Wishful Things

A rolled note was stuffed in the bamboo tube, Xu Mingyi unfolded it, and saw Xiao Qi's handwriting.

Seeing the content on it, I can't help feeling warm in my heart.

It turned out that Mr. Mo and Xiaoqi invited her and Tianmu to spend New Year's Eve together at the Xuesheng Teahouse in the evening, and had a New Year's Eve dinner together. They also said that they had prepared many of her favorite dishes.

This is because knowing that she is alone in Beijing, I am afraid that she will be silent in her heart.

And perhaps Wu Chao's inspiration was included.

Xu Mingyi slightly curled the corners of his mouth.

It was a good intention, and she accepted it, but she couldn't go.

The people from Zhen Guogong's mansion have been hiding in the secret passage for a long time, and the food and water they prepared earlier have long since disappeared. It was Xiao Qi who came from another entrance of the secret passage—an inconspicuous and unobtrusive place outside Qingyunfang. In the other courtyard, he led people to secretly deliver the supplies and food.

Although this was something that was arranged before leaving Beijing, but these days, because there are many secret guards hiding in the Xuesheng Teahouse, he dare not relax at all, and Xiao Qi has taken risks several times for this.

If she goes to the Xuesheng teahouse tonight, if someone catches her, the people in the whole teahouse and the doctor Qiao who is hiding in the teahouse will be affected.

Even though this is only the worst possibility, it is still the best thing to be cautious at such a juncture.

She never took chances to try out the troubles and dangers that could be avoided.

For her, it is the best year if she can spend it peacefully.

Without hesitation, Xu Mingyi wrote a brief reply, put it in the bamboo tube, and tied it to Tianmu again.

"Let's run again." She patted the big bird's wings and said: "When you fly there, you can just have lunch. You don't have to come back in the evening. Since you have gone, you will have two more meals. "

These words undoubtedly touched the heart of Big Bird. It turned around with bright eyes, swayed, and ran out with a patter of its feet.

The snow fell yesterday, and it spread a thick layer on the eaves and treetops.

At night, dense stars appeared in the sky. There is no moon on New Year's Eve, but there are lanterns everywhere, and the snow and snow reflect each other, as if there is a moonlight in the sky and the earth.

Xu Mingyi sat on the stone steps in the small courtyard, staring at the sky full of stars in a daze.

There are faint sounds of children chasing and laughing, singing New Year's nursery rhymes, probably walking around the streets with lanterns.

No matter how difficult the days are, the year is still to be lived.

However, compared to previous years, this year's New Year's Eve in Beijing was undoubtedly the most deserted one in her memory.

At this time in previous years, the several long streets leading to the city gate in the city must not be crowded. The emperor wants to climb the tower to celebrate with all the people.

And this year obviously there is no such process.

The emperor used to climb that towering tower, and he probably didn't have the strength to climb it.

Besides, the people may not be willing to see the emperor.

Xu Mingyi looked at the starry sky, thinking about something.

She went through the plans for the next year in her mind again, and estimated how far each arrangement had gone.

Then I thought of Linyuan City—at this time, Linyuan City must be very lively, right?

Parents, are they thinking about themselves?

After all, I miss my loved ones a lot during the festive season.

She is not here, facing a table of New Year's Eve dinner, everyone may lose a little appetite.

And tomorrow, he shouldn't be crying secretly, right?

Not to mention Akui and Azhu, these two girls must be worried about her every day.

Thinking of this, the girl sitting on the stone steps with her chin in her hands sighed softly.

Who can't do without her?

And Wu Chao——

I don't know where he is at this time?

But presumably she must be busy arranging things, it is impossible to be like her, sitting here with nothing to do, thinking about him in a daze.

Yes, she missed Wu Chao.

Since he left Linyuan, many things happened, big and small, especially to him. She thought, he must also need her a little bit.

Fortunately, it won't be long before we can meet again.

Before the meeting, she and he had to take care of themselves and do everything they should do, so that they could live up to the time of separation.

And even though they can't meet each other, at least she can still think about people when they see things, oh, no, it's about people when they see birds——

Xu Mingyi turned her head slightly, and rubbed the bald head of Da Niao who was squatting beside her.

She had confessed that the Celestial Eye did not have to come back, but it came back anyway.

It was also as if he knew that today was New Year's Eve, so he sat obediently beside her, seeing his eyelids so heavy that he couldn't open it several times, and after shaking his head to wake up a little, he still insisted on sitting here with her.

This time she came to the capital, she didn't intend to bring it with her at all, after all, this is a lucky life, and it's winter, so she was afraid that it would suffer with her.

But after more than ten miles out of Linyuan City, the driver who was driving the coach found that there was a squatting on the roof of the car...

And after entering the city, she really helped her a lot, and the work of sending letters to and from the Xuesheng Tea House was even more rounded off.

Seeing that it was extremely sleepy, and the way its eyelids were raised and closed was really funny, Xu Mingyi picked up the big bird and turned back to the room.

