[Red Mansions] The Road to Empress Dowager

Beiyuan is not considered the boundary of the harem, but the emperor's private garden and teaching ground, just like the Old Summer Palace outside the Forbidden City in modern Beijing.Therefore, after the civil and military imperial examinations, the emperor will hold a Qionglin banquet here.

Today, all the officials went to Beiyuan along the palace wall in the early morning, but it was not because of the Qionglin Banquet or other celebrations, but because the emperor mentioned that a monk and a Taoist priest were caught during the Great Court Meeting yesterday. Bao Si and his like.

When the emperor talked about this matter, he was quite playful, and laughed at himself: "Could it be possible that I have become King Zhou of Shang and King You of Zhou?"

After hearing this, all the officials were terrified, and they all knelt down and said that the emperor was a sage in the world, wise and martial, with martial arts and martial arts, and he went straight to Taizong Yunyun.

But the emperor said: "True gold is not afraid of being refined by fire. Is the noble concubine Chen a monster who came to the world, let the noble concubine confront this monk together, and all the lovers will be witnesses."

Then, the emperor ordered all civil and military officials to retreat to the Beiyuan Teaching Field.Xing Zhong also went to court today because of the emperor's special edict. When he heard that a monk called his daughter a monster, he couldn't help being frightened.The reason why the Xing family is today is because he gave birth to a good daughter, and now he is old enough to have a son, living a life that was unimaginable a few years ago. If something happens to his daughter, their family will suffer.

What's more, his daughter was always filial and sensible, and supported the family business in the past, but because he was raised by his uncle, he also hired Mrs. Xing and Li. The kindness of nurturing is the greatest, so he had to be soft-hearted towards his cousins, but it hurt his daughter.

Lin Ruhai, Xiao Kai's in-laws, Shi Bai, and Li Xun's in-laws were also in serious moods. They naturally understood the horror of such rumors.If someone hid in the dark and manipulated all of this, they would have sinister intentions, and wanted to put Imperial Concubine Chen to death.

These ministers have something to do with Concubine Chen, and from the bottom of their hearts, they even admire Concubine Chen.Yang Huaigu fell into a suspicious situation and was temporarily placed under house arrest by Jin Yiwei, waiting for Zhang Xiao and Wang Qing to be escorted back to Beijing for trial.They are politically sensitive, and even have foresight. They are afraid that the future of Concubine Chen will not be limited to Concubine Concubine.

Lin Ruhai was most familiar with Xing Zhong, so he walked up to him and said, "Master Xing, don't worry, how could your empress be a monster. A saint can tell that there is a treacherous frame."

Xing Zhong cupped his hands, but the expression on his face was still cloudy, and he said, "Thank you, Mrs. Lin. I know that my mother is not a demon, but I am afraid that my mother will not be able to explain it."

Xiao Kai came over and said: "Your Majesty is very courageous and has extraordinary knowledge. The two demon monks and Taoists should not be able to harm her."

Although Xiao Kai was also worried about Xing Xiuyan, he was more confident than others.At this moment, Shi Bai and Li Xun couldn't help comforting Xing Zhong.

When they arrived at the Beiyuan teaching ground, the ministers and Xing Zhong, the biological father of Concubine Chen, lined up in the front row, while the junior officials lined up in the back, surrounded by Jin Yiwei Gong Shengjun.

All the officials were ordered by the emperor not to speak indiscriminately when confronting the concubine and the monk at the court meeting, so when they arrived at the teaching ground, although the emperor had not yet arrived, although they made eye contact, they did not dare to speak without authorization.

At the end of the day, the holy driver came and took his seat on the dragon chair on the high platform in front of him, accompanied by Li Dequan, four guards in brocade clothes, and eight other eunuchs holding things in their hands.

After the visit, the emperor ordered the Gongsheng army to bring the monk up together. After a while, Wang Hu led the military officer of the Gongsheng army over, and eight school lieutenants who were born as Wu Jinshi surrounded the four soldiers of the Gongsheng army. of two stretchers.

