Chapter 15 Section five

When Taishi He Taiji led more than 30 high-ranking officials into the square in front of the Huiyuan Gate of the main hall of the imperial palace, his aura surpassed that of many generals who had fought in the battlefield. In the center of the square is a wide bluestone road. It extends from the Zhende Gate in the imperial city's inner gate to the steps in front of the main hall. On the stone pillars carved with dragons embraced by people, each auspicious dragon stretches its teeth and dances its claws, with different postures.Each stone brick on the ground is engraved with various auspicious symbols, and the number of bricks also coincides with the number of heaven and earth.

The majestic main hall of the imperial palace is just ahead, a bit hazy because of the mist.He Taiji has seen it countless times.Forty years ago, it was the highest goal of He Taiji's life, and now he is not in the mood to take another look. As he walked, he inspected the clothes and shoes on his body, and helped the official gauze on the top—because he entered the palace too hastily, he couldn't tidy up at home as usual. Nearly a hundred civil and military officials had already gathered under the gate of the palace, surrounded by several senior eunuchs, anxiously asking about the current situation.

"What kind of place is this?" Taishi He shouted in a majestic voice. "You are the pillars of the society, the role models of the world's officials, and they are chatting like a group of market people in front of the palace. How decent is it?" All the officials immediately silenced, and automatically lined up in the square according to the rank. He Taiji led the team through the ranks and walked up to the eunuchs. The eunuchs dispersed and retreated a little, only then did Taishi He see Lun Xiao among them. Although Lun Xiao was standing quite straight, he was a head shorter than the other servants who were accustomed to bowing.The thin face is full of wrinkles, but the cheeks are rosy, and she looks like an old woman at first glance.The color and style of the eunuch clothes on his body were no different from those of his subordinates, but upon closer inspection, one could tell that the material and tailoring were much higher quality.

Lun Xiao also saw He Taiji, clasped a pair of small bird-claw-like hands together, bowed slightly with a smile, his appearance and demeanor were very wretched. He Taiji often thought: Lun Xiao was able to gain the favor of His Majesty in the two dynasties. Apart from his efforts to figure out the holy will, this appearance also helped a lot - with such a miserable attendant standing beside him, any master would Looks particularly wise and majestic... Every time he met Lun Xiao, He Taiji seemed to have something choked in his throat and couldn't swallow it: Lun Xiao could only worship the fifth-rank "Tong Shi Jian"—this is the highest official rank bestowed on eunuchs by the founding emperor Gaozu— Officially speaking, it is quite a bit lower than the grand master; but every time they meet, Lun Xiao always takes the etiquette lightly... For He Taiji, who attaches great importance to orthodox etiquette, this is an invisible insult.

But everyone knows (the emperor is the only exception), the power of the world today is shared equally between the civil service system of the Grand Master's Mansion and the eunuch group led by Lun Xiao; Positive ("Jinna" after the "Eastern Fire" last year is an example), its party members have gradually infiltrated and expanded among civil and military officials, and the situation has faintly surpassed the Grand Master's Mansion... ——A shameless eunuch who always does things without restraint.If he keeps messing around like this, it's hard to guarantee that the mob mutiny won't be ignited...

He Taiji's expression didn't reveal the slightest disgust, he nodded slightly and saluted Lun Xiao. "Eunuch Lun, has Your Majesty returned to the palace yet?" "I've been back a long time ago." Lun Xiao's voice was as shrill as a rooster's crowing—a voice like this has the power to decide the life and death of thousands of people. "But His Majesty doesn't want to see anyone, except me." He Taiji ignored Lun Xiao's superior smile. "The rebel disturbed Shengjia, this matter...is it a rumor or is it real?" "I asked Commander Wang of the Forbidden Army, and it's absolutely true. His subordinates chased for a long way in the western suburbs—they wouldn't joke about such things." Lun Xiao frowned, pretending to be worried Said: "Fortunately, the bandits only appeared on the outskirts of the Forbidden Garden. Your Majesty only found out about it after the fact and didn't see it with your own eyes. Otherwise... I'm afraid someone's head will fall to the ground!"

"Did you catch the traitor?" "All I know is that the imperial guards chased them all the way to the Tianmu Valley in the western suburbs, where the refugees who privately occupied Wang Ji...brought back a lot of heads. Whether it was really a treasonous crime remains to be ascertained." Although Lun Xiao said this, both of them understood that those refugees could not be traitors.It must be that the imperial army failed to hunt down the real bandits. In order to avoid being blamed by His Majesty, they simply used these refugees as dead ghosts. He Taiji frowned.He had already imagined that the land of the refugees' village must be blood red at this moment.He didn't feel pity for those poor people, but during the celebration of his enthronement, the superstitious emperor must have been very unhappy if there was such a bloody scene.

Lun Xiao seemed to see through what He Taiji was thinking, and said: "Your Majesty is most displeased that such rebellion has occurred in the capital in broad daylight... Under the emperor's feet, the law and order are so unstable, and there are even people's thoughts Change——if His Majesty blames it like this, many people can't get rid of it..." The two looked at each other.One of them is in the inner palace and the other is in the court. They have strictly controlled the information that the emperor can receive for a long time, so they can manipulate power at will; A lot of deceiving work can be used, but after all, it is inconvenient to do things, and it is more likely to expose the existing bureaucratic interest system.After all, the emperor is still their source of power, once out of control, any changes may occur.

"there's one more thing……" Lun Xiao gently tugged He Taiji's sleeve, and pulled him to an empty corner of the square.Taishi He hated contact with eunuchs, but he endured it at this time. "After the accident, Wei Yishi came to report to me..." Lun Xiao lowered his voice. "This incident may have something to do with 'Feng Yilong'. He is still investigating in the city." He Taiji's expression didn't change much, but his heart was churning. ——Unexpectedly, even you know... As soon as he heard the news of the incident in the Forbidden Garden, the first thing He Taiji did was to call Xiao Xian for questioning, to see if it was related to Yu Runsheng.The law and order in the capital has been stable under years of high-handed rule, and the rebellion of the Nanfan is difficult to infiltrate, and it is even more impossible for the people to organize any resistance; only two forces suddenly become unstable, which will create such an incident: Some fanatical sects that have arisen have unpredictable behavior; the other is the underworld—that is, "Feng Yilong" has internal troubles...

Xiao Xian didn't say anything, but He Taiji, who had seen countless people, could already see that his expression was different. ——It must have something to do with Yu Runsheng... In order to rush into the palace, he hadn't had the chance to summon Yu Runsheng for interrogation, but he had already determined the answer in his heart. "Your father and son, the Rong family, have long wanted to be the boss of 'Feng Yilong'? Maybe they made a fuss..." What He Taiji said originally just wanted to shift the responsibility to Lun Xiao's side, but Lun Xiao agreed immediately.

"Teacher, since you've made it clear, I won't turn the corner. It doesn't matter whether this incident has something to do with 'Feng Yilong', we have to take some countermeasures..." He Taiji also nodded. "If things go on like this, it's hard to guarantee that there won't be any gossip or gossip that will flow into His Majesty's ears... Eunuch's meaning, is it... like this?" He stretched out his left palm, and drew a boundary line in the center of his palm with his right hand. "That's the decision." Lun Xiao's face looked even more gloomy under the darkening sky. "Everything in the future, after this storm has passed, we will figure it out." He Taiji nodded again, then turned and left.As soon as he turned away, he began to curse Yu Runsheng in his heart. ——Goddamn boy, this is the outcome you hoped for, right? ——This time, I will be willing to let you take advantage of me... You'd better win, and earn it back for me in the future; if you fail, don't expect to see me again...