"The surname is inherited, but it is used by the aristocratic family to distinguish the noble from the humble. I deeply hate this. I was born in a humble family and know the sufferings of the people, so I can understand the profound meaning of His Majesty's reforms."
"The one I am loyal to is Your Majesty, no matter where your Majesty is from, what your name is, and no matter what the name of your country is."
"But Li Mi is different. He is loyal to Emperor Li Tang."
"Now Li Mi is pretending to welcome you and is accommodating to Your Majesty in every possible way, but secretly he has evil intentions and wants to murder Your Majesty!"
Yuan Zai made an impassioned speech and his tone gradually became excited.
Xue Bai listened silently and asked: "You need evidence to speak. How does he plan to harm me?"
"I dare you to ask your majesty, did Li Mi present the elixir?"
"good."
Xue Bai pointed to a box on the imperial desk.
Yuan Zai stared at it, his pupils dilated, showing great importance. Xue Bai then ordered his chamberlain to open the box, and inside were two bright red pills.
"Your Majesty, this medicine is poisonous!" Yuan Zai said excitedly.
He originally doubted whether Li Mi was really capable of assassinating him, but only then did he confirm that he finally had a handle on the other party.
"Is this it?" Xue Bai picked up the red pill, looked at it, and said, "It must be a misunderstanding."
"Everything I said is true. Guo Ziyi's son-in-law Zhang Yong told me privately that Li Mi refined a poisonous pill... Your Majesty!"
After Yuan Zai said this, he suddenly exclaimed because he saw Xue Bai casually throw the pill into his mouth.
He was so anxious that he quickly stepped forward and stretched out his hand to help Xue Bai spit it out, but he did not dare to touch Xue Bai and was so anxious that he was at a loss.
Then, with just two crisp sounds, Xue Bai bit it into pieces and chewed it in his mouth.
"Your Majesty, it's poisonous, spit it out quickly."
"Yuan Qing, don't worry, it's not poisonous, you might as well try one."
Yuan Zai was stunned, looking at Hong Wan in front of him, and for a moment he almost thought that the emperor was going to kill him.
But Xue Bai had finished eating calmly and motioned for him to try it again.
Yuan Zai had no choice but to reach out and take it.
"It is poisonous. I am willing to die to follow Your Majesty."
He was worthy of being the person who once pursued Wang Yunxiu. Although he knew that the red pill would probably not be poisonous, he still showed a sincere look. He frowned with a bitter face, raised his head, and resolutely threw the red pill into his mouth.
inside.
This elixir is probably coated with sugar and is a bit sweet.
"Crack."
He bit it into pieces and found it somewhat delicious. It had a crunchy texture and a wheat flavor.
"This is?"
Yuan Zai's eyes widened, somewhat confused.
He has never eaten this before.
"Wheat sugar is made of wheat flour, honey, and milk." Xue Bai asked, "How does it taste?"
"tasty."
Yuan Zai answered like this, feeling very disappointed in his heart, knowing that the wheat candy would not be poisonous.
He would rather it was poisonous, so poisonous that he fainted and fell to the ground, becoming seriously ill.
As long as he can get rid of Li Mi, this is the price he is willing to pay.
Looking up again, Yuan Zai was suddenly startled.
He found that Xue Bai's eyes looked at him with some kind of meaningful scrutiny, which made him startled and he lowered his head subconsciously.
However, when he raised his eyes and took a peek again, he saw that Xue Bai's expression was as usual, and he couldn't tell anything at all.
"In the past, I looked back at Li Linfu's party who was united and opposed dissidents. Now I don't want this kind of atmosphere in the court." Xue Bai said, "To put my mind into benefiting the people, I need loyal ministers, but more importantly, capable ministers and good ministers."
"I obey the decree."
Yuan Zai was frightened and quickly responded.
It was night, and he couldn't sleep. All he could think about was why Li Mi offered two wheat candies.
In a daze, the scene when Li Mi offered candy appeared in his mind, and even Li Mi's calm and unhurried voice still sounded in his mind.
"I have devised a plan to predict that Yuan Zai will come to slander me..."
Yuan Zai woke up suddenly and felt a strong uneasiness.
~~
After failing to get rid of Li Mi this time, Yuan Zai felt uneasy and took the initiative to avoid Li Mi's advances and did not dare to compete with him for power in the court.