The one on the stretcher was injured, and the monks who had stopped the bleeding with gold wound medicine simply did not die from such injuries because they were not considered mortals.

After Wang Hu and others paid homage, they were all on guard against the monk and the monk together, while the emperor and all the officials looked at the monk and Taoist, and couldn't help frowning.

Judging people by their appearance is a common problem of human beings. In ancient times, it was better than in modern times. At least in modern times, there is a "political correctness" - not judging people by appearances, but still can't be restrained. In ancient times, it was only politically correct to judge talents by appearances. Otherwise, why didn't the imperial examinations allow appearances Indecent and disabled people to participate?

This monk looks a little too indecent.People like Xiao Kai who have been to Shuofang, when they saw the leprosy of the monk with a leprous head, they couldn't help but think of the "dysentery king" who raped Prince Timur, and felt sick for a while.The lame Taoist was also rather ugly and scruffy.

In addition, although Gong Shengjun gave Jinchuang medicine to the two injured, naturally no one was so considerate to help them replace the blood stains on their bodies.Originally, face saints had to take a bath and change their clothes, but Wang Hu figured out the sacred heart, and in order to prove the contribution of Gongsheng army in capturing them before, he deliberately omitted the procedure of changing and washing.

It is said that a person's first impression is very important, and this monk is considered to have lost at the "starting line".

One monk and one were already weak. When they came here at this time, in addition to the mana suppressed by the officials in official uniforms, they also had an incomparable imperial aura. They could only hold on and use all their remaining strength to protect themselves.

Tu Yuanyi sat on the throne, lowered his phoenix eyes to look at a monk, and said: "Yesterday, you were waiting outside the gate of the palace to deceive the crowd?"

The monks sat up together reluctantly, and the monks performed the rituals of the monks, and said the Taoist rituals, saying "Amitabha Buddha" and "Infinite Heavenly Venerable".

"See the emperor in the world, we only came here to get rid of demons, we never thought that we would be misunderstood and seriously injured."

Tu Yuanyi's phoenix eyes flashed, and said: "Now the world is peaceful, but you say there are monsters. I don't know who the monsters you are talking about are?"

Master Miaomiao said: "I have already found out that the monster entrusted to the palace is none other than His Majesty's noble concubine Xing Xiuyan."

The woman's name should not be leaked at will. It is really rude for this Miaomiao real person to mention the emperor's noble concubine's boudoir name like this, but they have seen Jing Huan Fairy's Si Mingbo, Jinling Twelve Beauties, everyone has a name and a surname.And they are monks, not common etiquette.

Baiguan couldn't help frowning even though he couldn't speak, Xing Zhong was even more furious, his chest heaving.

Tu Yuanyi's phoenix eyes had a cold light, and he had murderous intentions, but he asked: "You have never seen the imperial concubine, how do you know she is a demon?"

In front of the king, the royal spirit was too suppressed, and they were all seriously injured. Daoist Miaomiao had to rest for a while after saying a word, so the great man Miaomiao continued: "Amitabha, we used to hide from the world, but we suddenly found out that because of that The evildoers change the number of people's lives without authorization and disturb the affairs of the world."

Tu Yuanyi curled the corner of his mouth coldly, and asked, "Which fate did the imperial concubine change? What was the fate of that person?"

Master Mang Mang took a breath, and continued: "That evildoer changed the fate of Lin Ruhai and Lin Daiyu. Lin Ruhai should be dead at this time, and Lin Daiyu was just an orphan. When she was sent to Rongguo Mansion, she died of tears at the age of 17. .And she changed the layout of Rongguo Mansion, Jia Baoyu now has no beautiful woman beside her. She herself is just a poor daughter, and she was destined to marry a merchant, and died of old age after going through all kinds of hardships."

Lin Ruhai was really taken aback, why is it related to him and Daiyu?It was also Lin Ruhai who was wearing a purple robe at this time and was among the hundreds of officials, but the monk was still paying attention to the emperor at this time, so he didn't look carefully and found him.