At this time, the sound of firecrackers exploded all around.

The time has come and the new year has begun.

The old housekeeper personally brought her a bowl of flat food, saying that it was the master's confession.

She thanked me again and again.

The flat food just out of the pan is carried in the food box. Once the food box is opened, there will be a hot aroma coming out.

Xu Mingyi picked up one, took a bite, and felt that the warm air of fireworks that soothed the spleen, stomach and internal organs dispelled the winter cold at this moment.

She was sitting at the table, holding a pair of chopsticks in her hands, and turned to look out the window.

Just a cluster of bright fireworks bloomed in her pupils.

In the ear, there is the clear and vigorous Sanskrit sound of the bell ringing in the nearby temple, as if it is intended to clear up the noise, pollution and suffering of all beings in this world.

At this moment, infinite hope suddenly rose in Xu Mingyi's heart.

The new year has come.

Winter will be over soon.

Spring is on the way.

...

At the end of the first lunar month, the long-lost news came from Beijing.

Taking advantage of King Yan's serious illness, the imperial court dispatched 100,000 soldiers and horses to drive King Yan's army out of the border of Cangzhou——

Not only took back Cangzhou, but also completely defeated the army of King Yan who was already in civil strife, and retreated all the way to Cangzhou 300 miles away, while another group of soldiers and horses protected King Yan, who was alive or dead, and turned north.

So far, King Yan's army, which has been invincible all the way, has been defeated and its morale has declined.

This news undoubtedly inspired the ruling and opposition parties.

The doubts about King Yan's serious illness were almost completely dispelled.

The defeat of the Yan army caused chaos everywhere.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, the imperial court took back more than a dozen counties and cities that had been captured by the rebels and refugees in one go. Seeing that the situation was already turning around.

Ning Yang and Lin Yuan didn't see any action at all, they seemed to be completely confused because of King Yan's accident, and they didn't know what to do for a while.

Moreover, a few days ago, a security guard guarding secretly outside Linyuan City had intercepted a secret letter, which was secretly sent by Zhen Guogong to Ningyang to Dingnan King. Judging from the contents of the letter, Interest dictates that the two are already showing signs of collapse.

All kinds of news and secret gains undoubtedly gradually dispelled the court's doubts.

On this day, Emperor Qingming had just finished drinking the medicine, and was listening to Ming Xiaozhi's report of recent events.

Emperor Qingming was very happy about this.

He knew it was impossible for him to lose——

If he can win once, he can win the second time!

Although there is more luck in this reversal, doesn't it just prove that he is the lord of Daqing whom the destiny belongs to?

This idea seemed to reinject power into his already corrupt and withered body, making him more eager and fanatical.

"Now that the situation has stabilized, I can no longer stay in this Hall of Mental Cultivation and be manipulated by others!"

He must take back the seal of the emperor and the political power as soon as possible, otherwise he can only watch the crown prince and those rebellious officials and thieves take everything from him... The external troubles have been eliminated, and now it is time to deal with internal troubles!

And the first thing he has to do is abolish the prince!

This seemingly stupid beast dared to covet his throne and was placed under house arrest... He shouldn't have kept this beast in the first place!

But now that he has no jade seal, his words have no weight at all, and everything is controlled by those cabinet ministers. If he wants to abolish the prince, he must leave here first and reappear in front of the officials before he can marry the prince and the prince. The crimes of the cabinet officials are announced to the public!

Li Ji told him that now those officials outside are all deceived by the prince, they only think that he is terminally ill and unable to manage affairs - he can only get rid of the lies if he gets out from here!

Yes, it's all lies...

As long as he is the king of a country, he can always make people find a good doctor to treat him, and he will always get better.

Instead of being like now, where life and death are in the hands of others, who knows if the so-called genius doctors the crown prince found for him are here to kill him—just like the "miracle doctors" he found for his father from the people back then!

Therefore, if he continues to stay in this dormitory, the only thing waiting for him is death!

Sensing the emperor's urgency and the panic caused by this urgency, Ming Xiaozhi sneered in his heart.

Yesterday, the other party went crazy and dropped the medicine bowl, saying that his illness has not been cured for a long time, and someone must have tampered with the medicine, trying to poison him to death.

Because I have done such evil, do I fear that the same fate will be retribution to myself?

But it's better to be crazy now.

The more crazy you are, the more panicked you will be.

"Ming Aiqing, you want to help me... Now you are the only one who can help me! You immediately pass on my oral order and tell all the officials that I will reopen the morning court tomorrow!"

He didn't say a word about the idea of ​​abolishing the crown prince, even though he "trusted" him at this time, he still kept his vigilance.

He wants to destroy that unfilial and unfaithful bastard in one fell swoop!

Ming Xiaozhi got up and saluted: "Yes, I obey the order."

However, on that night, Ming Xiaozhi returned without success.

Master Yu Shi came to the Hall of Mental Cultivation full of resentment.

