Chapter 32 Voice of the Heart

Standing on the top of the Long Live Mountain and looking around, you can see the rippling blue waves of Taiye Pool to the west. Dragon boats are cruising on the pool, and the small island in the center of the pool is also clearly visible. Looking south to east is the Huanghuang Palace City. It is at noon. The sunlight splashing down from high in the sky illuminates the magnificent palace city. To the north, there are several diagonal streets winding towards the residential houses in the distance. The people are all at their feet. Looking far into the distance, you can also see the white sky above the tower mountain. The tower is hidden among layers of golden and red maple trees.

To become an emperor, it seems that what you want to see is these, mountains and rivers, palaces and walls, and people and people.

What is further away?

There are the people who abandoned their fields and fled to avoid taxes as mentioned in Chen Shouzhang's memorial, there are pieces of land that are the cornerstone of the world, there are the cavalry in the northwest, the Japanese pirates in the south, and the vassal states in the east.

The palace and imperial power are solemn and majestic, but these things are like this Long Live Mountain. It is very high and can see beautiful scenery, but it is not everything.

It's never everything.

Shen Shiqing raised her hand and did not touch the Suzhu hairpin that had been with her for seven years. She only touched the Yishan crown that belonged to the emperor.

"Your Majesty didn't let us watch the cavalry drill this year. I'm really not used to it." British Duke Ying Sheng strode to His Majesty's side, "My little grandson has always wanted to watch His Majesty practice the Royal Guards, so this year he asked me to accompany him. "Jia, now I go to see people writing poems, but I really can't understand them, I can't understand them."

Ying Sheng's beard and hair were all white, but his eyes were still lively. When he spoke, his tone sounded like he was having fun, as if he was an old dandy who was lucky enough not to lose all his family fortune.

However, Shen Shiqing knew that when he was young, he was one of the main fighting factions in the northwest, and he once led troops to defeat a small group of Duqin people.

It's a pity that this third-generation British Duke of the Yong Dynasty was unlucky. The first three generations of emperors he met were either too enthusiastic or too not enthusiastic about war.

The overly enthusiastic imperial commander failed in his personal expedition and was driven back to Yanjing City. He seemed to be frightened out of his wits and died a few years later. This also led to the fact that the next two emperors were too unenthusiastic about fighting and both The Qin and Du'erben tribes have been invading the northwest all year round. Every few years, they cross the Yinshan Mountains and invade the Hetao area. Once again, they even reached the city of Taiyuan.

After Ying Sheng became the founding hero, several emperors valued the British government very much and naturally did not dare to send him to the northwest. They only allowed him to be stationed in Liaodong, which turned a young man into an "old illiterate".

The old prince, who could not understand poetry, seemed to have lice on his body and felt uncomfortable standing in front of the emperor:

"Your Majesty, why don't you go find some royal guards to wrestle with us?"

Shen Shiqing smiled and shook her head:

"Don't worry, Sir. What's the point of practicing the Royal Guards in the palace? I would rather go to the northwest to use some real swords and guns. A few days ago, I saw the military report written by the old Duke ten years ago. It is very sophisticated. When the state was founded, you The battle for the seal of Wei would not have been handled so smoothly if it had not been for the military report of the British Duke."

During the decades when the British Gong Yingsheng was guarding Liaodong, he used the "divide and conquer" strategy to the various ministries north of Liaodong. Under his control, the three guards of Jianzhou, composed of Mohe people, were continuously divided into different forces. If there are constant conflicts among them, they will not be able to form one unit and spy on the Central Plains like the various departments in the northwest.

Ten years ago, Tiermu's family grew up in Jianzhou Youwei Town. Ying Sheng wrote to the court several times to support his younger brother. However, Tiermu died, and his younger brother and his son fought for the defense of Jianzhou Youwei. There was a fierce fight for the post of governor, and they fought for the imperial seal. Ying Sheng came forward to mediate, and finally Tiermu's power, which almost occupied half of Jianzhou, was divided into two.

Shen Shiqing analyzed the matter clearly based on the original military reports and memorials, and had to admire the British father's sophisticated methods.