When Xiao Kai heard that his son and daughter-in-law were newly married, the monks cursed their daughter-in-law to die young and couldn't help jumping up and cursing, but Lin Ruhai next to him could bear it more and pressed his shoulders.

The emperor does not allow them to interject now.

The emperor evoked a sarcastic smile and asked, "Who decides this man's fate?"

Seng Dao didn't dare to say it now, how could they say about Fairy Jing Huan and Si Mingbo?

The emperor said: "If you don't tell me, how can I believe it? Otherwise, today a monk said that Concubine Chen is a monster, and I will punish her, and tomorrow another monk will come out and say that the queen mother is a monster, so I will also punish her." ? If another person comes out to call me a monster, will my throne be surrendered?"

"No...not...we're telling the truth..."

If it was the Jia family, the Zhen family, the Lin family, and the Xue family, they would come and leave like a master. There is no need to explain so much, but how can they leave now?

How can this alien stand the interrogation of the world?

Hearing the emperor's loud questioning, all the ministers couldn't help saying yes in their hearts.Confucius said: Don't talk about strange powers and distracting spirits. Isn't this the truth?

The emperor said again: "You have no evidence, how can I believe you?! You are truthful, who is instigating you to frame the noble concubine? The rumors of "being in the palace", but to prove that I am the king of Shang Zhou? Are you trying to conspire to overthrow my Great Zhou Dynasty?!"

"No!" Reverend Miaomiao paused for a while, and hurriedly denied it. "It was approved by Jing Huan Fairy's Command Book."

But the emperor said: "This is strange. I have heard that the king of Hades has the power of life and death, and he is in charge of life and wealth. Who is this Fairy Jinghuan, who actually overstepped the power of the king of Hades?"

At this time, even Daoist Miao Miao and Master Boundless were speechless.

Yes, life and death in the world should be in the hands of Yan Jun of the Ten Palaces. When did Fairy Jing Huan have the right to limit people's life, death and fate?

But the Taoist priests have not yet attained the Tao of Feixian, and their magical powers are much higher than theirs, and they have also given magic weapons such as Fengyue mirror, how dare they question her order?

Master Mang Mang couldn't help stammering: "This... this... I don't know..."

The emperor said angrily: "I don't know why, but dare to use this as evidence to frame the noble concubine, with the intention of subverting the Great Zhou Dynasty?"

Master Miaomiao said: "I want to help Shenying's waiter go through the world of mortals, and the Jinling Twelve Beauties, the main book, the sub-book, and the sub-book all have to accompany Shenying's waiter to go through the world of mortals, how...how can we change our fate? "

The emperor sneered: "So, your evidence is that the noble concubine ruined the affairs of Shenying's waiter you said, so you call her a demon with empty teeth?"

The Taoist monk was speechless again for a long time, and the great man said after a while: "If there is nothing wrong with Xing Xiuyan, how can he serve the king?"

The emperor heard him mention Xiuxiu's boudoir name in this life, and he was furious in his heart, but he held back, he sneered: "Is it possible that someone will serve me, I have to listen to you? What are you? Looking at the world, who is qualified?" Decide which woman should serve me?! Who has the heart of disobedience? If it is a man, his sisters and daughters will be officials/prostitutes! If it is a woman, he and his daughter will become officials/prostitutes! You should be lucky, You have no daughters or sisters!"

The officials present couldn't help shrinking their necks. For example, Shen Man's father and brother regretted letting Shen Man enter the palace at the beginning, otherwise they would have been able to obtain the grace to be exempted from the election.

Suddenly someone came to report that Concubine Chen was coming, and the emperor hurriedly summoned her, and saw Concubine Chen disembark from the phoenix chariot under the guard of Jin Yiwei.

I saw that imperial concubine Chen was not wearing high-grade make-up or ordinary palace attire, only a long-haired arrow-sleeve Hu suit, and a gorilla felt cloak, which was embroidered with gold-threaded phoenixes.Her hair is tied in a bun with a fragrance towards the cloud, and there are not many gorgeous jewelry in her hair, she only wears a set of plum blossom-shaped gold/jade inlaid head.

