"Me?" Ximen Qing smiled: "Of course I won't just wait for the cuckoo bird in the cage to die. If this one doesn't scream, just change it... there will always be one that can scream."
"What about those cuckoos that can't sing?" Emperor Toba pinched his robe and asked in a pitiful tone: "Where did they go in the end?"
"Of course it's braised, braised, deep-fried."
Ximen Qing laughed inwardly, but he could not say such a thing in front of Emperor Toba.
This young man is so kind.
So Ximen Qing smiled slightly and replied vaguely: "Of course they are going to where they should go."
"Returned to the mountains and forests? Back to their home?" Emperor Toba didn't know if it was because of his own name, but he seemed to feel the same and breathed a sigh of relief, and then said happily: "I didn't expect Lord Ximen to be a kind-hearted person.
"
"Not only am I kind-hearted, I'm also a foodie. Of course, I put delicious food in my stomach to make it safe."
Ximen Qing said something else: "The official is naturally kind-hearted. Although sometimes the methods are a little excessive, it is for the sake of His Majesty."
Of course what Ximen Qing was talking about was about Fujiwara Shoko.
"But there are more evil-minded people in the world." Ximen Qing overturned the classic saying: "Human beings are inherently good by nature. According to the official view, it may not be obvious."
Emperor Toba understood. Maybe he didn't understand what Ximen Qing meant before, but now he can understand it deeply.
"If it were Emperor Shirakawa, what would he do?" Ximen Qing suddenly asked: "If the cuckoo in the cage doesn't sing..."
Emperor Toba trembled: "Why did the Ximen Imperial City Envoy ask this question? To be honest... I don't know."
"It doesn't matter if His Majesty doesn't want to answer." Ximen Qing looked at the young man with a smile. It was time to put some pressure on him.
"Your Majesty must have already had the answer in his mind." Ximen Qing then said slowly: "Your Majesty, if you don't think about yourself, you must also think about the cuckoo bird in the cage."
Emperor Toba was speechless and lowered his head in thought.
Ximen Qing moved his body back, and then he spoke closer and closer. The last words were spoken almost against the delicate face of Emperor Toba.
Of course, the other party's somewhat panicked breath was clearly discernible.
Give this boy some time...he should make a choice.
The choice Ximen Qing wants.
The more popular version of the story "The Cuckoo Bird in the Cage" borrows this title to show the different personalities of the three heroes of Japan's Warring States Period.
"What can I do if I want to hear the cuckoo sing if it doesn't sing?"
Oda Nobunaga said majestically: "If it doesn't cry, kill it."
Toyotomi Hideyoshi said with a hidden smile: "If it doesn't cry, just make it cry."
Tokugawa Ieyasu replied calmly and calmly: "If it doesn't cry, I will wait for it to cry."
Ximen Qing borrowed this story, but compared the cuckoo bird in the cage to two things.
One is Emperor Toba.
The second is the country of Japan.
Regarding these two metaphors, Emperor Toba obviously understood them.
"Please, Ximen Imperial City Envoy, teach me how to do it." Emperor Toba slowly raised his head, and Ximen Qing could already see his firm eyes.
It's really rare to see this kind young man.
Ximen Qing coughed: "Then I'll tell you straight..."
...
...
Half an hour later, Ximen Qing said goodbye and went out.
No one will know what Ximen Qing said to Emperor Toba during this half hour.
But as soon as Ximen Kei left, Emperor Toba immediately summoned all the trustworthy chamberlains. A series of orders came from this room, and the chamberlains ran around to deliver the news.
"You want to see me today?"
When Second Lieutenant Zaemon Zaemon got the news, he couldn't open his mouth from ear to ear in surprise.
In his mind, Emperor Toba was just an ignorant boy, living an ordinary and boring life in Seiryoden. All orders were issued either from Emperor Shirakawa or Lord Fujiwara Kimi-sama. This was really rare.
"Not only do I want to see you, Your Majesty, but also Mr. Fujiwara Minoru, Ensign Youemon's envoy." The chamberlain saluted respectfully, "I heard that the security was good during the wedding period. Your Majesty was very happy and specifically wanted to see you two adults.
"
"Okay, I'll be there right away."
Taira Taira nods: "Fujiwara Mishimaro's side..."
"I'm still young, go and invite him personally." The waiter bowed again and left without looking back.
"Weird and weird." Ping Zhongsheng thought for a while and said, "Is it just the nature of a young man... Yes, he is only fourteen years old this year."
When Ping Zhongsheng arrived at the entrance of Qingliang Hall, it was already close to noon.
To his surprise, the chamberlain at the door pushed back the sword he had taken off.
"Your Majesty wants to see how powerful you two are. How can you do it without a sword?"
The chamberlain's answer was also very strange, making Ping Zhongsheng even more confused.
"Could it be that you want to have a martial arts competition in front of the emperor today? In that case, a wooden sword will be enough."
Shaking his head secretly, Ping Zhongsheng strode in anyway.
The chamberlain led Taira Tadamori to the door of the room, opened the door, and Taira Tadamori discovered that Fujiwara Minimori had arrived.
