Ci Jinzhi

Emperor Xingyuan stood in front of Kou Tianming and looked at him carefully. He couldn't connect with the person in his impression.

 In fact, as a minister, Kou Tianming was vague in Emperor Xingyuan's memory. Not to mention that it had been seven or eight years since the news of Kou Tianming's death was heard. Even before that, the monarch and his ministers had not met many times.

 “It is passed down to Duan Wensong, the young minister of Taipu Temple.”

Of course Emperor Xingyuan would not believe it just after hearing from the Minister of Rites that the person in front of him was Kou Tianming.

 Soon Duan Shaoqing arrived.

　　Every official and noble man knows about the turmoil on this day, and Duan Shaoqing is no exception, and because of his status, he is not qualified to appear here.

 Duan Shaoqing thought about how such an earth-shattering scene could summon him, a young Taipusi Shaoqing, to the palace for an audience. When he received the complicated looks from the civil and military ministers, his calves trembled.

What's wrong? Are any of his relatives among the rebels?

　　No, his family is not a wealthy family, they are just ordinary farmers and scholars who came to the capital to settle down because of his success in the imperial examination.

"Duan Wensong, the young minister of Taipu Temple, has met your Majesty." Duan Shaoqing knelt down in front of the person on the throne.

Emperor Xingyuan ordered him to be flat and pointed at Kou Tianming: "Duan Shaoqing, do you know this person?"

Duan Shaoqing followed Emperor Xingyuan’s gaze and his pupils trembled: “Your Majesty—”

 After blurting out the words, he realized something was wrong and suddenly raised his head to look at the person on the dragon chair.

Your Majesty!

The other one—he turned around and looked at the tied man again, and couldn't help but rub his eyes.

Emperor Xingyuan sat on the dragon chair with a serious look on his face, watching Duan Shaoqing turn his head back and forth like a rattle, the veins on his forehead twitching.

In the past twenty years, the ministers have not stared at him as long as this day. Enough is enough!

 “Duan Shaoqing.”

Hearing Emperor Xingyuan shout, Duan Shaoqing calmed down: "I'm here."

"Take a closer look to see if this person is your brother-in-law, Kou Tianming."

"This is impossible, my sister-in-law has passed away a long time ago -" Duan Shaoqing realized that it was not a joke and glanced at Kou Tianming.

 Take another look.

He walked closer to the tied man step by step, and looked up and down for enough time to hold a cup of tea. Suddenly, he had an idea and reached out to block the man's mouth and nose.

Comparing his eyebrows, Duan Shaoqing was shocked: "Are you really Ping Xi?"

Ping Xi is Kou Tianming’s character.

Kou Tianming looked deathly silent after being restrained. At this moment, when he looked at Duan Shaoqing, his eyes finally changed: "Brother."

Duan Shaoqing was so frightened that he backed away and bumped into the Minister of the Ministry of Finance.

 Huchbu Shangshu put a hand on his back: "Young man, calm down."

Duan Shaoqing stopped, covering his heart with a look of disbelief: "Brother-in-law, haven't you already—"

Emperor Xingyuan called Duan Shaoqing here not to let him reminisce about the past, but he asked calmly: "Can you confirm it?"

Duan Shaoqing hurriedly knelt down and said, "Reporting to your Majesty, this person is indeed my sister-in-law Kou Tianming."

 “You never thought he looked like me?”

Duan Shaoqing shook his head hastily: "I never dare to think about this."

Emperor Xingyuan frowned: "I don't want to hear these lies now." Duan Shaoqing paused and said honestly: "I have been immersed in studying. When my sister got married, she was observing politics in the six departments and could not return to her hometown... The Kou family and Chen's family Not in the same city. Later, Chen’s family moved to the capital. It wasn’t until my brother-in-law Xingbang Nomination also came to the capital that we had more opportunities to meet. At that time, my brother-in-law had a beard, and I had almost no chance to see the holy face up close. It’s true. I didn’t want to go together…”

Emperor Xingyuan looked at Kou Tianming again: "Kou Tianming, you are also a disciple of the emperor, and you are depriving yourself of the emperor's salary, but you are collaborating with the people who harmed you, just to be a puppet?"

