"The painter loses his appearance because of his excessive hair; the painter loses his appearance because of his small appearance." [Huainanzi·Speaking of Lin Xun]
"Thanks to my uncle for helping me today." After leaving the greenhouse, Langxie King Liu Xi was already covered in sweat. He wanted to walk to the side of Liu Miao to show respect, but was pushed to the front by Liu Miao, who always paid attention to his dignity. In terms of seniority,
, Liu Miao is his uncle, and in terms of etiquette and law, Liu Xicai is the major sect of Langye Kingdom. As Liu Xi's biological uncle, Liu Miao can only be regarded as a minor sect.
"This can't happen again. From now on, you should stay safe in Kaiyang, be your Langxie King, and don't do anything wrong again." Liu Miao seemed to have aged ten years in an instant, and he said in a serious tone: "Otherwise, no one can save me.
you!"
Liu Xi also became honest after this incident. He also saw that the emperor's majesty was not the same as when he summoned the minister of state in the palace. After being taught a lesson and listening to his uncle's warning, he repeatedly promised that Liu Xi would
Only then did Miao feel relieved, and his tense face looked better.
"By the way, uncle, how did you come up with those words just now?" Liu Xi, who had escaped the disaster, walked briskly and started to ask other questions: "I obviously didn't talk about it, but I avoided it in the end.
, I hate that my nephew is so dull, otherwise if he could learn a few points, why would he be..."
Liu Miao suddenly stopped at the side of the car, and his expression became very serious for a moment. How could he have come up with such rhetoric and response? However, he promised the other party that since he chose to protect the ancestral temple of Langxie Kingdom, he would
You have to work hard.
"You don't have to worry about how you came up with the idea." Liu Miao said coldly. He rarely spoke to his nephew in such a cold tone: "Let's go." He glanced back and forth toward the palace road, as if he was worried about something.
Someone will come out of the palace gate at any time.
Seeing that Liu Miao's expression did not look like a joke, Liu Xi did not dare to ask any more questions and walked out of Weiyang Palace honestly.
After the uncle and nephew left, someone did come out from a hidden corner. This person was none other than Captain Shi Dongfeng.
Dong Feng looked at the backs of the two people leaving, and felt keenly that the expressions between them seemed a little strange, but because they were too far apart, they could not hear the words clearly, so they had to suppress their curiosity. When they arrived at the back of Chengming Hall,
Just now he told Dong Cheng what happened: "Although I don't know what's going on, in my opinion, there must be something fishy..."
"You yourself said you don't know what's going on, so how can you say there's something fishy?" Dong Cheng waved his hand nonchalantly. He didn't take this matter to heart at the moment. Although it was only the fourteenth day of the first lunar month, the emperor decided to leave.
There was still one day left for the New Year's holiday, but instead of guarding his pregnant concubine at home, he came to Chengming Hall early to be on duty, not only to show off, but also to hide his uneasiness.
Being idle at home during the Chinese New Year made him think a lot. Perhaps only by keeping himself busy and keeping himself close to the center of power at all times can the sense of crisis in his heart fade away a little.
"The rumors outside are getting more and more intense." Dong Cheng held the iron drill in his hand and slowly picked up the charcoal basin that was already burning brightly. A few sparks flew out from the charcoal fire under his fiddle, illuminating his face.
There was a dark and unclear light and shadow: "Those so-called bastard celebrities, when the country was in trouble, did not want to serve the Han officials with their lives, but instead ran to Liaodong to seek refuge. Now the imperial court showed mercy and sent a special bus to recruit them back, and they actually returned
Dare to speak nonsense and criticize important ministers!"
The iron drill in his hand was like a long sword, violently scattering the pile of charcoal fire. Countless red-hot charcoal blocks fell to every corner of the floor, splashing out brilliant sparks.
Dong Cheng stood up suddenly, and in his rage, Dong Feng suddenly felt as if he had seen the scene of Dong Cheng commanding troops and horses under Dong Zhuo's tent many years ago, killing decisively.
