The wind and sand at Yanmen Pass are still there, and the sky is filled with yellow sand. It seems to be more serious than when Xue Poye left.
After an arduous journey, crossing the Qilin Mountains and the ancient crossing of the Han River, Xue Poye finally returned to Yanmen Pass with the remaining three spies. The remaining three spies were all killed in the hands of the pursuers.
The thick and ancient city walls and tall gate towers have not changed due to the return of Xue Poye and his party.
This time, the person who came out to greet Xue Poye and his party was still Xu Decai, the governor of Yanmen Town. When he saw the three spies who had followed him back, Xu Decai's smiling face finally changed color.
"Mr.
Xue Poye sighed. On the way, the spies made it clear that apart from Ouyang Dexiu who knew their whereabouts, after all calculations, only Xu De could possibly know their whereabouts.
Xu Decai was in charge of Yanmen's logistics and military supplies, as well as allocating food and clothing. He had an account in mind. Naturally, there were some confidants in each barracks below. Ten or twenty people were missing out of thin air, and they were still all at Yanmen Pass.
How could he not notice the elite soldiers?
"Master Xu, you seem a little uneasy!" Xue Poye said calmly.
Xu Decai was startled and said hurriedly: "Where is it?" He changed the subject and said: "By the way, Mr. Xue, I am from Kyoto. I have something to report to you. I have been waiting for two days and am preparing to leave for you on the grassland today."
Xue Poye said "Oh" and couldn't help but wonder, what urgent matter did he have to come to Yanmen Pass?
Xue Poye took Xu Decai's hand, walked to the door and said softly: "Master Xu, can you tell me why you did this? Gold? Or beauty?"
Xu Decai's face was already pale at this time, and he looked at Xue Poye blankly. After a long time, he said calmly: "I hate the injustice the court has done to me!"
"unfair?"
"That's right." Xu Decai stared at Xue Poye and said slowly: "In Kyoto, I originally had a good future, but because I offended Prince Fu, I was sent to the border gate by the Holy Emperor... This place is more terrifying than a prison...
…!”
"You mean to say that the Holy One sent you to Yanmen Pass, leaving you useless as a hero. You felt that the Holy One was unfair to you, so you took refuge with the Hu people and became their internal agents?"
Cold.
Xu Decai's hands and feet were cold. He knew that some things could not be hidden. He thought that Xue Poye would definitely die on the grassland together with the spies when he went to the grassland at night. He really didn't expect that the life of the minister was so harsh. Not only did he come back safe and sound, but he also
Brought back several spies.
"What I like is not gold, let alone women." Xu Decai murmured: "I just want people to take me seriously and know that I am still useful."
Xue Poye sighed, shook his head and said, "If the Holy Emperor knew that Xu Decai, whom he wanted to protect, had become a lackey of the barbarians, I'm afraid he would be very sad."
"What?" Xu Decai was startled: "Your Majesty... Your Majesty, protect me?"
Xue Poye said calmly: "If you offend Prince Fu and stay in Kyoto, you may suddenly disappear one day. I can guarantee that after you disappear, no one will sincerely trace the murderer behind the scenes. You always understand this."
?The Holy Spirit has matched you to the border. It seems that he is worthy, but don’t you think that your life has been saved? In this world, I am afraid that the only place in the world where you can save your life is the Beizhen Army commanded by Old General Ren.
……Understood?"
With a "plop", Xu Decai knelt down on the ground, looked up to the sky and worshiped, and howled loudly: "Your Majesty...Wei Chen...Wei Chen is wrong...!"
Xue Poye bent down, leaned close to Xu Decai's ear, pointed in the direction of the ancient crossing of Han River and said: "Master Xu, if you go over there, you can go to Beihu. If you want to give it a try, you can ride my horse now.
Run to Beihu, I guarantee that no one will stop you, but I can also guarantee that even if you get to Beihu, the barbarians will treat you like a dog wagging its tail begging for mercy, and your fate will be ten times miserable.