Facing Emperor Xingyuan’s question, Kou Tianming looked at one person with steady eyes.

Emperor Xingyuan then looked around and found that Kou Tianming was staring at Xin You.

The hatred in his eyes puzzled Emperor Xingyuan: "Kou Tianming, you don't answer my questions, but why are you looking at Xin You like this?"

 “I want to avenge Qingqing...” Kou Tianming murmured.

 He spoke too softly, and Emperor Xingyuan did not hear clearly: "What?"

"I want to avenge Qingqing! She killed Qingqing in order to replace Qingqing's identity!" Kou Tianming stared at Xin You, his eyes wanting to devour anyone.

Emperor Xingyuan looked at Kou Tianming with something strange in his eyes: "Kou Tianming, who said this to you?"

 When he asked this, everyone actually thought, besides the person who imprisoned Kou Tianming, who else could be there?

 Huchbu Shangshu shook his head and sighed: "Kou Tianming, you are confused. Those people planned you to fall into the water and imprison you, but you still believe their words?"

Kou Tianming stared blankly at the Minister of the Ministry of Finance.

The Minister of Household Affairs sighed again: "Your wife fell off a cliff and died while hiking. Whether it was an accident or something else, it has nothing to do with Miss Xin. If you don't believe me, ask Duan Shaoqing."

Kou Tianming looked at Duan Shaoqing.

Duan Shaoqing felt guilty and his eyes flashed: "Yu Shangshu is right. At that time, Qingqing fell off the cliff, and the family searched everywhere. Wenbai found Miss Xin who was recovering from her injuries in a small mountain village, and mistakenly identified her as Qingqing and took her home. ...No wonder Wen Bai, look how much Miss Xin looks like Qing Qing!"

Kou Tianming was stunned for a long time and kept repeating: "That's not what they said, that's not what they said..."

Emperor Xingyuan looked expressionlessly as Kou Tianming vented his emotions as his mentality collapsed, and he couldn't feel any sympathy for him.

"Kou Tianming, you have long realized that you look similar to me, right?" Emperor Xingyuan asked when Kou Tianming gradually became silent.

Kou Tianming raised his head slightly and looked at Emperor Xingyuan.

Such a direct gaze is rare and offensive to Emperor Xingyuan, but he doesn't care now, more out of curiosity.

The atmosphere in the palace was stagnant. After an unknown amount of time, Kou Tianming finally spoke: "Yes...that year, the guilty minister had not yet passed the examination for merit, so he met His Majesty once when he went out."

“Meet me?” Emperor Xingyuan was stunned.

Kou Tianming fell into memories: "At that time, His Majesty was driving lightly and simply, as if he was looking for someone. The guilty minister was surprised to find that he looked similar to His Majesty. When he heard the guards calling you 'Your Majesty', he became frightened and sick when he returned home..."

Any sane person would not be happy to find that he looks like the emperor today.

“After that, the criminal deliberately grew a beard, indulged in food, and tanned his skin...”

In Daxia, men generally start to grow beards when they are thirty years old, mainly on the upper lip and chin, and they will be beautifully trimmed, instead of having a big beard on both cheeks.

Emperor Xingyuan's expression changed as he listened to Kou Tianming's story.

 No need to ask, he already knew what year it was when Kou Tianming met him.

That year Xinxin left the palace and ran away. He was unwilling to accept it and left the capital with his personal guards to find someone. It's a pity that they returned in vain, and we met again only across coffins, and heaven and earth were separated forever.

Emperor Xingyuan's mood suddenly became depressed, and he ordered a thorough investigation of the forces headed by the Minister of Rites. Those who should be imprisoned should be imprisoned in imperial prison, and those who should go home should be sent home.

 At this time, the sky was dark.

“Marquis Changle, send Ayou back for me.”