded: "There are many bandits in the south of Luoyang City, and the road at night may not be safe."

Di Renjie shook his head and said: "My lord ordered me to take office on June [-]th, and now there are only eight days left on the road. The journey to Jiangzhou is inconvenient. I'm afraid it will be late, and I will fail the holy will and the people of Pengze." Enthusiasm."

The youngest son, Di Guangzhao, was dissatisfied, and said, "Father, the county magistrate Zhima doesn't matter."

"Zi Liang, don't talk nonsense." Duke Di shouted, "It's important to benefit the water and soil of one side and benefit the people all over the world."

So everyone rested for a while, and then re-packed and set off on the road.

After marching for about three or four hours, Di Guangzhao suddenly fell to the ground, with unbearable abdominal pain and cold sweat.Seeing their youngest son in such pain, Di Gong and his wife Wen Shi panicked.At this time, the sun was about to set, and it was midnight when returning to Luoyang City. The city gate was closed, and the group wanted to return to the nearest Jiangzuo Town to find a doctor.

The bells of the horses were ringing, the wheels were running, and Wen was holding his sick young son, feeling very anxious.

The chariots and horses drove to a forest in Banpo Township, south of Najiang Zuo City, suddenly several masked men in black rushed out, and quickly attacked Di Renjie's chariots and horses.

"Protect Duke Di!" shouted the eldest son, Di Guangsi, and immediately drew out his long knife to meet the masked assassin.

The servants fought immediately, but they were outnumbered, and the masked assassin in the head was free. He quickly attacked to the side of the carriage with a short blade, slashed the curtain of the carriage and stabbed at Di Gong.

Just at this critical moment, there was a thunderous roar, and eighteen monks with sticks jumped out of the air, fighting with the masked assassin.

Seeing that the reinforcements had arrived, the masked assassin swung the short blade faster and was about to stab Di Gong in the throat.

Wen rushed over frantically to block her husband. The knife stabbed the woman in the back, and Wen immediately passed out.

The masked assassin missed the first blow and wanted to stab again, but saw a bald monk chasing him, raised his stick and attacked the assassin from behind.

This monk is young but he is very powerful and his hands are so skillful that he even uses a monk's stick as a swordsman.

The masked assassin heard the wind behind him, but was stunned by the monk's strong internal force, and he thrust the monk's stick in his hand straight through his abdomen, bloody intestines flowed all over the carriage.The short blade in the assassin's hand fell with a clang, only nailing Di Gong's sleeve to the ground.

Eighteen Shaolin disciples formed a formation of Arhat Bronze Figures and surrounded the assassins.The servant then took the rope and tied the assassin, and carried it with a monk's stick.

The young monk in the lead clasped his palms together and said, "The Eighteen Arhats of Shaolin, the rescue came too late. Has the benefactor ever been injured?"

Di Renjie was barely out of danger, his head was covered with sweat, and he said: "Thank you, masters, for saving your life. I am fine, but my wife, children and servants are all injured, I need to call a doctor quickly."

The little monk said: "The Shaolin Temple is not far from here. There are various medicines hidden in the temple. It is not suitable to stay here for a long time. If the benefactor does not dislike it, then come back to Shaolin with me to take shelter."

Eighteen monks escorted Di Gong and his party back to Shaolin Temple. Abbot Xuanming led the monks to welcome them with big gifts. The abbot personally treated Wen and Di Guangzhao.Di Renjie only knew that Di Guangyuan, the second son who was staying in the capital, received a secret report that someone was going to assassinate him, so he ordered the secret envoy to rush over day and night, and only then did he invite monks from Shaolin to escort him.

After Di Renjie and his party rested, Abbot Xuanming called for the little monk.

At first the little monk thought that he had done something to save him, and thought that the master wanted to praise him, so he smiled playfully, very proud of himself.

He didn't want Abbot Xuanming to make him kneel down and reprimanded him, "Huishu, you have violated the precept of killing again, and you will be punished fifty times with a stick."

Monk Huishu burst into tears: "Master, I know I was wrong, please forgive me."