The four beautiful palace ladies in the first group were also gorgeously dressed, and after that, there were four little eunuchs holding something in their hands.

Concubine Chen came here in style, neither flustered nor eager, and bowed gracefully in front of Majesty Dan: "The concubine sees the emperor!"

Tu Yuanyi did not get off the throne either, and said in a gentle voice, "Aifei is flat!"

Another hundred officials paid homage to the imperial concubine, and after the imperial concubine ordered her to rise, she said: "Your Majesty, let me tell you: Your Majesty ordered my concubine to prove that I am not a monster in front of all civil and military officials, and my concubine feels dissatisfied."

Tu Yuanyi said: "I'm here to remove the doubts in everyone's hearts, and also for the peace of the court. Yu Aifei is also good."

Concubine Chen said: "Your Majesty, does anyone say who is a demon, does that person have to prove that he is not a demon?"

"That... can't be said that way."

Concubine Chen suddenly looked at the Minister of Criminal Affairs, and asked, "May I ask Minister Zhang, if A claims that B killed someone, but A has no physical evidence, will B have to prove that he didn't kill?"

Seeing that the emperor allowed him to speak, Zhang Shangshu replied: "Master A, it is A who must have someone to testify before he can convict B, otherwise he will make a false accusation."

"Thank you Zhang Shangshu for clarifying the confusion." Imperial Concubine Chen smiled and nodded, "Your Majesty, this concubine is this Yi, and now she is absurdly trying to prove that she did not 'murder'. Your Majesty, Confucianism has been the way of governing the world since ancient times, and I have never listened to it. It is said which Mingjun relied on monks and Taoists to govern the country. Xu Fu deceived Qin Shihuang and made him seek immortality in vain; ;Emperor Jiajing of the former Ming Dynasty, let alone him. A saint should use history as a mirror."

All the officials couldn't help but nod their heads again and again, this was exactly what they had in mind.

The emperor smiled and said: "I don't want to listen to the monk's teaching, but I don't want rumors to spread."

Concubine Chen said with a smile: "The concubine had a dream yesterday. He dreamed that Xiao Kai, Marquis of Dingzhong, was a vixen, Mr. Sun, Minister of the Ministry of War, was a spirit of tiger, and Mr. Lin, a scholar of Wenyuange University, was a spirit of peacock. The concubine felt that she had become a fairy. Give advice, help Your Majesty eliminate demons, Your Majesty will have them all arrested, unless they can prove that they are not demons, otherwise they will not be released. And the best way to prove that they are not demons is to kill them, if they are demons , of course they will be able to reveal their true colors after death! If they don’t have their true colors, they have been wronged, and the concubine will bury them properly, and then go to the grave to apologize.”

The civil and military officials couldn't help but smile, but the few officials she mentioned actually had a good relationship with her. Lin Ruhai was still her adoptive father. Besides, according to the monks and Taoists, the reason why she was suspected of being a monster was because they changed his premature death. destiny.

But the emperor scolded: "It's just nonsense, they are ministers of the court, how can they bully them?"

Concubine Chen asked back: "They are ministers and must not be insulted. If you dare to be a woman, you can pour dirty water at will? Whoever pours dirty water on the concubine, the concubine will have to bear the monstrous title? Pick up all the persimmons. Soft pinch, what kind of hero is a woman who bullies a concubine?"

The emperor said: "This is the case, if you refuse to accept it, what do you want?"

Concubine Chen said: "If the concubine is guilty, the concubine will admit it. If not, framing the concubine of the court is a capital crime according to the law. Your majesty gave the concubine a sword. The sword has not been stained with blood. If the concubine proves The concubines are not demons, they are capital crimes anyway, let the concubines kill them with their own hands, to avenge their shame!"