Therefore, Li Mi took the opportunity to recommend Cui Youfu and Zhang Xun to the rank of prime minister.
Both of them were Jinshi scholars and had outstanding character and talent.
Although Cui Youfu is the son of a serious family, his attitude towards the New Deal is very fair, and he is not like other families who are bent on protecting the interests of the family. After being persuaded by Li Mi, his behavior has changed a lot. He has been involved in many matters, which makes him more acceptable. Accepted by the aristocratic family; Zhang Xun was a scholar, but during the chaos, he tried his best to guard the two Huaihe gates, and his prestige was very high. Once he paid homage to the prime minister, he became a figure like a needle in the court.
On the other hand, Li Mi took the opportunity to win over many financial officials under Yuan Zai, such as Liu Yan, Yang Yan, Yang Wan, Wu Qi, etc., making the implementation of the new law smooth.
After an incident, the court and local officials were afraid that the emperor would raise the table again, so they changed the name of the country in anger, trying to calm the situation as much as possible and work honestly.
There is an atmosphere of "a filial son emerges from a stick".
In the autumn of this year, Xue Bai personally inspected the local acres, settlements, and taxes, and found no major flaws for the time being. He then acknowledged that Li Mi had brought staged progress to the New Deal and praised him.
Faced with the compliments, Li Mi still showed a helpless attitude, and responded: "Your Majesty has given you too much praise. I don't ask for rewards from Your Majesty, but I only ask Your Majesty not to be angry anymore."
"In your mind, the fault is that I am too easily angered, rather than the private plan of annexing fields and hiding the population."
"Your Majesty is definitely not at fault." Li Bi said, "But your Majesty's reaction was too extreme."
In fact, after so long, Xue Bai is now very calm.
"I'm in a good mood today. Please treat Brother Changyuan to a meal."
"I thank your Majesty for the banquet."
"No need to be restrained, just leave the palace incognito."
Li Mi originally wanted to dissuade him, but Xue Bai even gave up his royal name. This trivial matter seemed not worth dissuading.
They then went to a restaurant by the Qujiang River with ease and order. Xue Bai asked, "Are there any crabs?"
"Hey, there are not many people who eat crabs, but Mr. Lang knows how to eat them." The shopkeeper said with a smile, "Qiugao crab fat, this is a popular food nowadays... But, does this Taoist priest also eat crabs?"
"He has no taboos."
"Okay, you two sit down for a moment."
Sitting next to the window, the wind was blowing quite comfortably. Xue Bai turned around and looked outside, and saw many children flying kites by the Qujiang River.
Li Mi was a quiet person, and if he really didn't want to speak, he now shouldered heavy responsibilities and had to maintain the stability of the country, so he still spoke.
"How can you bear to destroy this prosperous age because of your own selfishness?"
Xue Bai asked: "Did you come out of the mountain because my father-in-law persuaded you, or do you just want to try your hand in the world in your heart?"
Li Bi said: "I am a monk, and I am indifferent to clarify my ambitions."
"One husband, one husband, a thousand lives and ambitions are a good picture." Xue Bai said: "Can an indifferent person write such a poem?"
"That was when I was young."
Xue Bai looked out the window and said: "I was very crazy when I was young. I always thought that only I could revitalize the Tang Dynasty. I was destined by fate and was the most qualified person in the world. Therefore, I was determined to be the emperor and did not care about anything.
, by any means necessary. When I thought about it at the time, it was no pity to throw away my identity. When I decided to pretend to be Li Qian, I had no nostalgia for 'Xue Bai'."
Li Bi said: "Your Majesty is indeed destined by fate."
"But the reason why I must be this emperor is really to change the Tang Dynasty, not to enjoy it. Of course, I also have selfish motives. I don't like to be oppressed by class, and I hate having anyone nobler than me."
When Xue Bai said this, he nodded to himself.
"I would rather die than live in a world where high and low are clearly stipulated. I am an official, a white person, and a lowly servant, so I fight for it at all costs."
Li Bi said: "Since ancient times, people have been divided into high and low."
"As you practice Taoism, don't you believe that all living beings are equal?"
