To The Land of Nevernight

At the beginning of May, Emperor Kaiping Zhao Fu suddenly caught a headache and fell ill on the dragon couch.

Zhao Fu had long suffered from a head-flu syndrome, and had suffered a serious illness over ten years ago. After waking up, he devoted himself to seeking immortality.Zhao Fu suffers from head wind every year, maybe he is old now, this time the head wind is fierce, Zhao Fu retired from the early court, handed over the affairs of the court to Zhongshu Sheng, and recuperated in Funing Palace by himself.

As a living man, Tang Shen didn't take a vacation because of this.

Every day, the living man and the living roomers must guard outside the Funing Hall.They can't record anything, but they have to guard it.In the evening, I will go to Zhongshu Province to report to the ministers.When Tang Shen went to report on his work, he mainly talked about what he encountered today with his husbands.For example, whether Zhao Fu's condition has deteriorated, and whether Zhao Fu has anything to say to the relatives; what is Zhao Fu's plan the next day, whether to continue to stop the court, or to think again.

After guarding outside Funing Hall for a whole day, Tang Shen left Funing Hall with two householders.The two left the palace through the side gate first, but Tang Shen turned a corner and walked around to Qinzheng Hall.

Qinzheng Hall is the place where several ministers of Zhongshu Province stayed after entering the palace.

Every day, the big and small affairs in the court are first passed to the Qinzheng Hall, and after being reviewed by the officials of the Zhongshu Province, they write suggestions and then submit them to Zhao Fu.After Zhao Fu read it, he might have given a reply and sent it to the Hall of Qinzheng.If the husbands have no objections, this book will be passed on.If the lords have other suggestions, they will hand over the notebook again, and Zhao Fu will read it again.

When Tang Shen came to Qinzheng Hall, he first entered a flower-curtain door, then went inside, looked up and saw a palace door with four plum blossom hairpins.

After entering the door, Tang Shen was led to the house of Zuo Cheng Chen Xianggong by a small official.

"My subordinate Tang Shen, I have met Mr. Chen."

Chen Linghai was flipping through a booklet, when he heard a voice, he looked up and saw Tang Shen.The little official saluted him and left the main room.Chen Linghai held the booklet in one hand, and looked at Tang Shen with great interest.He smiled and said, "Master Tang is here."

Tang Shen made a bow and said, "I'm here to report on my duties."

Then, Tang Shen talked about what happened in Funing Hall today.In fact, nothing happened, Zhao Fu lay in the Funing Hall for a whole day without seeing any officials or going out for a walk.In the evening, he told Tang Shen that Zhongshu Sheng should continue to act as the former court, and then he took the medicine made by the imperial physician and fell into a drowsy sleep.

After Chen Linghai finished listening, he said, "Your Majesty Tang has worked hard."

Tang Shen was slightly surprised. It was obviously the first time he had seen Chen Linghai, so why did Chen Linghai feel strangely close to him.

There are four prime ministers in Zhongshu Province, namely Zuoxiang, Youxiang, Zuocheng and Youcheng.The two prime ministers are respected, and they are the prime ministers of the current dynasty; the two prime ministers are the assistants, and they are the deputy prime ministers of the current court.Chen Linghai is one of the deputy prime ministers.The four of them are serious and honest ministers of the Song Dynasty. In addition, the six ministers of the Shangshu Province can barely be called "Mister Xianggong".Wang Qin is the latter kind of "false husband".

Tang Shen murmured in his heart, "I'm just doing what I'm supposed to do."

After the debriefing was over, Tang Shen bid farewell to Chen Linghai and prepared to leave the palace.Then he had just left Chen Linghai's room when he met a middle-aged man with a mustache and a second-rank official robe coming from the flower corridor opposite.Seeing Tang Shen, he was surprised.At this time Master Chen came out and said with a smile, "Master Meng."

The person who came was Meng Lang, Shangshu of the Ministry of Rites.

When Meng Lang saw Tang Shen, his eyes were more naked and direct than that of Chen Xianggong.He looked Tang Shen up and down for a long time, obviously he was the one who read Tang Shen's name in the palace examination, and announced that he was the Tanhua in the 27th year of Kaiping.But now he actually pretended not to know him, and said loudly on purpose: "Master Chen, who is this? I haven't seen him in Qinzheng Palace before."

