To The Land of Nevernight

In the stillness of the night, Cui Xiao lowered his head anxiously and finished speaking in a low voice.He waited for a long time, but did not see Tang Shen's reaction.He raised his head cautiously, and under the candlelight, Tang Jing's face was like a crown of jade, his eyes were sharp, and he could see through his thoughts at a glance.Cui Xiao thumped in his heart, obviously the person in front of him was many years younger than him, yet he was so overwhelmed that he couldn't breathe.

Tang Shen sneered: "Lord Cui came here tonight to ask me to bend the law for your own benefit?"

Cui Xiao immediately said: "The little ones don't dare."

Tang Shen opened his eyes, and said sharply: "You dare not! If you dare not, then why are you here today? As you said, I did have a relationship with Liang Bowen and Liang Daru for a few times, and I have been educated. He has some advice, so what? Mr. Liang has passed away for many years, what does his matter have to do with this official. Do you know what official position this official is now?"

Cui Xiao has been exhausted by "private affairs" these days. He traveled thousands of miles from Jinling Mansion to Shengjing.He looked at Tang Shen in amazement, only to hear Tang Shen yell coldly: "This official is now an admonishing doctor, working in Yushitai!"

Cui Xiao suddenly felt as if struck by lightning, and he froze in place.

Yushitai, which supervises all officials, hangs over the heads of the officials like a sharp sword.

Now that Cui Xiao begged Tang Shen for committing a crime, he was throwing himself into a trap.Cui Xiao said in a high voice: "Master Tang, I have old acquaintances with Mr. Liang. I have done errands for Mr. Liang. You can't do this."

Tang Shen stared at him coldly, Cui Xiao felt cold all over, and subconsciously fell silent.Tang Shen called Yao San directly, and wanted to send Cui Xiao to Dali Temple.After all, Cui Xiao was a flying cavalry captain, seeing that Tang Shen was about to arrest him, he tried his best to resist.However, these days he has trouble sleeping and eating, his body is tired, and he has no energy.Yao San was strong and strong, the two wrestled for a while, and he was caught by Yao San with his bare hands.

Cui Xiao's eyes were red: "Master Tang, you can't cross the river and tear down the bridge."

Tang Shen said to Yao San: "Send him to Dali Temple." After a pause, Tang Shen said: "I will go with you."

In the middle of the night, Tang Shen personally sent people to Dali Temple.

The officials on duty at Dali Temple heard about this and immediately came to see Tang Shen.Tang Shen put him in prison, and said sternly to the official on duty: "This person is a prisoner under the supervision of Yushitai, from today onwards, he will be strictly guarded. If the official did not come to summon him personally, don't ask Let someone else go to see him. It's a big deal, and I can do it?"

Upon hearing this, the officials of Dali Temple hurriedly said: "The next official listens to the order."

Tang Shen looked back at Cui Xiao who was full of panic, then turned and left.

After returning home, Tang Shen said to Yao San: "You took my official order and went south to Jinling Mansion early tomorrow morning. I want you to investigate something for me."

Too many things happened all at once tonight, Yao San was stunned and confused.He asked, "What does the little boss want me to do?"

Tang Shen: "The official in Dali Temple's prison is called Cui Xiao, and he is the Flying Cavalry Captain of Jinling Mansion. You go to Jinling Mansion to find out what happened to him, find out quickly, and report to me when you come back."

"Yes." Yao San turned his head and was about to leave.

"return."

Yao San turned to look at Tang Shen.

Tang Shen thought for a moment: "I don't have any acquaintances among the officials in the Jinling Mansion. You just take my official order to go. It may not be convenient for you to encounter some problems. If there is an accident, you can go to Langya Wang's and ask Wang family members to help. But remember, you must never go unless you are forced to."

Yao San: "I understand, please rest assured, little boss."

Sending Yao San to Jinling and putting Cui Xiao in prison, Tang Shen felt relieved.

This Cui Xiao came at such a coincidence, five years after Liang Song passed away, no one had ever mentioned him in front of Tang Shen.But Cui Xiao suddenly appeared, which made Tang Shen have to guard against it.He didn't know if Cui Xiao was really the Flying Cavalry Captain of Jinling Mansion, and he didn't even know how much this person knew about him and Liang Song.

It is not a secret that Liang Song was Tang Shen's husband. Zhao Fu also knew it well, but he never said it.

Tang Shen had already joined Fu Wei's sect, and became a fellow apprentice with Wang Qin, and separated from Liang Song. 31 years ago, Liang Song used to belong to the Songqing Party, and Zhao Fu did not like Songqing Party members. This is a fact.But Zhao Fu did not kill the Songqing Party.Whether it was Liang Song or the former Bachelor Yang, they all served as officials and lived until five years ago.