Unfortunately, Emperor Zhaode did not like such methods since he came to the throne. Teermu's son did not like him, so he issued an edict to belittle him and rewarded Teermu's younger brother Tucha. Tucha praised Zhaode highly every time he wrote a letter. Emperor De's wisdom and prowess brought more and more benefits to him. Naturally, the British government did not want the balance of Jianzhou that he had managed for decades to be broken, but every time he talked about guarding against the Mohe people, Emperor Zhao De felt that he was As he opposed his use of troops in the northwest, over time, even the old prince fell out of favor with him.

In the past two years, Ying Sheng became more and more like an old dude. He rarely mentioned political affairs and only talked about training soldiers and horses and other things that interested Emperor Zhaode. Only then did he regain some of his Sacred Heart.

Others thought that Ying Sheng started to pursue pleasure as he got older, but Shen Shiqing thought it was admirable that he could still find ways to coax Emperor Zhaode at such an old age.

It was rare to hear His Majesty praise his handling of Liaodong in the past. Ying Sheng was stunned for a moment and laughed: "Your Majesty, we sons of the British Duke have been lying on military newspapers and falling asleep since birth, but poetry and prose... …”

"Mr. British, you are not surprised at all when I say that I am going to the northwest."

After being interrupted by the emperor, Ying Sheng laughed again: "Who knows the direction of His Majesty's Sacred Heart? Not to mention the old minister, even the birds flying above our heads know it."

"The Duqin tribe far away in Western Xinjiang must also know." Shen Shiqing said softly, "This year, Dayong's officers and men were fighting hard, and the Duqin tribe must be the same. If so, they can be as good as they were back then. Jianzhou right guard is average..."

The young monarch laughed before he could finish his words.

Because a veteran's eyes lit up.

Like an old wolf that has been hungry for blood for decades, his hair is no longer shiny and his old bones are already jagged, but he is still a wolf.

Ying Sheng couldn't care less about the impropriety in front of the emperor. He stared at the young emperor in front of him, and blood suddenly surged in his heart, and he couldn't even utter a word.

Shen Shiqing still smiled, her smile was very light, and on Emperor Zhaode's face it was like a spring breeze that tore apart autumn and winter.

"The old prince is not good at poetry, so he can always write memorials, right?"

"That, that is natural! Your Majesty!"

Your Majesty is going to use him?

In the battle against the northwest, His Majesty is going to use him?!!!!

Shen Shiqing couldn't even bear to look at his expression anymore. She turned her head slightly and looked at the sparkling Taiye Lake. The light on the lake was extremely dazzling.

"Go back and write a note, and send it in yourself while your legs and feet can still move."

"Yes! Your Majesty!"

The literary party under the pine forest was very lively, but there were only a few poems and articles that could make Li Congyuan's heart move. It was rare that the one that moved him the most was nowhere to be found.

When Li Congyuan came out carrying two jars of wine, he met the British man who was hurriedly going down the mountain.

I saw that the British male's legs and feet were as nimble as an old ape. He took two steps and wanted to jump, which scared the few little eunuchs who were helping him and almost jumped together.

"What's going on, Mr. British?" he asked Yang Zhai, Minister of War, who was also the senior minister.

Yang Zhai shook his head. Because he was suffering from hemorrhoids, he neither dared to drink nor walk around. He could only sit demurely on the roadside drinking tea and watching others chatting and laughing. Seeing the British Duke being so rude, he sighed:

"Perhaps His Majesty has come up with another way to have fun. The British Duke is busy going back to show his courtesy to His Majesty."

Li Congyuan didn't think it was the case. Just as he was about to say something, he saw His Majesty standing on the pavilion on the top of the mountain through the crowd.

His Majesty seemed to have seen him, and raised the cup in his hand to give him a brief greeting.

His Majesty, wearing a dragon robe among the rich gold and greenery, stood in the wind, looking like a wise king, which made Li Congyuan's heart soften.

If the late prince had not died young, he would have been a wise king with such magnanimity.

"Brother Zilou," he called Yang Zhai by his surname, "Your Majesty is very different now from before. You and I can no longer speculate on the Holy Will as usual."

——

After hiking during the day and coming back down, Shen Shiqing went to greet the Empress Dowager again, but the Empress Dowager did not see "her son" as usual.

Shen Shiqing was also happy to have peace of mind. After dinner, she continued to sit under the lamp and read the memorial.

There was no need to read the memorials for greetings and greetings from everywhere. She found a memorial signed by the censor of Jiangxi Province. Shen Shiqing flipped through a few pages and put it aside.

