Cars are like flowing water, horses are like dragons, and the south wind is full of joy!
To the west of the inner city, eight miles to the north is the Western City, and eight miles to the south are residential buildings. Since the sun rises, within a radius of nearly twenty miles, there are already seas of people, shoulder to shoulder.
Starting from Xiyang Gate, the official road from east to west is twenty feet wide. Half of both sides are high platforms for acrobatics in various temples.
There is a lively performance on the stage, but there are also dense crowds below. But if a believer gives alms, he will get a bowl of holy porridge, and then follow the novice nuns to the altar behind the stage to listen to the sutras and sermons.
The remaining half are the trucks of various merchants. There are also some salesmen who will carry some needles, threads, glutinous rice cakes, etc. for sale here.
If it were normal, the official road would have been blocked, but today it is very smooth.
Li Xian (Henan Yin) was amazed when he saw it, and asked the official beside him: "What method did Yang Jixian (Yang Jun of Luoyang) use to make the kitchen meeting so orderly today?"
In the past, once people entered the market, they could only move forward slowly with the flow of people. It was considered fast to walk ten feet in a moment.
From time to time, someone's feet would be stepped on, or their money would be stolen. There would also be ladies being robbed by libertines, and children being knocked down. You could hear crying, yelling, and cursing all the time, and fights would start on the spot.
It’s not uncommon either.
Today, the traffic was smooth, with almost no shouting or cursing being heard, and there were even fewer fights in the street.
If you look carefully, you can see that there are carriages passing through the road?
Li Xian was so surprised: In the past, even a dog couldn't get through it, let alone making a fool of himself during the kitchen party...
"It's not Magistrate Yang, but Gao Yulin!"
The official explained, "Because smoothies are on sale today, Gao Yulin went to the palace to ask for the order. His Majesty ordered Luoyang County Yamen to supervise Jinwu (responsible for inspecting the capital, prohibiting violence, arresting theft, and supervising rape), Yulin Supervisor, etc.
Help them maintain order, so the kitchen meeting is so orderly today..."
Li Xian was a little suspicious: Is it more than that?
A group of Qiu Ba, at most, is just for thieves to steal. The libertines dare not stretch their hands randomly. How can they care about how tourists walk?
Don’t you see that everyone who walks always keeps to the right?
There are also those salesmen who used to run around with their loads of goods, but today they don’t wander around, but stop by the roadside to hawk their goods?
This is clearly someone's trick.
It's definitely not Gaojiro, he doesn't have such quick wit.
With a thought in his heart, Zhao Xian roughly guessed who it was, and said with a smile: "Look further!"
Behind him were six or seven people, all of whom were assistant officials and subordinates of Henan Yin. They were specially brought out by Li Xian to observe the sentiments of the people.
Just two steps away, he heard many people calling "Master Baimei". Li Xian took a look and saw an old monk standing in the road. He was dressed in white and had white eyebrows. He had a crane beard and a childish face, which made him look a bit like someone from the mundane world. p>
The monk has a good background, so he is called Bai Mei. Ten years ago, he was Zhaoxuan Cao Datong (the highest monk official in the country), and he was highly trusted by the late emperor.
At that time, Li Xian was an official in Shangshu Province, and he could see him from time to time. But he was not very lucky: in the late years of the late emperor, he was dragged down by his disciples, and the old monk was dismissed from his official position.
After Jinshang ascended the throne, Bai Mei was driven out of the capital again. He was not even allowed to give lectures on the days when he was not allowed to attend the Kitchen Meeting...
However, there were still many believers. As soon as the old monk showed up, people gathered around him and knelt down and worshiped. Many of them immediately took out things like copper coins and prepared to give alms.
But before the money was thrown into the bags of several monks, government servants and soldiers came forward to chase them away and ordered them to disperse.
The servants were very polite to Bai Mei and the few monks, saying that the superior officer had an order that strictly prohibited monks and believers from obstructing the official passage.
With white eyebrows and hands clasped together, she smiled with her teeth exposed, giving a look of kindness and immortality: "Please obey the king's orders!"
After saying that, he even took the initiative to retreat to the side of the road, which immediately attracted praise from a group of believers, saying that the old immortal master was so kind.
Seeing Li Xian, the monk was startled, and it took him a long time to recognize him: "But Mr. Li?"
"It's Li!" Li Xian nodded, "It's been a long time since I saw you, Master!"
Bai Mei smiled bitterly: "Unless we come to the kitchen meeting, the monks are not even allowed to enter the city, so they won't be able to see the envoy... just don't mention it!"
As he spoke, he pointed to the bustling official road and asked curiously: "The kitchen meeting is so neat this time, must it be the handiwork of the envoy?"
I have wanted to straighten things out for a long time, but Yang Jixian, that thief, always acts against his will...
Cursing Yang Jun in his heart, Li Xian said again: "It's really not Li. I heard that it was Gao Sikong's second son who did it. I was also curious and was thinking of asking what happened!"