Zhao Fu wanted a good reputation, so he only arrested Zhong Taisheng, the leader of the Songqing Party.Even against other Songqing party members, he was careful and watertight. For example, Zhao Fu "exiled" Liang Song to Gusu Mansion, letting him stay away from the center of power and enjoy his old age in the small Gusu Mansion.

Tang Shen took the initiative to disassociate himself from Liang Song, and Liang Song was still young when he became a teacher, so Zhao Fu naturally would not blame him for this matter.

But the sudden appearance of Cui Xiao still made Tang Shen break out in a cold sweat.

A few days later, Yao San left for Jinling Mansion.

Tang Shen went to visit Wang Qin's house, and he brought a box of mooncakes specially.As the Mid-Autumn Festival approached, he spent a whole day at Shangshu's mansion in the name of delivering mooncakes to Wang Qin.He accompanied Wang Qin to play the birds and enjoy the flowers; when Wang Qin wrote, he studied ink; when Wang Qin played the piano, he listened.

After playing a song, Wang Qin held down the trembling strings with both hands, and looked sideways at Tang Shen.He whispered softly: "Little Junior Brother, why is he so elegant today, listen to me playing the piano?"

Tang Shen: "I've always liked senior brother's piano sound, senior brother, please don't wrong me. Senior brother plays this piece elegantly and long, and it makes me fascinated by listening to it."

Wang Qin gave a soft "oh" and asked, "That's really a bosom friend in the mountains and rivers. It's my luck to meet my junior brother. If that's the case, do you know what song I just played?"

Tang Shen was startled, but then he remembered that when Wang Qin was flipping through the piano score two hours ago, he had lingered on an ancient song for a long time.He said: "The apple leaves are soft, the apricot blossoms are bright, and the painting is clear. The mandarin ducks in the double bath come out of the green garden, and they sing. There is no wind and no waves in the spring water. In spring, it is half rainy and half sunny. The pink and pink accompany Nanpu at night, and there is a little affection... It's "Crane Rising to the Sky", am I right?"

As long as he saw it, Tang Shen would remember the content. At this moment, he spoke with confidence, as if he really understood.

Wang Qin looked at him meaningfully: "Yes, do you really understand this piece?"

Tang Shen: "I've told you the lyrics, but senior brother still thinks I don't know?"

Wang Qin smiled: "Okay, then you will know."

During dinner in the evening, Tang Shen chatted about Gusu Mansion: "I haven't been back to Gusu Mansion for a long time. Now that I think about it, it's been two years. I'm really homesick. Brother, do you miss the Langya Wang family and Jinling Mansion? Senior Brother It's also far away from home, and I haven't returned for a long time, I'm afraid that when I go back, I will feel that things are different, everything is different."

Wang Qin's hand holding the chopsticks paused, he looked up at Tang Shen, as if he wanted to see a flower on his face.But he is not a god after all, after watching it for a while, he smiled and said: "I went back to Jinling Mansion for Chinese New Year this year, next year, how about I go back to Jiangnan for Chinese New Year with my younger brother?"

Tang Shen smiled and said, "Of course it's good. I went to Langya Wang's once a few years ago. It's profound and far-reaching, and I'll never forget it."

After dinner, Tang Shen bid farewell and left, and the two made an appointment to enjoy the moon together at the Minister's Mansion during the Mid-Autumn Festival.

After leaving Shangshu Mansion, Tang Shen's expression changed, he concluded: "Wang Zifeng doesn't know about Cui Xiao!"

Jinling Mansion is the home of Langya Wang Clan, so it can be regarded as Wang Qin's territory.If Cui Xiao really harbored evil intentions, he would never be able to hide it from Langya Wang's eyes, and Wang would also tell Wang Qin about it.But now Wang Qin doesn't know anything about it, which means that there are nine out of ten reasons that Cui Xiao really didn't have his heart when he came to beg Tang Shen for something.

Tang Shen already had a judgment in his mind, but he still locked Cui Xiao in prison, waiting for Yao San to come back.

On the twelfth day of the eighth month, Yao San was still far away from the Jinling Mansion, so he arrived at the Empress Dowager's Mingshou.

Before the queen mother's birthday, Zhao Fu gave the three princes ten days to prepare the birthday banquet.

It was the first time for the three princes to be given such a big errand by Zhao Fu, and it was given to three people at the same time. All three of them realized that it was not easy, and each tried their best to complete the errand.The Empress Dowager's birthday banquet was not difficult, the three of them had a clear division of labor, and they all managed it properly, very beautifully.But there is an episode in this, when Wang Qin was teasing the birds one day, he once told Tang Shen jokingly.