"Dong Gong, calm down! Dong Gong, calm down!" The wooden floor where the charcoal fire fell had begun to smell of burning. Dong Feng smelled the soot in the room and quickly bent down and prostrated.
"If I were really 'Dong Gong', they would all die!" This was Dong Cheng's favorite title, but now it sounds like a huge irony. When Dong Zhuo was here, even the Yuan family, who was the fourth generation and the third Duke, could say this.
Kill, kill, now a few famous people who have emerged from the fields of Liaodong are lashing out, but I can only sit here and do nothing!
Dong Feng turned pale with fright. At this time, someone outside the door heard the noise and started knocking on the door to ask. He hurriedly opened the door and found an excuse to send the clerk away. Then he turned around and said sadly: "Why?
Don't let misfortune come from your mouth. You must be careful what you say in the palace confinement!"
"Don't think I'm the only one who thinks this way." Dong Cheng was still standing there. He had just vented his anger and his anger had subsided a little. At this time, he raised his foot and lightly kicked the motionless bronze charcoal basin, and said coldly:
"Today they dare to criticize me, and tomorrow they will dare to criticize the emperor! If the emperor doesn't care about his reputation at this time, otherwise these people... Humph!"
"Wei, only." Dong Feng echoed in his mouth, while bending down to pick up the charcoal scattered on the ground one by one with an iron drill, and put it back into the charcoal basin. However, the charcoal was picked up in time and failed to brew.
It became a fire, but the burn marks caused by the charcoal fire on the floor and the smoke that filled the room never dissipated.
"Since Mr. Dong knows the country's thoughts, why should he be angry here?" Dong Feng put the last piece of charcoal that was going to be extinguished back into the charcoal basin, put the iron drill in a convenient place, and said softly to Dong Cheng: "
Dare I ask how Dong Gong, Dong Zhuo, Wang Yun and today's famous people like Guan Ning are doing?"
"How can they compare?" Dong Cheng exhaled from his nose. In fact, at this point, he almost understood in his heart. He was about to sit down again, but he waved his sleeves impatiently: "The room is full of smoke.
, why not open the window and let in some wind?"
Dong Feng laughed, knowing that the other party's anger was completely gone, so he walked over and opened the window a crack, so that the cold wind could blow in without cooling the room.
"What else did you want to say just now?" Dong Cheng had already sat down, looking at the dim charcoal basin in front of him, and tried to put his hand on it to roast the remaining heat: "There have been no outsiders in Chengming Hall these two days, and there are many Zhao Wen
He has not returned to Shuzhong for years and is taking leave this time; Huang Wan has been in poor health in the winter for the past two years and dare not go out to be exposed to the wind; Yang Qi and Xun You often serve the country, and as for Wu Shuo... don't mention it
. Just say what you want."
Dong Feng then sat down next to the other party and began to pick up the iron drill again and fiddle with the embers in the charcoal basin, hoping to light the fire again: "Since Dong Gong understands that Wang Yun and others are incomparable with Guan Ning, he knows that the country is connected.
The former can endure and win, let alone a few celebrities?"
"But now the public opinion of the government and the opposition is becoming more and more difficult to control." Dong Cheng didn't understand this truth, but he still felt a little worried when he thought about it: "The attitude of the country... I really can't figure it out. What if the country cares about its reputation at this time and chooses to tolerate it?
, then don’t I, the ‘Captain’, have to give it up to others?”
When the emperor asked him to be the captain, he had not thought about the criticism from public opinion, but he needed to let the scholars lose a core position, and at the same time he also wanted to break the unspoken political rule that non-scholars with virtue and prestige should not serve as three public officials. Just imagine the emperor
A relative with a martial arts background was appointed as the Third Duke, and in the future Sang Hongyang and Zhang Tang would come out, why not?