All the ministers couldn't help being shocked, this noble concubine Chen was too daring to take revenge with her own hands.Also, what the sage does is not authentic. Is he raising a concubine?Did the emperor bestow swords on concubines?Shouldn't gold hairpins, jewelry, silk and satin be given?This is raising a tigress, right?

The emperor thought for a while, and said: "If you are not a monster, and you don't mind dirty hands, I will let you handle it."

Concubine Chen congratulated her, and then walked a few steps closer to Seng Dao. Seng Dao stared at Xing Xiuyan with wide eyes, and couldn't help being terrified. It was because she was full of righteousness and righteousness, and she was definitely not evil.

"Don't come here..."

Concubine Chen said with a smile: "I'm just giving you a chance to get rid of the demon. What do you say, what kind of demon am I?"

Master Miao Miao tremblingly said: "I...we don't know."

Concubine Chen thought for a while, and said: "Take yourself to the palace to seduce the king. It seems that the chances of talking about vixen are higher. I don't think you have looked into the demon mirror. I heard that spirit monkeys and black dogs can distinguish foxes. There are zoos."

As she spoke, she clapped her hands, and saw eight eunuchs leading four primates and four black dogs up.The four primates are white apes, golden monkeys, macaques, and black dogs, and the four black dogs are wolfhounds, Tibetan mastiffs, poodles, and Chinese pastoral dogs.

Concubine Chen took off the gorilla felt cloak, and started a circus performance with dog food. Those dogs were all carefully selected and very smart.

"Wangcai, dance!"

The Chinese pastoral dog stood up on its legs, wagging its tail in front of Xing Xiuyan, and Xing Xiuyan rewarded it with food.

She took another steel ring from an eunuch and said, "Laifu, jump!"

That Tibetan Mastiff has such a bad name, it rushed over fiercely, but it precisely passed through the steel ring in Concubine Chen's hand, and then got the food.

Concubine Chen teased every animal one after another, including making monkeys do somersaults and making orangutans peel bananas and eat them.All the officials present couldn't help feeling amused. It was an extremely serious occasion, but it turned into a quack show.

The "spirit monkeys" and black dogs were taken down one after another. Concubine Chen said with a smile: "Your Majesty, neither the spirit monkeys nor the black dogs sensed that I was a demon. Of course, it is also possible that these few were not spiritual enough just now. Someone can offer monkeys and dogs with spirituality, and the concubine will definitely cooperate. However, if it is invalid, the concubine will not punish him for the death penalty of offending the noble concubine and disrespecting the concubine. Just chop off his hands and feet to make up for the crime. The concubine He is a benevolent person who must accumulate merits and not hurt people's lives."

Xiao Kai couldn't help laughing, thinking to himself: who can prove that she is a demon, who will pay for a hand and a foot when she is full?

Xiao Kai was suddenly startled again: If Imperial Concubine Chen didn't confront her face-to-face like this today, she would be frank and frank, she wouldn't know what to say behind her back.There are always people who don't like her, and rumors spread among the people, and if there is a disaster, they will force her on the head, which will be bad.But because of the proof of the confrontation between the imperial court and the officials, the rumor spread among the people is that the confrontation between her and the monks and Taoists was a victory, proving her innocence, and it also made them a joke, and even they spread rumors. Rumors cost lives.Then the possible misfortune will be eliminated afterwards.

Seeing Concubine Chen said again: "If I am not a 'demon', then I am an 'evil'." She directed the eunuchs to bring glutinous rice, garlic, peach wood sword, black dog blood and other things.

She hung a bunch of garlic around her neck, wiped a handful of glutinous rice on her face, and then dabbed some black dog blood on her forehead.Then, he peeled a piece of garlic and ate it, picked up the mahogany sword and danced the first three moves of a set of sword skills.

Concubine Chen put away her sword, holding a sword in one hand and biting raw garlic in the other, and said, "Your Majesty, maybe my morality is too high, what should I do if these things are useless to me? Why don't you discuss it with the civil and military officials and invite a Taoist priest from Maoshan?" Let’s take a look? And my natal family, I’m Yaoxie, my father, my mother, and my younger brother are probably also Yaoxie. Because people are born of human beings, and demons are born of demons. Also, my younger brother was born For a few months, the demon should not drink milk, will it suck human blood from behind or something."

