Reincarnation of the powerful minister

At Yinshi on the first day of the first lunar month, before the east was bright, Emperor Jinglong got up.

According to the ancestral system, the emperor first went to the ancestral temple to offer sacrifices, and then drove out of the Qianqing Gate. The mighty Jinyi guards surrounded the golden chariot and went up three stages, passing the Jinshen Hall, the Huagai Hall, and finally the Yufengtian Hall, sitting on the golden table. Luan Throne, to accept the New Year worship of the subjects.

All princes, princes and officials will come to participate in this grand court meeting held in Fengtian Temple.

Because Su Yan's official position has not changed after returning to Beijing, he is still only a seventh-rank censor, so he is not eligible to participate in the Great Court Meeting.He was also happy to steal half a day of leisure, sleeping in at home on the first day of junior high school.

Sleeping until the sun was high, I heard Xiao Bei knocking on the door outside the house and shouting in a low voice: "My lord! My lord, get up quickly, something has happened!"

Su Yan opened his eyes in a jerk, hurriedly dressed, opened the door and asked, "What happened?"

"Chu's bodyguard came from the palace and said that the emperor wants to see your lord immediately. This is the first day of the lunar new year, so he is in a hurry to summon you. What is it? My lord, do you know it well?" Su Xiaobei looked a little serious.

Although Su Xiaojing loves to bluff and doesn't turn his head, at least one sentence is right, "A companion is like a tiger".For the two masters in the palace who hold the power of life and death, he has always been worried for his own adults.

Su Yan patted him on the shoulder comfortingly, "Don't worry, even if something happens, I won't be troubled. You and Xiao Jing will prepare an official uniform for me, and pack some food. I will use it on the carriage...etc. ! There are also two annual gifts, the two tied with yellow silk, help me to carry them into the carriage together."

Walking down the courtyard, he was chased by Jing Hong.Jing Hong chased and said: "Wherever you are going, please let your subordinates accompany you."

Su Yan declined: "I want to enter the palace, it's inconvenient to take you with me, so you can wait for me at home."

Jing Hong was worried about chasing, and said: "This subordinate is waiting outside the Meridian Gate, and you will be able to see him as soon as you leave the palace."

Knowing that he was stubborn, Su Yan agreed.

Jing Hong chased and asked again: "The emperor summoned you suddenly, do you think it is a business matter or a private matter?"

"It's business." Su Yan thought that it was more likely to be a business, but as soon as he said it, he felt that the emperor's heart was unpredictable, so he still didn't want to be too big, and he had to make all the countermeasures.

He thought for a while, and took Shang Fangjian, who had not had time to return after returning to Beijing, the phased report of supervising Shaanxi Mazheng, the "management model of government agencies at all levels" handbook assisted by Governor Wei, and the impeachment of Pingliang County King Zhu Zhu. Yougou's memorial (in case the villain of the other party sues first), and the little yellow letter written by King Yu (if necessary, you will lose your face and fight to the death), all of which are taken with you, just in case.

When the time comes to see what moves the emperor makes, he will play the corresponding card himself, perfect.

The carriage from the palace was waiting at the gate of Su's mansion. Su Yan walked out and saw Chu Yuan waiting at the side. After paying their respects to each other, he directly pulled him into the carriage.

Su Yan asked: "At this time, the emperor should have finished the court meeting in the outer court and received congratulations in the inner court. Why did he summon me suddenly? Is there something wrong? Heitantou, you have to find out for me first."

He dared to ask, firstly, because Chu Yuan traveled all the way in Shaanxi before, and the two had gone through hardships together, there was a basis for their relationship; secondly, the emperor did not send eunuchs to pass the edict, but sent imperial guards to protect his safety. , indicating that this matter is risky, and he has to plan ahead.

"To be honest with Mr. Su, something happened. But it wasn't in the palace, but Honglu Temple."

Honglu Temple?It's not the time for the tribute of the vassal countries recently, and there are only Oala envoys in the Honglu Temple, could it be——

"What happened to those Wala people who are waiting for the reply of their credentials?"

