"Journey to the West"

Author: Scarlet Polyp

Chapter 11 Successful Arrival in Beijing

In the third year of the establishment of the Han Dynasty, the Western Regions outside the Saiwai were still full of wind and sand, but in Chang'an, the capital of the Han Dynasty, it was already an early summer scene. The peasants outside the city were busy harvesting wheat and planting rice, and the dignitaries and dignitaries in the city, the scholars, and the citizens and merchants also changed into summer clothes, ushering in the busiest and most beautiful season in the imperial capital Chang'an.

Chang'an Weiyang Palace, Xuande Palace

Liu Shuo, the son of the Han Dynasty, was in a really good mood at this time.

Liu Shuo is less than twenty years old this year, and he has just grown a short beard above his lips. Unlike his cowardly and hard-working grandfather and father, Liu Shuo, who grew up in troubled times, was a dynamic young monarch: he trained martial arts hard since he was a child, making him strong-boned, tall and strong, and his gestures were full of hope for life; Inherited from his grandfather's intelligence and taught by many famous teachers, he had high attainments in scripture, government affairs, art of war, history, music and rhythm at a young age; When he was more than ten years old, he sat on the front line and braved the sand and gravel, which made his character more resolute and decisive than the master of Zhongxing. In the three years since the pro-government, on the one hand, the imperial court has given the people rest, lightly taxed, and restored national strength, on the other hand, it has strengthened the army and martial arts, deterred the four provinces, and expanded the territory, so that the Han Dynasty really has the atmosphere of Zhongxing - although this is mostly the result of a large number of capable ministers and good generals in the court, but the young Han emperor has gradually been recognized by everyone with continuous efforts and has become the real core of the empire.

"Your Majesty, Shen Shi, please use a snack."

Liu Shuo didn't seem to hear it, and continued to read the seal. After a while, the palace maid who was kneeling on the ground spoke again. He still didn't look up, and while holding the imperial pen to approve a note, he said loudly, "Accurate." His comment on the recital is the same word, as if he was not answering the palace maid, but inadvertently pronouncing his comment. The maid of the palace did not bother him any more, bowed, got up from the ground, and quietly withdrew. After a while, the eunuch in the imperial dining room brought a bowl of bird's nest soup and several plates of delicate pastries, which were held to him by the palace maid. Liu Shuo put down the concerto, yawned and stretched, picked up the bowl, and ate a few plates of dim sum with bird's nest soup like a whirlwind, and then left the imperial case, striding straight out of the Xuande Hall. Huang Qiu, the middle attendant waiting at the door, hurriedly came out and said; "Your Majesty, there are a few adults from the Imperial History Terrace waiting outside the Chengming Palace, are you summoning them?"

"What's so good about those crows, it's not all like that, what's the 'Hebei ground moving, this day I want to stop fighting. The river is cross-flowing, and this decree loses its virtue', hey, Yao has nine years of waterlogging, Tang has seven years of drought, when Emperor Xiaowu, the world has also moved, I don't hear that Yao Tang and Emperor Xiaowu have any immorality. Missing! Tell them that if there is something to do, they will write a note (chapter to thank you, play to impeach, express your feelings, and discuss to disagree). After Liu Shuo finished speaking, he ignored Huang Qiu and looked at the scenery by himself. The Xuande Hall of Weiyang Palace is built at the highest point of a small hill, and the front of the hall can overlook the Chang'an appearance, and the view is excellent. After a while, Liu Shuo pointed to the southwest and said: "From this side, the scenery of Shanglin Yuan (the imperial garden group in the western suburbs of Chang'an in the Western Han Dynasty, the buildings were mostly destroyed in the war at the end of the New Dynasty and abandoned in the Eastern Han Dynasty) is still so beautiful!" In the early summer, the blue water and the blue sky are competing for color, and the finches and yellow warblers are coming together, I really want to go there immediately! ”

Huang Qiu said with a smile: "What the emperor said is that Sima Xiang is like Shanglin Fu Youyun, 'Jun has not seen his husband Juli, but he has not heard of Lin Hu above the Son of Heaven', Shanglin Yuan and Weiyang Palace are separated from each other in the old days, and there is a flying pavilion connected. The previous dynasty was magnificent, and the old slave was also yearning. A few days ago, didn't Lord Yin, who will be a master craftsman, go to the table to rebuild Shanglin Garden? The emperor thought ......"