Xuanming scolded: "You have been taught repeatedly and you will not change. If you don't punish, there will be another time."

Then the stick-wielding monk dragged Huishu down.

Di Renjie thought about the safety of his family, so he couldn't sleep for a while, so he went out of the guest room to get some air.

Shaolin Temple is located in Songshan Mountain, the terrain is very high, and the cool breeze blows.

He walked in the night wind, and when he reached the backyard, he saw all the monks gathered here.There was a wooden bench in the courtyard, and two monks held rattan sticks and beat a young monk who was lying on the bench.The little monk was hit by the stick and looked up in pain.Di Renjie took a closer look, and found that it was the young monk who came to rescue him today, that kung fu master.

Di Renjie was shocked, stepped forward a few steps and said, "May I ask why the abbot punished this little brother?"

Xuan Ming said: "Hui Shu violated the precept of killing."

Di Renjie hurriedly said: "Master Huishu killed that villainous assassin, killing harm for the people."

"Killing is a violation of the precepts." Abbot Xuanming didn't change his face.

Di Renjie said anxiously: "Huishu is here to save me. The situation is critical and there is no other choice. If it wasn't for him, I would have been killed by the assassin. I also ask the abbot to be merciful and forgive this little brother for my sake."

Abbot Xuanming pondered for a moment, then turned his head to monk Huishu and said, "For the sake of Benefactor Di begging for you, I will forgive you today as a teacher. I will punish you to face the wall for three days. If you repeat the crime again, you will be punished for the two crimes with a stick. One hundred responsibilities, severe punishment."

On the second day everyone thanked the abbot and said goodbye, Xuanming said: "I don't know how many dangers there will be along the way, how about this, the old monk sent the four guardian monks of Shaolin to escort all the way, what's your advice?"

Di Renjie cupped his hands: "That's very good."

When everyone walked not far from the gate of the temple, they saw a white wall, and a monk knelt in the corner facing the wall and thinking about his mistakes.The monk was bare-chested, with broad shoulders and a straight back. His whole body was lean and fleshy, and there were several stick marks on his back.

The sky was gloomy yesterday, and Di Renjie hadn't seen this person's face clearly.When I saw it during the day, I found that this monk had a square face, thick eyebrows and big eyes, full of heroism, and he looked like a general.He walked up to the monk and said, "Thank you, Master Huishu, for your rescue yesterday. I and my family are very grateful."

Huishu said: "The benefactor is an admonishing minister, comparable to Wei Zheng in the previous dynasty. The little monk rescued the benefactor for the sake of the common people in the world."

Di Renjie smiled wryly.He continued: "Before I met the master, I did not use Shaolin martial arts to save me. May I ask where the master is from and where did he learn from?"

Monk Huishu didn't look at him, facing the wall, he said loudly: "My father is a sinner from the previous court. My master is Abbot Xuanming." He was a young man full of spirit.

Di Renjie saw that he was unwilling to reveal his background, so he said: "Master Huishu's strength is different from that of ordinary people, and his martial arts are superb. If one day he is willing to serve my Great Zhou Dynasty, please tell me, and I, Di Renjie, will definitely recommend it."

A group of people left.Monk Huishu faced the wall, shaking his head, thinking and thinking, thinking and thinking.

The author has something to say:

The next chapter begins, torture!

Note 1: Di Renjie's relegation actually happened in January. My stepmother and I couldn't fit in the timeline here, so I changed the history to June.

Note 2: Di Renjie's route to Jiangnan is through Henan Road, Huainan Road to Jiangnan Road.Why not take a shortcut and take Shannan Road?Shannan Road is the Shu Road. During the Kaiyuan period, Li Bai wrote a poem "The Shu Road is difficult, and it is difficult to go to the blue sky." Even the trains in the last century could not go through directly. The train from Chongqing to the east had to detour through Xi'an and Zhengzhou.

Note 3: Di Renjie has three sons: the eldest son Di Guangsi; the second son Di Guangyuan; the third son Di Guangzhao, styled Ziliang, later changed his name to Di Jinghui.