It was said that the second prince Zhao Shang went to the Hall of Qinzheng on the second day after the three princes received their errands, and found Meng Lang, Shangshu of the Ministry of Rites.

Meng Lang was also surprised when he saw the distinguished guest.

Zhao Shang explained his intentions: "Last year, the emperor's grandmother's birthday banquet was entrusted to Mr. Meng. Now that I have accepted this job, I am young and immature. I don't understand the meaning of it, and I am afraid of breaking some taboos. I often don’t seek deep understanding, only know one or two things, so I’m here to see Mr. Meng, and I hope Mr. Meng can give me some pointers.”

Meng Lang breathed a sigh of relief: "It turns out that this is the matter. As a minister of the Ministry of Rites, I should naturally act for His Highness."

Zhao Shang had already settled the matter, so there was no need for Meng Lang to worry, and Meng Lang couldn't point out any mistakes at all.But he still came to make this appearance, tantamount to using this to get in touch with Meng Lang.He had worked with Meng Lang for a period of time last year because of the mission of the Liao Kingdom, and now the three princes were on an errand together, and Zhao Shang came to visit Meng Lang, and the relationship between the two became closer.

Wang Qin sprinkled the bird food to the oriole, his voice was clear and sweet: "What do you think of the second prince now?"

Tang Shen was also dumbfounded when he heard this: "It seems that I underestimated that Second Highness."

Wang Qin stretched out his hand and tapped lightly between Tang Shen's eyebrows, and Tang Shen raised his hand to touch his forehead.

Wang Qin: "Everyone has selfish intentions. To be moved by selfish intentions is to have a conspiracy. Meng Lang is no exception, and Zhao Shang is no exception."

"Do you have selfishness, brother?"

Wang Qin paused, then said with a leisurely smile, "Of course."

Tang Shen became curious: "What is the selfishness of senior brother?"

"It has been said since ancient times that a man stands at thirty. Next year, I will be 30."

Tang Shen: "...?" Huh?

Wang Qin smiled and said no more.

The so-called [-]-year-old, men start a family first, and then start a career.

Wang Qin felt deeply guilty about this. He only felt that he had spent twenty years of reading poetry and books. He thought he would live up to the heaven and the earth and live up to the king, but he only lived up to the teachings of his ancestors.Mr. Wang will not do such things that do not follow the etiquette, and he will naturally change it.It's too late to change now.

On the twelfth day of the eighth month, the day of the Empress Dowager's Mingshou, Zhao Fu put on a ceremonial robe and brought the officials to Dingguo Temple to pray for the Empress Dowager.

Tang Shen was an advising doctor, he was in the forefront of the officials, and many officials below the fourth rank were behind him, kneeling down in a crowd.When offering sacrifices to heaven, even Zhao Fu had to kneel.Wearing a heavy and complicated dress, Zhao Fu walked to the Temple of Heaven step by step.He looked up at the queen mother's spiritual seat, tears filled his eyes, and knelt down on his knees, praying for the queen mother.

The emperor knelt, and all the officials kowtowed.

The officials immediately kowtowed to the ground, not daring to raise their heads.

I saw hundreds of people filling the huge Dingguo Temple, but there was a sound of needles falling, and it was extremely silent.

At this time, Tang Shen heard a soft chanting sound.Just like the Zen sound from the Western bliss, when this sound sounds, you will hear the silence of all birds and the silence of insects.The man fiddled with the sandalwood beads, praying and chanting for the Empress Dowager word by word.After he finished reading the entire "Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva's Fundamental Vows Sutra", the emperor got up from the futon, and all the officials finally raised their heads.

Tang Shen took a closer look and finally saw this person.

On the Temple of Heaven, Qin Tianjian was kneeling on the left side of the emperor, while a monk stood on the right side of the emperor.He has a round face, kind eyebrows and kind eyes, and a casual look can make people feel gentle and docile, and the world is ethereal.

Tang Shen stared blankly for a while, when a name suddenly flashed in his mind.

This is the good listening monk.

After praying for the Empress Dowager in Dingguo Temple, all the officials followed the emperor back to the palace to participate in the birthday banquet.

When everyone left Dingguo Temple, a sneaky figure in Taoist robe hurried to the carriage of the second-rank official.Li Xiaoren waited for a long time, and finally waited for Wang Qin.His eyes lit up, he hurried over and shouted, "Lord Wang."

Wang Qin turned around and saw Li Xiaoren.A gentle smile appeared on Qingya's face, and Wang Qin said softly, "So it's Master Li."