Liu Shuo patted the guardrail, and said, "Confused thing!" It is a national policy to give the people rest, and it costs a lot of money to rebuild, so how can I be happy and ignore the people? Besides, between the mountains and rivers, I can also indulge in it, so why do I need to build a lot of buildings? Yin Qing's move is just idle, there is no need to mention this matter again! ”

Huang Qiu hurriedly knelt down to apologize, Liu Shuo waved his hand to signal him to get up, and asked, "Where is the queen now?" I want to go to Shanglin Yuan to ride a horse after a while, so I might as well ask her to go with me. ”

In July last year, the Son of Heaven finally got the hope of completing the wedding with Li Xiu, and the relationship between the husband and wife after marriage was "very good" - in addition to Li Xiu's appearance of motherhood on formal occasions, his temperament was still flying and jumping out in private, and he often messed around with the Son of Heaven. Whenever the Son of Heaven thinks of something new, he always brings a copy of his wife.

Huang Qiu was shocked when he heard this, knelt down and said, "Your Majesty, please think twice!" Her Majesty the Queen is now pregnant with Liujia, it is not appropriate to move lightly, please think twice, Your Majesty. ”

"Haha, what are you panicking about, will this kind of big thing be out of proportion? He just said that he would let the queen go with him, but he didn't say that he would let her ride a horse. Liu Shuo thought about it for a moment and said with a smile, "It's okay, with the queen's temperament, it is estimated that I can't help it then." Arise, where is the Queen? ”

Huang Qiu took a breath and replied calmly: "If you go back to the emperor, this afternoon, Mrs. Maoxiang and everyone in the palace will enter the palace to ask for a meeting, and Her Majesty the Empress should now be summoned in the Chaoyang Hall of Gui Palace (the queen concubine's dormitory, in the north of Weiyang Palace). ”

Liu Shuo raised his eyebrows, "The people of the Ma family are here?" That's just right! Come and drive the Chaoyang Palace. ”

Gui Palace, Chaoyang Palace.

Li Xiu wore a white brocade skirt, a black rusty gold phoenix robe, and a phoenix crown, lying on the couch casually, talking to the wife of Maoxiang Hou, Dong.

Dong's single name is a Fu character, and he is the wife of General Zhenxi, General Zhonglang of Lingpo Qiang, Fake Festival, and Hou Machao of Maoxiang. Since the Ma family returned to the imperial court, they have made outstanding achievements in many battles such as defending Xiliang, marching into Yizhou, and pacifying Zhuqiang. After Zhongxing, in order to commend Ma Chao's merits, the Son of Heaven not only ordered him to guard the western frontier, but also specially sealed him in Mao Township, Youfufeng County, so that the descendants of General Fubo could return to their hometown to live (the ancestral hometown of the Ma family is Si Li, Mao Township, Youfufeng County). The Ma clan deeply felt the emperor's favor, and everyone used their lives to establish a Ma family army that made Qiang Rong Hu fearful, and guarded the Xiliang land like an iron bucket over the years. Dong and Ma Chao have two sons and one daughter: the eldest son, Ma Qiu, is sixteen years old and has joined his father's army; The eldest daughter Ma Piaoxu will be fourteen, and this time it is for her to enter the palace to meet Queen Li Xiu.