"I was born in the Li family, but I am not the royal Longxi Li family, but the Li family in Liaodong. I belong to the sixth family of the Li family in Zhaojun. My ancestors were one of the eight pillars of the Western Wei Dynasty. It was passed down to my generation and I have been raised strictly from generation to generation.
"
"I know what you want to say." Xue Bai said, "The efforts of your ancestors are what make you what you are today. I can't erase these inheritances with one sentence... This is because our concepts are different in our bones. You are used to the distinction between superiority and inferiority.
I'm not used to it."
"Your Majesty is the most noble person in the world."
"You won't believe me if I tell you. I hate people being nobler than me, but after becoming the emperor, I don't like being nobler than others either. It doesn't mean much."
Xue Bai still felt that the original world was comfortable. This was what he had worked hard for more than ten years to discover. And he also knew that he would never be able to develop the Tang Dynasty to that point in his lifetime.
"All in all, I became me, Xue Bai, not to vent my anger or get angry. But I need it, I like it, and I feel comfortable. Li Qian's identity is like a gorgeous but too small dress.
My armpit hurts."
Li Bi said: "Your Majesty is too greedy. How can you want both merit and freedom?"
While they were talking, footsteps sounded downstairs, and the two of them fell silent.
After a while, the store served the food.
"Eat."
Xue Bai picked up a crab and wanted to hand it to Li Mi, but he waved his hand and refused.
He then smiled and said, "There are many new things, so just accept them slowly."
But he didn't force it and just peeled the crabs and ate them by himself.
"By the way, the issue we just talked about is the same for you and me."
Li Bi said: "I and your Majesty are two different kinds of people."
"I would like to ask you to see that if you achieve a hundred years of work, your achievements will spread across the five lakes." Xue Bai said, "Don't you want both achievements and freedom? You want the five lakes, and I only want my name. You are greedier than me."
Li Mi was stunned for a moment, shook his head and said, "I only hope for a hundred years, but you hope for a thousand years. Aren't you too greedy?"
~~
In the evening, Xue Bai returned to Daming Palace.
He passed the Taiye Pond and walked around to the Sanqing Hall behind the palace garden.
The setting sun was shining on the flower trees, and he saw Li Tengkong standing under the tree.
They had made an appointment before, and Xue Baisu was here today.
"I'm late? I went out of the palace to have dinner with Li Bi."
"It's not too late, I just want to go out for a walk early." Li Tengkong said: "You are so comfortable, you can leave the palace whenever you want."
"You can leave the palace anytime you want."
"How did you know that I and Li Jizi went out to watch an opera yesterday?" Li Tengkong smiled and said, "We are probably the most unruly emperors and concubines."
Xue Bai said: "I may be the most unruly emperor, but there are many more unruly emperors than you."
"You're not serious, so don't talk nonsense."
Li Tengkong lightly punched Xue Bai, and he hugged him in his arms.
"You smell so good." He asked, "Have you changed the incense?"
"Because I was waiting for you under the sweet-scented osmanthus tree, and I was covered in sweet-scented osmanthus flowers."
"Been waiting for a long time?"
"Soon, there happened to be a gust of wind blowing."
Li Tengkong still has this quiet and artistic temperament, but he is actually a mother and has raised a daughter with Xue Bai.
Recently, every time Xue Bai walked to the corridor of Sanqing Hall and heard laughter coming from the distance, he couldn't help but mention one thing.
"Seventeenth Mother, let's make up for our status."
"don't want."
"The bento is for the child, otherwise others will not know her biological mother."
"How do you want others to know?" Li Tengkong refused firmly. She held Xue Bai's hand, sat in a deserted place, and said: "I have also considered this matter, and thought that maybe we should be on good terms with you from now on, but in the end
I don’t think it’s important anymore.”
Xue Bai said: "If you are worried about causing trouble again, you can rest assured."
"You said you are Xue Bai, but many people still don't believe it. If I want to get this name, I will inevitably be whispered that I am the same clan as you. I can not care about other people's comments, but after all, I am... uncomfortable."
Li Tengkong said, smiled calmly, and added: "I am a person of pure cultivation, and the last thing I want is to be disturbed by these mundane things."
Xue Bai was silent when he heard this. He told Li Mi today that he restored Xue Bai's identity for the sake of his freedom, so how could he harm Li Tengkong's freedom?