Chu Yuan nodded: "Dead! In the middle of the nine-day cold night, those four people took off their clothes, jumped off the koi pond in Honglu Temple, and froze to death!"

Su Yan was wrapped in a fox fur cloak, and when he thought of jumping into ice water naked, he couldn't help shivering, "It's a strange death!"

"Isn't it? It happened to be New Year's Eve, and all the officials in Honglu Temple went home to celebrate the New Year. Only a few servants were on duty. As a result, the body was discovered this morning. The emperor was at the court meeting in Fengtian Palace when he received the report. The imperial guard ordered me to bring you into the palace for discussion."

Su Yan thought about this strange thing along the way, and the carriage he sat in went straight to the inner court and came outside the South Study Room.

After a short wait in the front hall, Yu Jia arrived, and Emperor Jing Long and the crown prince walked in one after the other.Su Yan hurriedly got up, made a big prostration ceremony, and congratulated him: "New Year's greetings to the emperor and the young master. My lord's holy body is healthy, and my life is boundless; I will have good weather and good weather, and the country will be peaceful and the people will be safe."

The emperor helped him up with his own hands, "Come, let's talk inside."

After entering the imperial study room, they were seated in different positions.After the servants served the refreshments, they all left the palace door, not even Lan Xi, who was always serving close to him, was left behind.

The emperor said to Su Yan: "You should know about the Honglu Temple."

Su Yan nodded.

"What do you think of the death of the Oarat messenger?"

This familiar questioning method and plain tone, without any personal likes and dislikes, is very "Emperor Jinglong".

Su Yan once heard the emperor ask this question, his chest would twitch with tension, always feeling like a civil servant national examination.Now that the habit has become natural, and I feel a little more close and even tender to the emperor in my heart, I don't feel nervous when I answer.

He had already thought about it in the carriage, and now he answered calmly: "Some people don't want to see me, Daming and Wala settle their differences, and want to add fuel to the conflict."

He didn't explain further, but asked instead: "I remember that the emperor once said to the minister that Heiduo shaman and the mastermind behind the scenes should be paralyzed with the returned letter of credence, and then another person will be sent to Oala to contact Hu Kuoli in secret to clarify Kun How is the assassination of Prince Le going?"

It was the first time that Zhu Helin, who was sitting next to him, heard about this, just wanted to ask, but then shut up again and listened carefully first.

The emperor said: "The cabinet of the national book has been discussed and drafted. After I review it, it will be handed over to the ceremonial supervisor to transcribe and seal it. I planned to delay it for a few more days and hand it over to the Oala envoy to bring it back. The secret envoy was also sent on the 25th of the twelfth lunar month. Counting the time, even the Great Wall They haven’t left yet, and it will take at least a month to reach the Wara tribe.”

Su Yan said: "That's why some people can't help it. He doesn't know what will be written in the national letter, and he is worried that the fight will end, so he does not stop doing two things, let the Oala envoy die in the territory of Daming, and die in the official office of Honglu Temple inside.

"It is said that the envoys will not be beheaded when the two countries fight each other", but my inscription does not spare even a few envoys, how cruel and unkind, and militaristic - this is the public opinion effect that the murderer wants to achieve. The emperor thought, why did he To use such a bizarre and absurd method to kill people?"

Emperor Jinglong turned his head to look at the prince, motioning for him to answer.

The prince had never participated in their discussions before, only when he was listening to the government at the court meeting, he learned about some conflicts and situations between Da Ming and Wala, and now he saw it as if he was being inspected by his father, his heart was beating, and he couldn't help but look at it from the corner of his eye. From the corner of the eye, he glanced at Su Yan.

Su Yan smiled encouragingly at the prince.

He knew that Zhu Helin was smart. Although his mind was a little erratic, he possessed an intuition and foresight that could see through the essence of things. This was innate wisdom.What is lacking right now is experience and self-confidence.