"It's all your own family, don't be restrained here in this palace. Fluttering, come over and let my sister... Take a good look at Hongu. Li Xiu smiled and greeted Ma Piaoxu as she approached, took her hand and looked at it carefully for a moment, shook her head and said, "Sure enough, it is the eighteenth change of the female university, and a few years ago, she was playing mud and fighting with a tomboy, what a lot of kung fu, and she was so slim." ”

Dong looked at his daughter who was a little twisted, and said with a smile: "What Your Majesty said is that this child has not been in shape since he was a child, and he always flies eagles and lackeys on weekdays, and he is swaggering with fresh clothes and angry horses. I came to see Luan Jia today, and I was a little more honest. Alas, I don't know which son's son will dare to come to the door to propose marriage in the future. ”

Ma Piaoxu finally couldn't help it, and said, "Mother, what are you talking nonsense!" Dislike! How could I have no one...... Hmph, isn't it so rare? Next year, I will go to my father's account like my brother to listen to it, go into battle to kill the enemy, and become a female general! ”

Before Dong could answer, Li Xiu first stroked his palm and praised; "Okay, it is worthy of being a tiger girl in the gate, the pride of the fluttering is really not inferior to the palace, in terms of this ambition, none of those sons in Chang'an City are really worthy of you! As the saying goes, men are ambitious in all directions, but is it true that women's ambitions should be on their husbands and children? Alas, this palace is now a caged bird, and it can't be used at all, and I want to ...... back then."

When Li Xiuzheng was about to tell everyone about his "great achievements" back then, a bright and hearty male voice picked up the conversation: "I think that Li Xiu'er, the fire phoenix in northern Xinjiang, was majestic and vicious, crisscrossing the north and south of the desert, and no one dared to ignore it. 100,000 Hu Qi is nothing, I was scared back by you alone. Now locked in this forbidden palace, Feng Luo branches, I really wronged you. ”

"If only you knew it in your heart! It's okay to self-destruct the dry city. Li Xiu raised her body slightly, "The concubine greets the emperor's holy drive." ”

"No courtesy, you still lie down, don't have to move the fetus." Liu Shuo hurriedly stepped forward to support Li Xiu, turned his head and saw that everyone was bowing to the ground, shouting long live, and said with a smile, "All the secretaries are exempt, everyone is a guest in this Gui Palace, only the queen is the lord, and the secretaries don't have to care about me." ”

Everyone sat down, and chatted a few interesting things in Beijing at will, Li Xiu saw that Ma Chao's second son Ma Cheng was sitting next to a handsome, about twelve or thirteen-year-old young man in Tsing Yi, quite eye-catching, so he asked Dong: "Mrs. Ma, the young man next to Cheng'er, why hasn't I seen it in this palace, and is he also a child of the Ma family?" ”

Dong hurriedly beckoned the young man to come forward and kneel, and introduced: "This is the son of the concubine Fujun Xiri's subordinates, whose father died in the Qiangrong Rebellion two years ago, and was regarded as a righteous son by the husband, and was brought up at home. Wei'er, don't come forward to meet the second saint yet. ”

"Weichen Tianshui Jiang Wei, meet the emperor, long live my emperor...... The queen mother Chitose Chitose Chitose. ”

"It turned out that after Zhongliang, the loyalty and courage of your father Jiang Yin, I have also heard about it, and I have really had this matter." Liu Shuo solemnly picked up Jiang Wei, and then ignored everyone's surprised eyes, raised his hand and saluted him, and said, "The world has been in war for many years, and there are countless children like Jiang Qing. After Zhongxing, I was so bent on thinking about Weijia Hai that I didn't stop fighting, so that there were still such orphans and widows, and I felt deeply guilty. The only thing that is hoped for is to clarify the unai as soon as possible, so that the subjects can live and work in peace and contentment, and will no longer suffer from conquest. ”

Although Jiang Wei is young and old on weekdays, when he heard this, he couldn't help but burst into tears, bowed down and said loudly: "The grace of the saint, the minister feels five guilty, although death is difficult to repay in case." However, to protect the Quartet for His Majesty, even if he is broken, it is the responsibility of the ministers! If today's Han Dynasty does not pacify the four razors and only seeks to appease them, it will be even more troublesome in the future. Those who seek national affairs must not only seek for one moment! ”