Fujiwara Minoru sat carelessly two feet away from Emperor Toba, his face as arrogant as ever, which made Taira Taira no Moriyu secretly shake his head.
This guy is the second lieutenant of Youemon. He doesn't think about his job. He looks for people to compete with each other every day. He is almost twenty-five and has not yet gotten married, so he has a reputation as "the best swordsman in Kyoto".
But those who are really capable are afraid of his revenge and secretly let him go.
"Ten times? Twenty times?"
Ping Zhongmori really couldn't remember the number of times this guy asked him for a showdown. Anyway, Ping Zhongmori never agreed to his request for a martial arts contest.
Could it be that there is no way to escape today?
"Zhongsheng! Your boy is here too!"
When Fujiwara Minomori saw Taira Tadamori come in, he turned around slightly and grinned.
This guy spoke before Jin Shang, and he simply didn't take Jin Shang seriously.
Taira Takaramori's face straightened and he ignored this guy. Instead, he stepped forward and bowed deeply to Emperor Toba: "I have met Your Majesty."
The door was closed tightly by the waiter with a gentle "snap" sound.
"Sit down." Emperor Toba did not have any happy expression on his face, but looked solemn.
Ping Zhongsheng sat down and felt something in his heart, knowing that his guess before coming was completely wrong.
"Both of you are young and talented people. They have done well some time ago. I am very happy." These words were not very appropriate coming from the mouth of a fourteen-year-old boy, but speaking as an emperor, it was another
Meaning.
Taira Taira was surprised by Emperor Toba's tone... When did this fourteen-year-old boy become so mature?
Praise and such, don't they always come from the mouth of Emperor Shirakawa? When did Emperor Toba express his opinions and views?
"I called you two gentlemen here today because I want you to do something." Emperor Toba's face was solemn and calm, but the words in his mouth were not calm: "Before I tell you this matter, gentlemen,
You have to agree first."
"Whatever your Majesty orders, I will definitely obey it."
Fujiwara Mimori was dissatisfied and was the first to respond.
But even though he said this, his body remained motionless. It was obvious that he did not really listen to what Emperor Toba said.
Ping Zhongsheng slowly leaned down and saluted: "Your Majesty, you might as well talk and listen first."
Emperor Toba looked past Taira-Tadamori and Fujiwara Minomori to a place behind them.
I don't know when it started, but there was already a person standing quietly behind the door. His figure looked through the paper and nodded slightly in this direction.
Emperor Toba also nodded slightly, not sure whether he was responding to this person or satisfied with the answers given by Taira Takaramori and Fujiwara Minomori.
"Then, let me talk about this matter."
Emperor Toba's voice echoed in the room, and Taira Tadamori and Fujiwara Minomori were in sharp contrast: Fujiwara Minomori listened indifferently, while Taira Tadamori lay on the ground and listened carefully.
"The Emperor is getting older..."
Neither Taira Tadamori nor Fujiwara Minomori expected that Emperor Toba would start with these words.
Fujiwara Mimori put away his playful expression.
Emperor Toba looked at the two of them seriously and said word by word: "It's time for him to rest."
Fujiwara Mimori's expression suddenly changed, and he immediately jumped up and grabbed the tachi placed next to him.
Taira Takaramori finally knew why Emperor Toba ordered the two men to enter with weapons...
"Farewell!" Fujiwara Mimorori turned around and walked towards the door.
This was a disrespectful behavior. Emperor Toba did not scold him. His face was calm, but his hand secretly grabbed the corner of his clothes.
When Fujiwara Mimorori passed by Taira Takaramori, he saw that the latter was still lying on the ground and shouted loudly: "Taira Takaramori! What are you doing here!"
Ping Zhongsheng seemed as if he hadn't heard anything, and his body remained motionless.
Until Emperor Toba uttered two words.
"Do it!"
With this sound, Ping Zhongmori's body shot up, and the sword was already in his hand at some point, and the sword was unsheathed!
His body turned around, and the sharp sword drew an arc across Fujiwara Mimorori's body.
Fujiwara Mimori's surprised eyes had not receded. He had just half unsheathed the sword in his hand when he felt numb in his lower abdomen.
Blood and internal organs gushed out like nothing, and Fujiwara Mimorori slumped to the ground without making a sound.
Ping Zhongsheng sheathed the sword without blinking during the whole process.
Blood stained half of his body red.
Taira Tadamori immediately turned around and bowed to the ground, saluting Emperor Toba.
"You did a good job." Emperor Toba covered his mouth and nose. Not everyone could bear the pungent smell of blood.
"Go down and change your clothes. Let's talk about the next thing in another place."
It wasn't until Emperor Toba's figure completely disappeared from behind that Taira Tadamori got up from the ground.
Soon he found that the door in front of him on the left was opened, and a woman said to him in an extremely gentle tone: "Sir, please come with me."
But Taira Takaramori discovered that the kunai in the woman's hand was emitting a faint green light.
Ping Zhongsheng suddenly felt sweat on his back.
Cold sweat!
"Fortunately I made the right choice!"
When Ping Zhongsheng took off his clothes and jumped into the barrel, he repeated this sentence over and over in his mind.