"Is this Gao Yulin who is in charge of the ice today?"
Baimei smiled and said, "What a coincidence. There is only a wall between the monk and Gao Yulin's ice-making place. I can smell the fragrance every day, and I have long wanted to have a big meal. But I have been begging several times but can't get it. I say so.
It's only available on the seventh day of the lunar month, so the monk came here early..."
"Oh, what a coincidence!" Li Xian smiled, "Then let's go together!"
Immediately, the two groups met together and headed west along the official road.
As he walked, Li Xian discovered something was wrong again: every time he passed the stage of a temple, he could see a colorful float standing next to it. There was a huge bowl painted on the carriage.
There are pieces of crystal clear objects painted on them, with several floors of smoke floating on them.
There is also a picture of a chubby child standing next to a bowl bigger than his head, holding a Chinese five-baht in his hand, looking at the ice bowl eagerly, with water dripping from his mouth...
The painting is extremely lifelike, especially the child hanging down three feet, as if a living person had crawled into the painting. Anyone who looks at it will know that the items sold in this cart must be food, and only sell for a penny. Look.
Coupled with the crystal clear and misty things, even a person who doesn't know a word would know that this is ice.
"The painting skills are just average, but the ideas are wonderful!" Li Xian praised.
All the officials also nodded: "It's really easy to understand. You can tell it at a glance. It's easier than setting up a high flag and clearly marking the price!"
After watching for a while, everyone continued walking eastward.
The further east you go, the fewer temples there are, and the high platforms for acrobatics become more and more scattered. Without the excitement, believers and tourists naturally come here less.
Normally, this place would be as deserted as it was, just like what Li Chengzhi saw on the day he entered the city. Even Yuan Yue, who loves the liveliness the most, could only play tricks.
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But something is different today:
To the west of Xiyang Gate, close to the north side of Jinyong City, there is a huge high platform, which is three feet wide but extremely long, twenty steps. There are nearly thirty-four musicians on the platform, who are already ready, just waiting for the order.
.
There were twenty or thirty ice trucks under the stage, arranged neatly. There were three or four people standing beside the trucks, seemingly waiting to make smoothies.
In addition, there is a soldier with a sword standing in front of each vehicle, who should be dedicated to maintaining order.
Li Xian was a little doubtful that there were so many servants needed: could it be sold for one day to cover the salaries of these musicians, servants, government servants, and soldiers?
Thinking in his heart, the two people separated, and Li Xian took his subordinates to the pavilion under the stage.
Yuan Yue was eating smoothies there with several Taoist priestesses...
The young monk pointed toward the stage and whispered: "That's Li Chengzhi!"
The two people were not far apart, only five or six feet away. The old monk narrowed his eyes slightly, took a look and praised: "You look good!"
After pondering for a while, he warned again: "Fa Neng, remember not to be obsessed with appearances! Because of the emperor's order, this son killed hundreds of thousands of brothers and sisters of our holy sect in vain... Even if he wanted revenge, he should be the palace.
The one here..."
"Disciple, please save it!"
"Yes!" The old monk nodded, "Have you made an appointment with the Masters of the Department of All Living Beings (Mahayana Sect)?"
"We have been invited to the White Horse Temple in Tongshang Lane!"
"Then let's go!"
The old monk exhaled sharply, wrote something towards the imperial city, and muttered, "My Buddha bless me, I hope great things will come true..."
……
It seemed that he had a telepathic connection, or it might be intuition. Li Chengzhi felt something strange, and subconsciously turned his head, and happened to see the monk in white clothes and white eyebrows.
He had never seen the old monk, but he felt that he had a lot of beard and eyebrows, and he was still dressed so brightly. After taking a look and looking back, he saw Fa Neng next to Bai Mei.
Looks familiar?
I remember that on the day I rented the house, this strong monk blocked the road and threatened me that there was a ghost in the mountains. He also came to the house twice in the past two days, saying that he wanted to buy ice.
I thought he was the abbot of Ningxuan Temple, and I didn’t want to be just a follower.
"What are you looking at?"
Seeing how fascinated he was, Gao Zhan also came over. With just one glance, he recognized the old monk: "White eyebrow?"
I'm talking about the old monk, he's quite vivid.
Li Chengzhi asked curiously: "That monk in white is famous?"
"How could the former president not be famous?"
Gao Zhan praised, looked around, and whispered: "The old incident of Queen You happened because of his disciple Gao Bodhisattva..."
Upon hearing this, Li Chengzhi immediately became energetic.
Empress You was Emperor Xiaowen's second empress Feng Run, also known as Feng Miaolian. Yuanhong was away from home for many years, and she couldn't bear the loneliness, so she brought monks into the palace for illicit sex in the name of giving lectures, including Baimei's disciple.
Gao Bodhisattva.