The supervisory censor of Jiangxi Province sings praises every day, as if Jiangxi is a blessed place on earth. If she wants to see the movements of the British prince, she might as well read the memorials of officials from various places around Jiangxi. For example, officials in Zhejiang said that recently there were refugees who committed suicide. Came from Guangxinfu, Jiangxi and other places.

Shen Shiqing put the booklet aside again.

"Yiji, send these two memorials to the Supervisory Council and ask Zuodu Yushi if the supervisory censor of Jiangxi Province has an eye disease. Let him retire and go home to recuperate. I remember Yao Qian, the supervisory censor, was very worried. If you have some guts, send him to Jiangxi to investigate the issue of refugees."

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Yiji put away the two memorials and heard the sound of a watch outside. He said softly:

"Your Majesty, it's almost the second watch. Let's take a rest. How about some snacks?"

Shen Shiqing nodded and stood up from behind the desk.

"I want to take a bath, you go and have someone arrange it for me."

"yes!"

Seeing a chicken retreating lightly, Shen Shiqing moved her neck and walked outside the hall.

It was obviously the ninth day of the Lunar New Year, but the moon looked quite big.

She looked at the moon and thought of how old Duke Ying looked today.

"Emperor Zhao De, Zhao Su Rui, can be happy and angry as he pleases, which will certainly make all the officials too busy to deal with it, but it will also chill the hearts of truly loyal and good people. Since the emperor thinks he is a wise and powerful person, he should know how to use people well and be able to take advantage of the merits of good generals. If you have it for yourself, you should also bear the responsibility for the defeated army. How can you only choose the good and not the bad? Since you think you are the master of the world, the suffering of the people is naturally your responsibility. How can you only choose the good and not the bad? ?”

The "Emperor Zhaode" he had really seen appeared in front of his eyes. Shen Shiqing had to admit that he was much more lively than he thought. Perhaps after a man no longer has the power to take people's lives, he has the slightest sense of dignity. The appearance that is not harmful to others will make people lose the fear in their hearts. Anyway, for Shen Shiqing, her original fear and fear of the "Emperor" itself have faded a bit because of the previous meeting.

Without the mental barriers caused by speculation and ignorance, Shen Shiqing found that she could see "Emperor Zhaode" himself more clearly.

He was not a very bad emperor, and he might never be called a "Mingjun", but he worked hard to find a way out when the Yong Dynasty was gradually declining. As a monarch, he was incompatible with the entire court, so he could only Only in the name of absurdity can you do what you want to do.

Of course, he cannot be called a good person.

Li Congyuan's expectations, Ying Sheng's prayers, and the suffering of the people in the world are not invisible to him, but he can't, because he is the emperor.

"Your body is useless, your temper is useless, your brain is useless...Zhao Surui, Zhao Surui, you called me Shen Sanbai, but you were easily deceived by me, so what should I call you? Zhao Dasha?"

In Zhuangzi on the outskirts of Beijing, Zhao Surui got his hands burned.

He was eating taro, which was roasted in a small clay oven that Shen Sanfai usually used to bake paint. The thumb-sized taro was roasted and fragrant, and his hands burned as soon as he picked it up.

Because he heard someone calling him "Zhao Dasha".

He heard someone say that it was easy to cheat him.

Looking around, he saw no one.

"There is a ghost in this village?! No! Shen Sanfei!"

Shen Shiqing stood there, listening to Zhao Surui's thunderous voice in her mind.

"Shen Sancai! You are deceiving the king and ignoring your superiors! Sure enough, you used tricks to prevent you and me from changing back! Shen Sancai! You are bullying the emperor and disregarding your superiors! Kill the nine tribes!"

Shen Shiqing was just surprised, but then calmed down.

She walked slowly towards the Dongnuan Pavilion of Qianqing Palace and said slowly in her heart:

"Your Majesty, from the moment when a common woman woke up in the Chaohua Palace and was surrounded by people calling you Your Majesty, the common woman has deceived the king and ignored you."

Zhao Surui stood up suddenly and almost kicked over the small clay oven where he was roasting taro.

"Shen Sancai! I no longer care about your crime of deceiving the emperor, but you actually repaid me with kindness!"

"Your Majesty, you really don't understand the problem between you and the women." Shen Shiqing slowly asked someone to take off her dragon robe, walked into the tub and started taking a bath.
To be continued...