"After a pause, he said coldly: "If you dare...get in front of General Long Meng now and ask General Long Meng to punish you!"
Xu Decai glanced in the direction of the ancient crossing of Han River, with a look of horror on his face. He gritted his teeth and bowed to Xue Poye: "Master Xue, I would like to thank you for your advice." He stood up and straightened his clothes slightly.
, entered the pass.
Xue Poye met the messenger from Kyoto at Ouyang Dexiu's Wafang Camp. This was Xue Poye's old subordinate, Ximen Lei Zang from Fenghuo Camp.
Although Ximen Lei Zang rested for two days at Yanmen Pass, he still looked dusty and his expression was extremely solemn. When he saw Xue Poye, he breathed a sigh of relief.
Ouyang Dexiu very wisely allowed the two of them to be alone in the secret room. The traditional style of the Beizhen Army was to participate in court affairs as little as possible, so General Long Meng had no interest in what Ximen Lei Zang came to report this time.
, in his opinion, it is nothing more than a partisan dispute in the Kyoto court.
"What's going on?" Without too many pleasantries and unnecessary nonsense, Xue Poye went straight to the topic from the beginning.
Ximen Lei Zang is a person who is very efficient in doing things, so he appreciates the directness of Vice President Wei. His lack of politeness makes him more approachable, and he said in a low voice: "Your Majesty, Your Majesty... Your Majesty, the Holy Dragon Body
Shame...!"
Xue Poye frowned. The so-called "unwell" was certainly not a minor ailment such as a cough or cold. If Ximen Lei Zang, the Habayashi captain, could travel thousands of miles to report the news, it must be of great importance.
"Don't worry, no one around will hear our conversation." Xue Poye used ordinary people's sense of hearing and smell to make sure that no one was eavesdropping around, and immediately asked: "What disease is the Lord suffering from?"
"Sir, do you still remember Zhang Wuming's assassination?" Ximen Lei Zang asked.
Xue Poye nodded: "Remember, how does that incident relate to the Holy Emperor's condition?"
"The Holy One was probably stabbed by Zhang Wuming that time, and Zhang Wuming's sword was poisoned, so the Holy One was poisoned." Ximen Lei Zang looked serious.
Xue Poye was startled, opened his mouth, and said after a long time: "Is the news...reliable?"
“Nine points believable!”
"Then it's not even remotely credible?"
Ximen Lei Zang said: "During a court meeting, the Holy One suddenly vomited blood in the morning and the ministers were frightened. The Holy One was immediately taken down for treatment. The ministers were all frightened. Four days later, the Holy One showed slight improvement and went to court again.
During the discussion, he vomited blood again and never went to court again. Later, the imperial doctor said that the Holy Emperor had been poisoned. People from the Kyoto Prefecture checked the Xuanyuan Sword and found that the sword was indeed highly poisonous, so it was determined that the Holy Emperor was poisoned that day.
I was injured by Zhang Wuming's poisonous sword, and now I'm doing it."
Xue Poye looked very unhappy: "Did the imperial doctor release the news?"
"Yes!" Ximen Lei Zang said: "The imperial doctor accidentally leaked the news, and there were already rumors in the palace. However, after the imperial doctor released the news, he suddenly disappeared. The Kyoto Prefecture and the Metropolitan Procuratorate jointly investigated, but no one was found alive.
No body was found, and even his close relatives and children disappeared out of thin air."
Xue Poye closed his eyes and looked at the chair handle with his fingers. After a long time, he opened his eyes and asked, "How is your Majesty doing now?"
"Sir...!" Ximen Lei Zang stopped talking and fell silent.
Xue Poye said seriously: "It doesn't matter if you just say it."
"Yes." Ximen Lei Zang said slowly: "When I left the capital, I heard news from the palace that the Holy Master was coughing up blood every night. His oil was exhausted and he could not last more than a few days. Now I have been out of the capital for ten days.
Your Majesty...I am afraid that Your Majesty has...died...!"
Xue Poye's head was buzzing, and it was extremely painful.