Chen Xianggong said: "This is Mr. Tang Shentang, the living man."

Meng Shangshu sang together: "Oh, so it is Mr. Tang. Why is Mr. Tang here?"

Tang Shen: "..."

"Returning to Lord Meng, His Majesty's dragon body is unwell, and the next official is here to report on his duties."

Meng Shangshu elongated his voice: "Come to the Central Secretariat to report on your work, and only Mr. Chen will report on your work, so what about me waiting for the others?"

Tang Shen: "..."

Meng Shangshu: "Your Majesty Tang, you can't favor one person over another. We all care about your majesty's dragon body. So, please tell me something first, and then I will take you to Mr. Zhong, Mr. Xu...they all say it again. .”

Tang Shen: "..."

Who are these people!

At first, Tang Shen thought that Meng Lang was deliberately looking for trouble for him.

However, Meng Shangshu was so excited that he took Tang Shen to find Mr. Ji, the Zuo Xiang of the current dynasty, but Mr. Ji was not there.He went to look for Mr. Wang again, and by coincidence, Mr. Wang was not there.In this way, two of the four most powerful ministers and first-rank officials in this dynasty disappeared.But You Cheng, Mr. Xu, is here. Mr. Xu is an old man with gray hair and a kind smile. After he heard who Tang Shen was, he stared at it with a smile for a while, and said, "There are still six books, right? I'll go to the Ministry of Households at last." gone."

Meng Shangshu smiled slightly: "Yes."

The six ministers are second-rank officials, and they cannot own a house like the four ministers. They all have two people in one house.Meng Shangshu was very bad, first took Tang Shen to the Ministry of Officials, the Ministry of Industry, the Ministry of Punishment, and the Ministry of War, and finally came to the room shared by the Ministry of Households and the Ministry of Rites.

Meng Shangshu pushed open the door, Wang Qin raised his head, saw Tang Shen walking behind Meng Lang, Lord Wang raised his eyebrows.

Meng Shangshu said: "My lord, the officials from the palace are here to report on their duties."

Wang Qin got up, came to Tang Shen, said with a smile: "Little brother."

Meng Shangshu was startled and said: "It turns out that Master Wang and Master Tang are brothers? Yes, I forgot all of a sudden."

Tang Shen: "..."

I think your face is worthy of the official robe of your second rank official!

Mr. Wang said leisurely: "Since you are here to report on your work, let's talk about it."

Tang Shen respectfully told Zhao Fu's situation again.He has a gentle tone and a calm expression, neither humble nor overbearing, neither arrogant nor impetuous.However, how humble his attitude is, how much he scolds his father in his heart.

After Wang Qin finished listening, he said, "Your Majesty's dragon body is ill. I and other officials are incapable of solving your majesty's worries and problems. We are really negligent. Sir Meng, I heard that there was an ancient ceremony in the Zhou Dynasty, and a platform was built in the palace to chant scriptures for your majesty for nine days. You can be the son of heaven." Pray for blessings and bless the Son of Heaven. This matter was done by the high priest in ancient times, but now I am afraid that only Master Meng has this status. I will write a note tomorrow and ask Your Majesty to allow Master Meng to pray for the Son of Heaven. Such a good thing, Wei The minister also always keeps in mind, but it is a pity that he has not taken charge of the Ministry of Rites, and it is an advantage to Mr. Meng."

Meng Lang was taken aback: "Why have I never heard of this Zhou ritual?"

Wang Qin said seriously: "Yes, in "Erya"."

Meng Lang: "Really?"

Wang Qin: "Really."

Meng Lang: "..."

Meng Lang: "Remembering that there is still something to do at home, let's take my leave first, so I won't bother Mr. Wang and Mr. Tang to talk about the old days."

Meng Shangshu turned around and left. Tang Shen had never seen such a powerful official who turned his face faster than turning the book.

Wang Qin packed up his things and said, "Let's go too."

Tang Shen didn't react for a while, and looked at him in a daze.

Wang Qin smiled, stretched out his hand to brush Tang Shen's sweat-wet lock of hair on his forehead, and said, "The palace key will be released soon, I will not be on duty in the palace today. Could it be that the younger brother wants to stay?" In Qinzheng Hall?"