All ministers: ...

Xing Zhong was sweating with black lines all over his head, but saw his daughter waving at her: "Father, come here."

Xing Zhong naturally suppressed the complicated mood just now, and walked over, only to see Xing Xiuyan say: "Please forgive my daughter for being rude."

As she said that, she also sprinkled glutinous rice on him, hung garlic around his neck, and drew a picture on his face with black dog blood, and said in surprise: "Father, it turns out that your morality is as high as your daughter's! You are so tall!" Our father and daughter will soon be in the class of immortals, why should we be evil spirits in the lower realm?"

All the ministers shook their heads secretly, they all felt that Imperial Concubine Chen was too nonsense, and the emperor indulged her too much.

The emperor shouted: "Concubine, don't mess around! Xing Zhong, you should step back first."

Xing Zhong had garlic hanging around his neck, and he retreated back covered in glutinous rice and black dog blood.

Concubine Chen was stained with black dog blood, and said with a smile: "Your Majesty, I don't know if I am a demon or not. Therefore, what I said about monks and Taoism is very strange. I have never seen them before, so how can they judge?" Yes. The concubine has something to ask them."

The emperor agreed, and Xing Xiuyan walked up to a monk, and the two moved back in horror.

Xing Xiuyan said: "Why are you against me? Who ordered you?"

The vast Dashi Heshi: "Amitabha, benefactor, it is wrong for you to change the fate of people, and it will hinder the servant of Shenying from going through the world of mortals."

Xing Xiuyan said: "What is the servant of Shenying? I am canonized by the emperor, and this servant of Shenying is bigger than the emperor?"

Master Miaomiao said: "It's not like this, the waiter Shenying is a disciple of Chixia Palace."

Xing Xiuyan snorted, and said: "In ancient myths and legends, the real Lingxu of Chixia Palace is a powerful god, but what does this have to do with the world? Of course, the world has the final say on the affairs of the world, and there is no official in the world greater than the Son of Heaven. The emperor canonized me as a noble concubine, can you control me?"

One monk and the other just want to gain the Tao, cling to Jinghuan, and please the Chixia Palace and Wahuang Palace, where did they think about these things.It is already difficult for them to get close to the emperor, how can they surpass the emperor?

Xing Xiuyan said again: "Let's not say that I am a man or a demon, but you talked nonsense that day, saying that I seduced the king and flattered me, and caused chaos in the country. May I ask if you have investigated, since I entered the palace, which virtuous officials have been harmed? How many people have been killed? Since I entered the palace, what kind of things did the emperor of the Great Zhou do to be close to the villain and far away from the virtuous ministers? Is Your Majesty's brawny minister the traitor and traitor that His Majesty only gets close to and reuses when he is seduced by me?"

Xing Xiuyan's words were resounding, and this series of rhetorical questions could not be refuted by outsiders like monks and Taoists.

Lin Ruhai couldn't help but secretly applauded, and all the officials present also applauded from the bottom of their hearts.Sun Yuanwang, Shangshu of the Ministry of War, thought to himself: Concubine Chen actually knows "the technique of combining verticality", Guiguzi said: "Turn the ball to use its ingenious speech, and fly tongs to subdue its delicate technique." At this time, although she asked the monk's way back, in the end it was combined Indulged all the civil and military officials of the dynasty.The officials who are being reused at the moment are those who have no close relationship with her. Who would think that they are reused only when the king is bewitched by evil spirits?

And Concubine Chen did not harm virtuous ministers or common people.

Now that the farce is happening, at least none of the officials present will think that the imperial concubine Chen is really a demon, if there is someone who uses her mind, after this, I am afraid that she will not be able to use rumors to harm the imperial concubine.

But monks and Taoists are suspicious. Who are they talking about the police officer's fate?