Emperor Deqing is dead?
Xue Poye was unwilling to accept this fact from the bottom of his heart. From an emotional point of view, no matter what his purpose was, Emperor Deqing took good care of him, Mr. Xue, and loved him very much. Xue Poye still felt for Emperor Deqing in his heart.
He was extremely grateful, and of course he did not want anything unexpected to happen to the emperor. From a practical point of view, the reason why he was able to stay in the temple was naturally because of the support of Emperor Deqing. Without Emperor Deqing, Xue Poye's future would not have been possible.
Just think about the successors of Emperor Deqing, whether they are the prince, Prince Fu, or even the political prince at the border, none of them are Xue Poye's backers. Not only do these people have no friendship with Xue Poye, they even have no relationship with the prince and Prince Fu.
Xue Poye has deep hatred and hostility. No matter who comes to power, it will be a fatal blow to the fledgling Xue Poye.
Xue Poye even felt his palms sweating. He understood the truth very well. Once he collapses, he will definitely not be the only one who is unlucky. A large number of people behind him who are involved will face huge dangers and will bear the brunt of it.
These are my relatives and friends in Hangzhou.
The secret room seemed very quiet for a moment.
Ximen Raizo also knew that this matter was too important and that the Deputy General Guard must have a certain amount of time to accept it, so he sat quietly beside it, not daring to speak.
I don't know how long it took, but Xue Poye calmed down his slightly panicked mentality and asked in a low voice: "Did the Chief Guard send you here?"
Ximen Lei Zang shook his head and said: "Sir, Lord General Guard... He is also seriously ill!"
"What?" Xue Poye almost jumped up.
Ximen Leizang explained: "After the last time the Holy One vomited blood in the Jinluan Palace, the General Guard became seriously ill that day. He was recuperating in the mansion all day long and never went to Yulin Camp again. Now the three major camps are doing their own thing, which can be said to be chaos.
It’s a ball.”
"How could this happen?" Xue Poye touched his nose and smiled bitterly: "Master General Wei, this is just a coincidence."
Ximen Lei Zang sighed: "Your Excellency is not in the camp. Li Wu, the deputy general guard of the Tai Chi Camp, has made excuses over and over again that Feng Huo Camp has lost control and wants to temporarily take over the military power. It has become even more violent this time. We are forced to
In desperation, I went to see the General Guard, but he claimed to be ill and disappeared. I discussed with Captain Gongyang and Captain Zhao again and again that I would leave the capital and invite you back to take charge of Fenghuo Camp. Now... Hey, Sir, I will
To put it bluntly, the Holy Emperor is critically ill, and forces big and small in Kyoto have begun to surface. If we want to take advantage of the chaos to do something, our Habayashi camp has the responsibility to protect the palace, and we can’t mess up!"
Xue Poye reached out and patted Ximen Lei Zang's shoulder gently, and said warmly: "Captain Ximen is devoted to the country and loyal to the Holy One. Xue Poye understands this heart." After a pause, he whispered: "Ximen Commander
The captain said that all the big and small forces in Kyoto have surfaced, but he doesn’t know what he means?”
"Sir, this...!" Ximen Lei Zang hesitated, frowning, as if he had some scruples.
Xue Poye shook his head and said: "Captain Ximen, don't be shy. You and I are our own family, and the situation is complicated now. If you and I want to be loyal to the Holy Lord, we must figure out who is the enemy and who is friend. We can't be blind."
He, do you think so?"
Ximen Lei Zang gritted his teeth and said in a low voice: "I have always admired your character. Since your Majesty asked me about it, I risked committing a crime and I have to make it clear to you." After thinking for a moment, he finally said: "Speak.
Up to that point, the most important thing is none other than the prince, Dang, and Prince Fu's men. The prince's mother, Queen Xiaoduan, is the niece of the Queen Mother and comes from the Situ family, and the Situ family controls the Shenwu Camp, which is as large as three large garrison troops. In other words,
The Shenwu Camp is the largest military force supporting the Crown Prince, and the Queen Mother is also the Crown Prince’s biggest backer.”