Zhu Helin understood his smile, and really calmed down. After thinking quickly, he said, "Because this is the most indisputable way to die. If the envoy dies by sword or poison, we can still order the assassin to be arrested and give Wala a Confess, but in the current situation, what should we say? Say, 'Your emissary himself went mad, and he took off his clothes and dived to death in winter'? This answer is obviously true, but in Wala's view, it is so absurd and unreasonable. Arrogance! You must be enraged and never die! This is what the murderer wants to achieve."

The emperor nodded, satisfied with the answer.

Zhu Helin was a little proud, but more suspicious: "The murderer is so insidious, but the emperor is not in a hurry at all, and he is not worried about the current situation. Is there a way to solve it?"

The emperor raised his cup and drank tea, "What's the use of being anxious. If even the emperor can't hold his ground, how can the subjects under him feel at ease? Prince, please remember, as a king, you should not show your emotions or anger."

Zhu Helin cupped his hands to show that he was being taught, but when he lowered his head, he stuck out his tongue and found Su Yan peeking at him, so he grinned at him again.

Su Yan was afraid that the emperor would notice that the two of them were flirting, so he quickly withdrew his gaze and sat upright.

The emperor said: "I have ordered Jinyiwei Beizhen Fusi and Dali Temple to jointly investigate this case thoroughly. Su Yan, you may wish to return to your post and continue to serve as You Shaoqing of Dali Temple to investigate this case for me and find out who is behind the scenes." Black hand?"

Since the emperor intends to let him take over the case, he will have to wait until March at least before going to Shaanxi, and there is still a lot of time in between.

The two or three months are not so urgent for supervising the horse administration in Shaanxi. Anyway, the infrastructure construction cannot be accomplished overnight.However, the side matter between Wala and Daming is a crucial public relations reaction period.Su Yan also agreed, cupped his hands and said, "I will do my best."

The crown prince took the initiative to invite Ying: "Father, my son also wants to contribute. Let my son supervise the case, and report to the father in time if there is any situation."

Emperor Jinglong pondered for a while, nodded his approval, and sent a team of elite guards to serve as guards for the prince, requiring him to bring his guards with him when he left the palace and not to act alone.

The prince agreed, and wanted to leave, so he dragged Su Yan to watch the scene.

The emperor said: "You go to the East Palace to prepare first, I still have a few words for Su Qing."

The crown prince was rubbed against each other and refused to leave, "Or the minister will wait outside the study, and the emperor will explain slowly, and I will go with him when it is over."

The emperor stared at his son intently, his eyes were like Yuanting and Yuezhi, and he was not angry but prestige.

The prince looked at each other confidently at first, but in the end he failed to withstand the coercion of the emperor, and his momentum gradually became discouraged. Finally, like a defeated little rooster, he told Su Yan, "I'll wait for you outside the Meridian Gate", and walked away dejectedly.

Su Yan suppressed a smile and lowered his head to drink tea to cover up.

He thought that the emperor was going to discuss this case further, but unexpectedly, he heard a calm question from above: "Meixiantang Hot Spring, how do you feel?"

After taking a sip of tea, he choked into the air duct and coughed half to death.

Su Yan covered his face with one sleeve, coughing continuously, and fumbled with the other hand to put the teacup back on the table, almost knocking it over.

While tearing up in pain, he wailed in his heart: It's over, I'm doomed, why does the emperor know everything!

The emperor sat on his seat calmly, letting him cough to death, seemed very indifferent, but also patiently waited for him to confess.

Su Yan's mind was running fast - maybe the emperor just had doubts after hearing Chu Yuan's secret report, but he didn't know the inside story, and he didn't know who was present.It's just a habit of knocking mountains and shaking tigers to see if the truth can be corrupted.

Yes, I can't mess with myself, I have to stand up.

He tried his best to calm down, stopped coughing slowly, and pleaded guilty first: "The minister behaved rudely, I beg the emperor to forgive me."

The emperor said indifferently: "If you panic, you will inevitably choke. There is nothing wrong with that. However, you should answer my question first. Is the hot spring in Meixiantang comfortable?"