"...Your Majesty just spread the word that His Majesty will open the morning court tomorrow, but the people in the cabinet disrupted the arrangement. They told all the ministers that His Majesty was too sick to get up. Really—now that all political affairs are handled by the crown prince, His Majesty only needs to rest in peace and recuperate!"

Emperor Qingming was so angry that his whole body trembled.

"Such wolfish ambition... is actually blatant!"

Sure enough, she made up her mind not to ask him to show up again!

Or is he suspicious?

Or has he wronged this group of "loyal and upright ministers" who serve the country, the people and the overall situation!

"Do they really think that I'm going to die! Do they really think that if they stand on the prince's side, I have nothing to do with them!"

Emperor Qingming's sunken eyes were scarlet, and he overturned the small table with the memorial in front of him.

These memorials are all written by Ming Xiaozhi, and they are all recent events, and there is nothing wrong with them.

Since it shows loyalty, it is natural that there can be no deception in the slightest.

But even if what he said is true, as long as he "reminds" the emperor a little, it will not be difficult to achieve his goal. This is where the subtlety of language lies.

In other words, the emperor's own suspicions and fears, even if he didn't need to say anything, had already regarded the crown prince and cabinet officials as sworn enemies.

At this time, the memorial book was thrown under the couch, and the overturned small table scratched a corner of the bed curtain, and hit the high-footed round stool beside the couch, and even the enamel painted gold teacup placed on it was smashed to pieces. .

The little eunuch who was guarding the palace was silent like a cicada, and he didn't dare to raise his head, let alone go forward to clean up immediately.

Ming Xiaozhi suppressed his anger, and said: "Your Majesty, please calm down. On the way here, I thought of another feasible method, but—"

Emperor Qingming was so angry that he was almost out of breath, Li Ji was beside him stroking his back, the weak emperor gasped heavily, his withered and thin body fluttered in the wind like tattered old window paper.

Hearing the words, she still turned her head and looked at Ming Xiaozhi firmly: "If you have a countermeasure, Ming Aiqing, just say so!"

Ming Xiaozhi said solemnly: "The anniversary of the late emperor's death is approaching, and there have been many good news recently. The old minister proposes that His Majesty should lead all the ministers to go to the Lingshan Imperial Tomb to worship the ancestors—"

"Worshiping the ancestors..."

Officials of the third rank and above are required to accompany all ancestor worshipers. It would indeed be a good time to abolish the crown prince in front of the ancestors of the Xie family!

Emperor Qingming's eyes repeated, he gritted his teeth and said, "But they will definitely obstruct in every possible way..."

"No, they have no reason to obstruct!" Ming Xiaozhi's tone was cold and resounding: "Daqing governs the country with benevolence and filial piety. Over the years, on the anniversary of the death of the emperor, it is the ancestor's custom to visit the emperor in person. There have been no exceptions in the previous eighteen years-who dare If the ancestors made it right, then they have wrong intentions! They should be punished as a crime of disobedience!"

His resolute tone made Emperor Qingming feel hopeful.

That's right, this is different from opening the morning court. It can still be used as an excuse that he needs to rest... Worshiping the ancestors is the top priority, and those people dare not stop him because of their feelings and reason!

At this time, Ming Xiaozhi's slightly worried voice sounded: "It's just that I'm a little worried about His Majesty's body. Lingshan still has some way to go, and I'm afraid that Your Majesty..."

"It's a mere three hundred miles, and I can still hold on." Emperor Qingming said firmly, "Looking at the precedents of the previous dynasty's capital relocation, the ancestral tomb is thousands of miles away, and there are many emperors who still insist on going to worship—"

Saying that, looking at Ming Xiaozhi, his voice was weak and hoarse, but there was a chill in his eyes that was inevitable: "Even if I think my real life is not long, then I should go to the tomb of the former emperor to worship, and see my father for the last time. I have fulfilled my wish, this is my last request... So, can they still stop me?"

Ming Xiao lowered his eyes and said knowingly: "Chen, I know what to do."

"As long as Ming Aiqing completes this matter for me, I will promote Aiqing to the cabinet afterwards to lead the military affairs for me..."

Ming Xiaozhi raised his hands and bowed, with a sincere gesture and a sense of uprightness: "The reward of eating the emperor, the matter of loyalty to the emperor, the worries of sharing the emperor, the elimination of unhealthy tendencies in the government and the opposition, and the majesty of protecting the ancestors and the etiquette—all belong to the ministers." I dare not claim credit for my duty. Please rest assured, Your Majesty, I will do my best and will live up to your majesty's trust!"

Emperor Qingming nodded slowly: "Okay... I'm just waiting for good news from Aiqing."

Ming Xiaozhi is a person who sticks to the rules too much, and even contradicted him several times. He endured several outbursts, because he knows that there needs to be such a person in the court... Fortunately, there is such a person, Otherwise, he is afraid that no one can really use him at this time.

This time Lingshan worshiped his ancestors, he had to go...

This is his last chance!

...

Goodnight everybody.