Liu Shuo's eyes flashed, and he said appreciatively, "Oh? It's rare that Jiang Qing has such insight at such a young age, and I am very relieved. What books does Jiang Qing usually read? Did you study too much? ”

Without waiting for Jiang Wei to answer, Ma Piaoxu hurriedly said: "Your Majesty, Brother Wei has not only been in Taixue for more than a year, but also has passed two classics, and is praised as a prodigy by the students of Taixue!" ”

Liu Shuo waved his hand and motioned for Jiang Wei to sit down and speak: "That's really rare, which teacher is Jiang Qing worshipping under now?" ”

Jiang Wei sat down, straightened his clothes and said: "Your Majesty, the minister is now worshipping under the door of Dr. Zhao Song of Taixue, studying "Ram" and "Zuo Chuan". ”

"Yes." Liu Shuo replied noncommittally, and Li Xiu interjected on the side: "Your Majesty, this Zhao Song has recently been praised by everyone in the court and the wilderness, saying that he has talents alongside Ma and Zheng (Ma Rong, Zheng Xuan), and his knowledge must be excellent, but the scriptures taught are difficult and old-fashioned, and they are dull, so what's the use of young people learning them?" The concubine thought that Jiang Qing should learn more martial arts and the art of war after the general, and go into battle as soon as possible to serve the country, so the emperor might as well allow him to enter the White Tiger Hall (White Tiger Hall, a juvenile military school established after Zhongxing, as a supplement to the martial arts hall, directly subordinate to the Son of Heaven). ”

Liu Pu smiled and said, "Haha, does Xiu'er want me and Zhao Qing to rob the students?" I can't be the master of this matter, and I have to ask Jiang Qing about his own ambitions. ”

Jiang Wei's face was full of excitement, and he was about to reply, but he only heard the report of Huang Jitong at the entrance of the hall; "Your Majesty, Prime Minister Li Cheng has something important to see outside the palace."

Dong Yin Yin bowed down and said: "Your Majesty, since Prime Minister Li Cheng has come to discuss the matter, the concubines and others have retired. ”

"It doesn't matter." Liu Shuo waved his hand and ordered Prime Minister Huang Jixuan to enter the palace, "Since Li Qing came to this Gui Palace to find me, it won't be a secret matter, you might as well listen to it together." ”

Since the Chang'an Rebellion, Li Wei succeeded Cai Yong as the prime minister of the Han Dynasty, and he has been working hard for more than ten years. When people enter middle age, they are no longer the appearance of the young people who pointed out the country, and the sideburns and corners of the eyes are also slightly old. During this period, he experienced changes in the situation, and was impeached by the government and the opposition several times, denounced as a traitor, and he also resigned several times, but he was forcibly protected by the Marquis of Jinyang and the Son of Heaven. After the Son of Heaven changed to the Yuan Dynasty, Li Wei began to consciously retreat into the background, and handed over the family that had been in place for more than ten years to the Son of Heaven. Usually there are any major national policies, they are left to the Son of Heaven to make a decision, and he deliberately restored some of the past celebrities, talked about the scriptures, cooked tea and read history, and his reputation slowly improved.

Walking into the Chaoyang Palace, Li Wei glanced around, and then saluted the Empress of Heaven, Liu Shuo asked him to excuse himself, and asked: "On the way here, did the prime minister see those people from the Yushitai?" ”

"The minister naturally saw it, but those adults didn't seem to see the minister." Li Wei smiled self-deprecatingly, took out a watch seal from his sleeve, and said loudly: "Congratulations to the emperor." Lord Zhao, the captain of Gaochang City in the Western Regions, sent good news that the army of the Western Expedition has recently swept away the countries of Qiuzi, Khotan, Cheshi, Shanshan, and Yanqi, and pacified the Western Regions. “