"You and I have been together forever, and the title of a concubine is not worthy for me."
"All right."
Xue Bai had no choice but to rely on Li Tengkong.
The topic between the two of them also shifted away from these trivial matters, and talked about many things that were more interesting to each other, such as the changes in their children and the changes in Chang'an City.
Before the sun completely set, Li Tengkong raised his head and looked at the distant sky, his eyes filled with longing.
"Do you know why I want to become a Taoist priest?"
"Because you couldn't marry me at that time, were you unhappy with your family?"
"No way." Li Tengkong scolded Xue Bai and said, "I have thought about traveling around the world since I was a child and visiting all the famous mountains and rivers in the world. I never thought about being a concubine in this deep palace. If I hadn't
For you, I..."
She stopped talking, feeling that any further words seemed like complaints.
But she actually just wanted to show that she really didn't need that status.
During this period of time, she had watched Xue Bai bear tremendous pressure to restore that name. She felt it was hard and hoped that he would look away.
"Today I remembered Li Mi's poem. Please take a look at what happened over a hundred years, and the boat will sail across the five lakes." Xue Bai said, "Find an opportunity for you and me to visit the famous mountains and rivers in the world."
"You don't have to take it personally."
"No." Xue Bai smiled and said, "It's just... I want to do what Li Mi can't do."
"Um?"
"I plan to let him work in the court until he grows old. As for the affairs of the five lakes, we will do it."
Li Tengkong was amused by him.
Taking advantage of the good atmosphere today, she took Xue Bai's hand and asked in a low voice: "Can you promise me something?"
"What?"
"Whether you want to be Xue Bai or Li Qian, no one can stop you, and the courtiers have all accepted it..."
"They didn't accept it, they just used vague words to fool them. They were generally trying to protect Li Tang's face, but in essence they still didn't admit that I had usurped the throne."
"As long as you live calmly, why care about whether they admit it or not." Li Tengkong asked: "Can you promise me not to change the name of the country or abolish the ancestral temple?"
Xue Bai said nothing.
Over the past six months, this matter has been mentioned more than once, but he has never given a clear statement, neither saying yes nor saying bad.
As far as he is concerned, as long as he doesn't speak, some people will have to continue to be cautious about their karma.
He knew very well that the court could not remain peaceful like this.
~~
The moon shines on the sycamore tree.
There was beautiful singing singing in a large house in Chang'an City.
Du Jin walked through the path and stopped in front of the singing platform.
"Madam, Du Erniang is here."
Ahead, a woman who was watching a song and dance turned around.
This woman had her hair combed with clouds on her temples, and she wore a golden walking stick on her temples. But when she turned her head, the golden walking stick was just slightly swaying with rhythm, not messy at all.
What's even more rare is that her movements are not deliberate at all, they are extremely natural and even a little lively.
When Du Jin saw her, he couldn't help but froze for a moment, feeling suffocated by her beauty.
She is also a great beauty herself. When she met Xue Yaoying this year, she was envious of Xue Yaoying's youth. But the woman in front of her was several years older than her and she still didn't change her sense of beauty.
Even because of the charm of time, the beauty is even more vivid, completely surpassing Xue Yaoying.
Compared with this woman, Xue Yaoying's youth seemed a bit dull and dry.
Because this woman is Yang Yuhuan.
"Are you here?" Yang Yuhuan smiled with a charming voice, which added to the brilliance.
"Yes, the Yang family's wife has not changed at all... No, she does look younger."
Du Jin had long known that Xue Bai was hiding Yang Yuhuan, but she always pretended not to know. The reason why she came to visit today was because she had something important to talk to Yang Yuhuan.
"I'm getting old too." Yang Yuhuan said with a smile, "It's just that I have fewer things to worry about, and I still have the same temperament as when I was in the boudoir."
She was putting on a new play today and was not angry when Du Jin interrupted her. She arranged a tea break and the two sat down to talk.
"Du Erniang is so talented that she was able to find her here."
"Your Majesty leaves the expenses of this house to my brother. Even if I can't find him, it's not hard for me to find him." Du Jin said, "It would be rude of me not to come visit him all these years."
"I have been blessed by my second mother all these years, so it's my turn to give her a toast."
Yang Yuhuan picked up the wine glass and took a sip, her cheeks slightly flushed.