Xue Poye nodded and said: "No wonder... hehe... the prince's ability is not very strong, but he can sit firmly in the prince's position." He then asked: "Queen Xiaoduan? Is she still in the palace?"
Ximen Lei Zang shook his head and said: "Queen Xiaoduan died of illness many years ago, and the current queen is named Queen Xuanmin!"
Xue Poye said "Oh" and stared at Ximen Lei Zang, waiting for him to continue.
"Prince Fu's backstage is Ye Guogong's Ye family. Although many rights have been withdrawn from Nanlin Camp in name, Nanlin Camp has been under the control of the Ye family for nearly a hundred years, and all the connections are from the Ye family.
The family still has very strong control over the Nanlin Camp." Ximen Lei Zang's voice was very low. Obviously, these words could not be said easily behind his back: "Once the Holy One dies, these two factions will definitely fight.
If you fight to the death, Kyoto will also be in a state of smog."
Xue Poye touched his nose and squinted his eyes and asked: "Where are the three garrison troops in Kyoto and the Beilin camp?"
"Liu Guogong and the Liu family control the Beilin camp. However, the Liu family has kept a low profile in recent years. Their positions are unclear and they have very few actions. Few people can see through who they support." Ximen Lei Zang said softly: "But the recent one
After a while, the Liu family suddenly started to take action, and they must be getting involved, but as for whom, no one will know until the end."
When Xue Poye mentioned the Liu family, he immediately thought of Liu Tuo. There was going to be chaos in Kyoto, and this kid might take the opportunity to kill himself.
"In addition, there are the forces of Crown Prince Gan, the eldest princess's forces, the forces of various aristocratic families in Kyoto, and even some forces hiding in the dark. No one can figure out where they are heading." Ximen
Lei Zang sighed: "Including the two yamen of Kyoto Prefecture and the Metropolitan Procuratorate, they all have a group of elite people on hand. They are usually loyal to the Holy One. Who knows what will happen to them when things happen? Hey... Sir
, you are talking nonsense in a low position, and if you say these words, you have committed a serious crime, please forgive me."
"It's what I ordered you to say, what crime are you guilty of?" Xue Poye smiled, frowned, and asked: "Captain Ximen, I'm still a little confused about something, well, just treat me as a comatose.
Yes, I want to ask you a question... Hehe, you just think I am confused."
Ximen Lei Zang noticed that Xue Poye had an embarrassed look on his face. He didn't know why, and asked curiously: "Who do you want to ask, sir?"
Xue Poye pondered for a long time before saying word by word: "Emperor Yangwu!"
"Emperor Yangwu!" Ximen Lei Zang frowned.
Xue Poye said awkwardly: "What kind of person is Emperor Yangwu? Captain Ximen...hehe, can you tell me?" He knew very little about the history of Da Chu, but this Emperor Yangwu was of great interest to him.
A character I have heard mentioned several times, but I am very unfamiliar with.
Ximen Raizo was a little confused and asked tentatively: "Sir...what do you want to ask?"
"Well, I want to know how many generations of emperors Emperor Yangwu was in our Chu Dynasty... Oh, no, I want to ask what is the relationship between Emperor Yangwu and the current emperor?" Xue Poye touched his nose and said awkwardly, dignified
It is naturally extremely embarrassing that the officials of Da Chu do not know the wise rulers in the history of Da Chu.
This embarrassment obviously also affected Ximen Lei Zang. Ximen Lei Zang naturally didn't know that Xue Poye didn't know the history of Chu. When he heard him ask this question, he didn't know what his purpose was. After hesitating for a long time, he said: "Emperor Yangwu was the previous sage.
Before the current Saint, there was Emperor Guangyu, and before Emperor Guangyu, there was... Emperor Yangwu... Do you understand, sir?"
Xue Poye touched his nose, thinking about the strange words of the monkeys in the cave on the grassland, and said: "Then... is Emperor Yangwu the uncle of the current emperor?"