When the emperor needed Dong Cheng, he was willing to bear the pressure for him and ignore these public opinions. But whether the emperor's current thinking has changed and what it has become, even Dong Cheng is not sure. He can only go through the palace.
The channel got some gratifying news: the emperor had not completely abandoned him.
"Since the revival of Emperor Guangwu, all major events have been attributed to Taige, and the three princes have only prepared their positions." Dong Feng saw clearly. He finally lit up a little fire, and the rekindled charcoal fire made his eyes sparkle.
: "Three Dukes who do not record the affairs of the Secretariat have only fame but no real power. What can they do in the future? In my opinion, the Duke can let the Taiwei, but he must not let him leave the Chengming Palace."
"Should I give in?" Dong Cheng caught a key word from the other party's words.
"Wei Wei." Dong Feng put down the iron hammer again and gave Dong Chenggong his hand. After gradually drifting away from Wu Shuo, he became one of the few wise men and women around Wu Shuo: "If the country is not willing to serve Mr. Dong,
When fighting with scholars, instead of waiting for the edict, it is better to be free and generous, give up the position first, and then watch them grab it."
"Hmm..." Dong Cheng muttered. He reluctantly listened to this opinion, but he was still a little unsure: "If I give in, can it still be 'recording the affairs of the minister'?"
"Who among the relatives in the past generations is not a general, and the general of hussars is responsible for the affairs of the minister?" Dong Feng advised: "The positions of general and other officials are actually internal affairs, and they are closer to the country."
"Actually, Hu Miao also advised me what you said." Dong Cheng said, completely unaware of the change in Dong Feng's face: "He said that as long as the central palace is stable and the emperor is still willing to use me, I will not lose power anywhere.
"
"Hu Gong's words are very kind." Dong Feng and Hu Miao were a little unhappy with each other. When they heard that Hu Miao and she thought of going together, they couldn't help but feel a little unhappy.
Chang'an, the residence of Langxie.
Liu Miao hurriedly sent Liu Xi to his residence. After explaining a few words, he put down the cotton cloth gifted by the emperor and was about to go out. But before he could leave, the servants around him hurried over and reported: "The Lord Shicai
No, there are two people who are said to be citizens of Yangdu County and have presented New Year's gifts to the Lord."
"Citizen of Yangdu County?" Although Liu Miao is the Marquis of Yangdu, he only has a settlement of less than 1,000 households. He only collects land rent and does not care about civil matters. There is no strict supervisory relationship between the two, let alone thousands of miles apart.
I gave him a gift in Chang'an: "What are the names of these two people?"
"They seem to be two brothers, their surname is Zhuge." The servant was a little nervous. He thought about it carefully and took out a name card from his arms: "It is said that I was taken care of and recommended by the master back then. I didn't have the opportunity before. We are living together in Chang'an this year, so we can skip it.
Thank you."
"Zhuge?" Liu Miao suddenly remembered something. He remembered that in the fourth year of Chuping, his elder brother Liu Rong, the king of Langye Shun, passed away. He, Wang Duan and others were ordered to go to Langye to attend the funeral, and by the way, they conquered the Guandong scholars.
.On the way back, he recommended to Wang Duan the Zhuge clan with whom he had dealings. Since his friendship with the Zhuge clan was not too deep, he only recommended talents in his territory and then forgot about them for hundreds of years.
When Zhuge Xuanguan was appointed as the governor of Hanoi, the brothers Zhuge Jin and Zhuge Liang were young and talented people, but he never regarded them as merits of recommendation.
I never thought I would get feedback from them.
"When did they visit?" Liu Miao put the famous sword in his sleeve and asked.
The servant replied: "It seems that it was after His Highness and the Lord entered the palace."
In a certain mansion in Xuanpingli, two brothers from the Zhuge family were sitting opposite each other playing chess.
"Are you going to go to Mr. Liu in the afternoon to pay tribute?" The speaker had just put down a white stone. His cheekbones were slightly narrow and his face looked a bit long, which ruined his overall demeanor. In addition, he was very different from the person opposite him.