It was just an affair, but I don’t know if he was possessed by ghosts. Feng Run actually listened to Gao Bodhisattva’s bewitchment, cursed Emperor Xiaowen with witchcraft, and even plotted to assassinate him. In the end, he was reported.
The strange thing is that even so, Emperor Xiaowen did not kill Feng Run. It was not until Yuan Hong died that he was afraid that she would cause trouble in the palace after becoming the empress dowager, so he left a death edict...
"What happened next?" Li Chengzhi asked mischievously.
"What else can happen?" Gao Zhan replied in a low voice, "The old monk has been implicated by his apprentice, so of course he cannot be an official. Your Majesty does not like Mahayana, and is disgusted with his apprentice's plot to kill the late emperor, so he drove him away after he succeeded to the throne.
After leaving the capital, he was ordered to enter the city only during the kitchen party and not to give lectures for the rest of the day..."
Is this what I’m asking?
Li Chengzhi looked reluctant: "What does the old monk have to do with me?"
Gao Zhan glared: "What does Queen You have to do with you?"
Almost choked and speechless, Li Chengzhi snorted coldly and asked Li Rui: "How much longer?"
Li Rui looked at the hourglass: "It's less than two quarters from Si hour (9 a.m.)!"
Half an hour left?
Li Chengzhi pondered for a moment: "Every department is preparing now!"
It’s not that I chose an auspicious time, but that the Western Market was too close to the Imperial City, and I was afraid that the drums would be beaten too early and disturb the emperor’s dreams.
As expected, the emperor just stood up.
It's too hot in the city and the wind on the mountain is too strong. The emperor has been staying in Jinyong City for the past few days, and today is no exception.
At this time, he had just washed up and was eating in the main hall of Jinyong City. Gao Ying was sitting on one side, refilling the food for him personally, and a group of men and women were sitting underneath, frowning secretly at the green vegetables on their respective tables.
On the seventh day of every month, if there is no court meeting, Yuan Ke will summon the Yuan clan in the fifth service to a family banquet in the palace.
In the past, it was okay, at least there were meat dishes in four or five dishes. Since Yuan Ke ordered slaughtering to be banned in the palace in June, a group of princes, princes and princesses could only follow Yuan Ke to eat vegetarian food.
It was just plain, bland and tasteless, just like eating grass. But intimidated by the emperor's power, they had to stretch their necks and swallow it hard.
After finally waiting for Yuan Ke to finish eating, the group of people all secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Yuan Ke raised his glass and made a toast. After everyone took down their glasses, he asked with a smile: "Uncles, are you afraid that Brother Wang is not used to eating? But I have already issued a summons to ban slaughter in the palace.
Silk Le, I can only wrong you all..."
After hearing what he said, a group of people couldn't sit still, and they all apologized. Yuan Ke couldn't bear to be hypocritical with them, and waved his hand to let them sit down before they could get up.
But after that, there was actually no sound in the palace?
There is no song to listen to and no dance to watch, so why not at least have a few chats about family affairs?
Yuan Ke was surprised. He glanced down and found that nine out of ten were staring at Yuan Yong.
Yuan Yong was so angry that he wanted to scold his mother: A bunch of cowards, do you let grandpa get ahead of you every time?
Realizing that even the emperor had turned his gaze away, Yuan Yong had no choice but to stand up and bow his head: "Seeing that Your Majesty is so miserable, I feel uneasy. Therefore, all the princes, uncles, brothers, etc. pushed me out.
I would like to take the liberty to ask Your Majesty: I wonder if I am lucky enough to be able to share your Majesty's worries!"
Share worries?
Yuan Ke was stunned for a while before he realized: Is this because I am afraid that I will be impatient and operate on them first?
Do you really think I’m here for those few copper coins?
With a little thought, you can guess what I am doing: Even if I have only a few years to live, and I have no children, it is my Yuan family’s children who will come to occupy this great country.
Why do you think I want to raise my brother Yuan Huai in the palace?
There are powerful enemies outside and hidden dangers inside. Before dying, we should solve the same problem for Yuan Huai...
Sighing secretly in his heart, Yuan Ke raised the lamp and saluted from a distance: "You are too worried! No matter how stupid I am, I know that you are the cornerstone of my Yuan family's foundation. I will never do anything to dig the foundation on my own.
Something..."
Hearing this sentence, seven or eight of the ten people in the hall suddenly had a thought: Have you dug too much? Look at this hall, how many of the late emperor's brothers are left?
I was cursing in my heart, but everyone had to smile along with it, raising their glasses and shouting that Your Majesty is wise.
The person with faster hands had just taken a sip, and the person with slower hands had just raised the glass to his lips, when suddenly there were several roars outside the hall.
It's like thunder exploding, as if it's ringing in your ears. If you listen carefully, it's actually outside Jinyong City. In addition to drums, there seems to be the sound of gongs and cymbals?
Is this... a war?
All the clan members suddenly changed their expressions, and the timid ones could not even hold the cup steady. A burst of "crack" noises suddenly sounded in the hall.