"Yes." Ximen Lei Zang said cautiously.
"Then Emperor Guangyu... is the current Holy Emperor...?" Xue Poye looked at Ximen Lei Zang with questioning eyes.
Ximen Lei Zang gritted his teeth and said: "Emperor Guangyu is the father of the current Holy Emperor, and Emperor Yangwu is the eldest brother of Emperor Guangyu...!" After saying that, he looked at Xue Poye strangely.
Xue Poye was shocked. Emperor Yangwu was the eldest brother of Emperor Guangyu. So... did Emperor Yangwu pass the throne to Emperor Guangyu? Or did Emperor Guangyu snatch the throne from Emperor Yangwu?
He was full of doubts and wanted to ask again, but Ximen Lei Zang stood up from his seat, knelt down on one knee, and said with some fear: "My lord, a minister does not speak to a king, I have said a lot of stupid things today that I am guilty of, this...
This former emperor... I dare not talk about his humble position!"
A minister has the duty of a minister. In this era, it is a crime for a minister to talk about the monarch behind his back, whether it is good or bad. Xue Poye understood this, smiled awkwardly, and stopped asking, but the doubts in his heart deepened.
"In that case...!" Xue Poye touched his nose and pondered slightly: "We will get up and return to Beijing tomorrow!"
Ximen Lei Zang respectfully agreed.
After everything was said here, Xue Poye left the secret room and went to the hall to see Ouyang Dexiu. Ouyang Dexiu was practicing marksmanship in the backyard, so he went to the backyard.
I saw that Ouyang Dexiu's marksmanship was simple and sharp. It was an authentic battlefield marksmanship that could kill the enemy without any pretense.
After completing a set of marksmanship drills, Ouyang Dexiu put away his spear, put it on the weapon rack, washed his hands, and then came up with his fists clasped and said: "Master Xue, this time you broke into the wolf den yourself, rescued the spies, and even helped us."
The Beizhen Army discovered the traitor, and Ouyang Dexiu was extremely grateful." After saying this, he performed a very formal military salute.
"Everyone is serving Da Chu and doing things for the Holy One, regardless of each other. How can we be grateful?" Xue Poye said with a smile.
He did not ask Ouyang Dexiu how to deal with Xu Decai. This was the military affairs of the Beizhen Army. They naturally had their own set of rules and he was not qualified to ask.
"The general went to the Khitan border. When he comes back, the general will report Master Xue's contribution. The general will write a letter to ask for credit for Master Xue!"
Xue Poye waved his hands with a smile and said: "It's not about merit, it's not about merit. It's just that I failed to assassinate Commander Ying Tu. I hope General Long Meng won't blame him!"
Ouyang Dexiu said with a smile: "Shuai Yingtu is a hero of the North Hu. It is not easy to assassinate him. Mr. Xue can rescue my spies from Yanmen Pass from the wolf's den, which is a great achievement."
After a moment of silence, Xue Poye suddenly asked: "General Ouyang, do you know Mr. Ghost?"
"Mr. Ghost?" Ouyang Dexiu was very confused, but he answered in a straightforward manner as a soldier: "I don't know him."
Xue Poye nodded and said: "A few days ago, there was a man named Mr. Ghost. He led a caravan to Beihu. There was a lot of goods, and they were all transported by iron wagons. Does General Ouyang know?"
Ouyang Dexiu thought for a moment, shook his head and said: "I really don't know. All caravans passing through Yanmen Pass must be reported to me, and they can only be released after I give orders. As for the iron cars of the brigade, they are large caravans, and they will eventually be sent to the caravan.
It will be released through customs only after personal inspection."
Xue Poye was very surprised when he saw his calm expression and confident eyes. He was obviously not lying. He thought in his mind: "Did that caravan fly through Yanmen Pass? Or... didn't leave from Yanmen Pass at all?" Bai Si
Puzzled, he thought for a moment and finally asked: "General Ouyang, do you know Yuan Buyi?"