Both brothers have the same thick eyebrows, big eyes, wide lips and straight noses.
"Is it Duke Liu?" Zhuge Liang almost without thinking, quickly placed the chess piece somewhere on the chessboard: "My uncle was once his subordinate official. In terms of personal friendship, I and other juniors should also pay homage to him...
…Let’s go later.”
"What?" Zhuge Jin was older than the other party and had a more mature mind, but he couldn't help but joked: "You still want Mr. Liu to leave food for you?"
"Liu Gong has always been famous. From Jingzhou to Chang'an, there are too many guests to visit him. It is inconvenient to go early." Zhuge Liang tapped on the chessboard with his finger to indicate to the opponent that it was time to make a move.
Zhuge Jin picked up the chess pieces unhurriedly, looked down at the chess game, and did not rush to think about how to restore the decline on the chess board, but said slowly: "Really? Then this game of chess...can you win?"
"Brother, my chess skills are superb, I admit defeat." Zhuge Liang leaned back, his dignified appearance actually looked a bit rogue.
"Kong Ming." Zhuge Jin didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He threw the chess pieces on the chessboard at will, and instantly used external force to break up the situation: "It's rare that the other side has any intention!"
"I have to think about it again." Zhuge Liang knew what he was talking about and shook his head slightly.
"You are going to be eighteen this year!" Zhuge Jin persuaded hard. The Huang family of Jiangxia is a powerful family in Jingzhou and has been a minister for generations. Being able to marry him is a high achievement for the Zhuge family. However, the other party is interested, but his younger brother does not know how to return it.
What are you hesitating about: "When others are weak, they have already married and had children."
"Brother, don't you have any children now?" Zhuge Liang pointed it out. He then went on to evade others and said: "Guo is the same age as me and has no heirs. As Guo said, 'You are still young, what are you anxious about?'
"
Zhuge Jin knew that the other party was born in the same year, month and day as the emperor. Perhaps it was for this reason that the emperor favored Zhuge Liang. Even when he went to conquer the Yuan family, Zhuge Liang was allowed to sit in on the discussions between the emperor and Xun You and Jia Xu. This was
At that time, all the secretaries who accompanied the army did not have the same treatment.
With the emperor's favor and trust, the Zhuge family has a bright future, and the distance between them and the Huang family of Jiangxia cannot be said to be too great.
"You should say less of this kind of thing." Zhuge Jin was a little worried that the emperor's delay in having any heirs might be influenced by Zhuge Liang's concept of late childbearing, so he quickly said: "Lest it cause trouble to yourself and the family."
"I understand." Zhuge Liang became an official a few years earlier than the other party, so he knew the truth clearly, but he still agreed humbly out of respect for his elder brother.
"Then are you going to visit later?" Zhuge Jin was reluctant, still not forgetting the topic just now, and even nagging: "That's the Huang family of Jiangxia."
"Let me think about it again." This matter is also a bit of a headache for Zhuge Liang. It's not that he looks down on Huang's daughter, but he is considering the pros and cons from the beginning to the end. In addition, he has one more thing
I don't understand: "Didn't you say that the Huang family, Pang family and other wealthy families in Jingzhou are all at odds with Mr. Liu? Why did you think of visiting the government this time?"
"Who said there was discord?" Zhuge Jin had been studying at Taixue for a long time and knew very little: "Liu Gong has been the shepherd of Jingzhou for several years and his reputation has spread far and wide. How could he be at odds with the state's sergeants?"
"I only half-guessed and half-heard this matter..." Zhuge Liang told Zhuge Jin what he knew, while carefully thinking in his mind that the Jingzhou scholars' change of attitude towards Liu Biao must have his reasons.
It might be something, it might be someone, or it might be both.
It seemed as if some name flashed past his ears just now, but he accidentally ignored it: "Brother." He had to ask the other party for help: "Who did you just say?"