Tang Shen: "..."

"Let's go." He wanted to leave a long time ago!

Sitting on Shangshu's carriage, Tang Shen rubbed against Wang Qin's carriage, and the carriage rattled away from the palace.

Wang Qin explained: "The Palace of Qinzheng is not as busy as you think. Last month, the Palace of Qinzheng was busy building three official roads to the north. In May, there were fewer affairs. Among the six departments, the most idle It is the Ministry of Rites. Before you came, whenever you were in charge of writing the scriptures and conveying the will of the Holy Majesty to Qinzheng Hall, once Mr. Meng saw it, you would bring it here for me to see."

Tang Shen: "Ah, why?"

Wang Qin looked at Tang Shen with a smile in his eyes: "Don't understand?"

Tang Shen thought for a while: "Because I'm your junior brother?"

"Because our characters are a bit similar." Wang Qin said with emotion, "It's been more than a year since you took part in the imperial examination. Mr. Meng really has nothing to do, and he still remembers it to this day! It's fine if you don't come to Qinzheng Palace in the past, but today you He came, and he wanted to tease you on purpose. In fact, he wasn't teasing you, he was just making fun of me, and he just made you a burden. "

These words directly pointed out that Wang Qin really contributed a lot behind Tang Shen's success in high school a year ago.

Tang Shen was silent, and said, "Thank you, Senior Brother Zifeng."

Wang Qin looked at him, and after a while, asked, "Have you had dinner yet?"

"Not yet."

"Then let's go to the Shangshu Mansion and use it together."

After eating Jiangnan delicacies in Shangshu Mansion, Tang Shen returned home.He calculated the days when he would go to the palace as an errand in the future, and he would go to the Palace of Qinzheng every three days!

Oh, what's the matter!

Tang Shen had already made preparations. In the future, when he went to Qinzheng Hall to report on his duties, he might have to be watched by Meng Shangshu and other high-ranking officials.Unexpectedly, three days later, when he was on duty in the palace, he heard from Li Shu that Mr. Meng, Minister of Rites, actually went to the Temple of Heaven to pray for Zhao Fu!

Li Shu: "I heard that it was Wang Xianggong who said it. There was such a ritual in ancient times. Originally, Meng Xianggong didn't worry about it at all. He just thought it was Wang Xianggong's nonsense. Unexpectedly, Wang Xianggong really took an ancient book the next day and pointed it out to me. Look at Mr. Meng. Mr. Meng was dumbfounded, and without further ado, he went to the Temple of Heaven that afternoon."

Tang Shen: "...Is that so."

What Wang Qin said could be wrong.

Three years ago, Liang Song once said to Tang Shen that he had met one person with an unforgettable memory in his life, and he was talking about Wang Qin.

Without the boring Mr. Meng, Tang Shen went to the Palace of Qinzheng to report his work, and at most the powerful officials would look at him twice, but no one would deliberately make him happy to find Wang Qin.

After half a month, Zhao Fu's health gradually improved.

In the afternoon of that day, Tang Shen and the living room guarded outside the Funing Hall, and saw a young figure in a deep red official robe approaching from a distance.Su Wenyun, the Shaoqing of Dali Temple, was called into the Funing Hall by Zhao Fu, and the two talked for half an hour in the hall.

Before Su Wenyun came out, the eunuch Ji Fu came out of the palace gate and said, "Master Tang, the officials invite you in."

Tang Shen immediately entered the hall.

Zhao Fu was lying on the bed, his cheeks were thin and his complexion was weak.Seeing Tang Shen come in, he said: "Jing Ze, you have worked in the Imperial Academy for a long time, and you are familiar with the Imperial Academy. Feiran is going to the Imperial Academy to find a book for me. You can take him there, okay? "

Tang Shen paused in his heart, he saluted and said, "I accept orders."

Zhao Fu smiled: "Feiran, let him go."

Tang Shen raised his head, his eyes happened to meet Su Wenyun.

A ray of light flashed in this man's bright and bright eyes, and he was also looking at Tang Shen.After hearing Zhao Fu's words, Su Wenyun raised the corners of his lips and said with a smile, "Yes."