Du Jin observed her and found that she did not deliberately maintain the image of a beauty, her movements were very casual, but every smile and frown had its own charm.
This is something you are born with, and you cannot envy it.
"Ms. Yang is truly a savior to the country and the city. Even I, a woman, feel attracted to her."
"Huh?" Yang Yuhuan blinked and looked at Du Jin with some confusion.
Du Jin asked: "You and Xue Lang have been together for so many years, and you don't want a name?"
She deliberately used the title "Xue Lang" with some profound meaning.
"Is Er Niang here for this matter?" Yang Yuhuan said, "How can I care about my status? I have been a noble concubine, and if I want, I can be a queen. But what I want is just freedom.
."
Du Jin said: "But being comfortable will make people relax, and being lazy will kill you."
"How do you say this?"
"You are hiding here and no one will find you, so the world really doesn't know about your affair with Xue Lang?" Du Jin said: "On the contrary, everyone knows that you two are having an affair."
"Xue Lang and I are having an affair, what about you?" Yang Yuhuan said tit for tat.
Du Jin did not argue with her, but straight to the point.
"Many things cannot be hidden, and sooner or later there will be disaster. What Xue Lang should do is to eradicate the roots and kill all the officials loyal to Li Tang. He had already made up his mind, but in the end he was persuaded by Li Mi
But Li Mi will never really support Xue Lang. What he did today is just a covert act, but in fact he is secretly planning to get rid of Xue Lang."
Yang Yuhuan asked: "Will Xue Lang be in danger?"
Du Jin said: "I tried to expose Li Mi's conspiracy several times, but all failed. After the taxes came up this autumn, Xue Lang's trust in Li Mi increased day by day, and his determination to change his surname to Dai Tang became weaker and weaker."
"Then what do you want me to do?"
"Instead of pretending to be arrogant with Li Tang's ministers and leaving the disaster for the future, it is better to make up your mind as soon as possible. You can also be honest with Xue Lang."
"I don't seek fairness." Yang Yuhuan said, "If you let me choose, I would rather secretly communicate with Xue Lang like this."
"You have to ask him for a status. Only in this way can you strengthen his determination."
Yang Yuhuan looked at Du Jin and suddenly said: "I understand, you want to encourage Xue Lang to replace Tang Dynasty. Only in this way can you be justified?"
Du Jin shook his head and said, "I did find evidence that Li Mi wanted to murder Xue Lang."
As she spoke, she took out a confession and placed it in front of Yang Yuhuan.
That was Zhang Yong's confession. Du Jin confirmed that Zhang Yong did not lie.
"If I inform Xue Lang about this..."
"It's useless, Yuan Zai has been plotted by Li Mi."
Du Jin said, stood up and said: "In fact, it doesn't matter whether you agree to this matter or not. As long as you are here, the conflict between Xue Lang and Li Tang's loyal ministers will continue. If you don't want others to know, you can't do anything about it."
."
In her opinion, people have to move forward.
The stage of pretending to usurp the throne has passed. The remaining problems need to be solved. The next step is to restore the name and replace Li Tang.
Wu Zetian was about to take the step of replacing the Tang Dynasty with the Zhou Dynasty, let alone Xue Bai?
On the other hand, she could already feel that Li Mi's threat was getting bigger and bigger, and she had to step up her response.
~~
Du Jin's intuition was correct.
Since re-emerging, Li Mi has been secretly plotting to get rid of Du Jin.
When he saw Li Qijun off, he also had a conversation about this.
"The princes of the world opposed your majesty's new law, and there were two assassinations. One was to encourage Liu Zhan to rebel against the assassin, and the second was to attack the two mothers of the Du family on the Luoshui River."
"A large part of the reason why the emperor is so confident is that Du Erniang holds too much power for him."
"It must be this woman who secretly beguiled the saint and persuaded him to give up his identity as a descendant of Li Tang. This was so that she could enter the harem. This woman has the ambition of the Wu family."
Li Mi asked: "Do you know who was behind the Luoshui assassination case?"
Li Qijun said: "Not Mr. Yan?"
"I'll check again."
At that time, Li Bi sent Li Qijun off and thought for a while, thinking that Du Jin was difficult to deal with. To dispel the emperor's unrealistic ideas, he had to start with Yuan Zai...