Chapter 196 Chapter 1 The Empress Dowager's Palace

As soon as Xiang Shaolong entered the city gate, he received Xiao Pan's order to immediately enter the palace to meet him. Xiao Pan was discussing matters with Lu Buwei, Lord Changping and other ministers in the Internal Affairs Office, Xiang Shaolong waited in the study for half an hour before Xiao Pan came to see him after the discussion. After sitting down, Xiao Pan smiled and said, "Master, do you know Feng Jie? He is the doctor who is in charge of my Great Qin law." Xiang Shaolong returned the report with a smile: "For what reason, Chu Jun would mention this person in particular?"

Xiao Pan said indifferently: "This man has a strong character, and he is not afraid of power. He dares to speak out against widows. But I don't know if he was influenced by "Lu's Spring and Autumn Annals" and suddenly criticized my Great Qin law for being too strict. It really misses the meaning of the saint's teaching." Xiang Shaolong said: "In this way, the prince should be very unhappy. Why do you feel happy when you talk about this person?" Xiao Pan laughed and said: "Master knows me best, but it's not completely unreasonable to talk about other things because of people. For example, he pointed out that every country is a monarch, and every time the situation changes, new policies are issued at any time, and orders are changed day by day. Officials don’t know what to keep, people don’t know where to go, and criminals sell their traitors because of the law.

Xiang Shaolong stared blankly at the future Qin Shihuang who was about to turn eighteen years old, and his heart was full of respect.This is not because Xiao Pan has grasped the importance of Yiming's legal system, but because he has a mind that accommodates advice and criticism. Xiao Pan said again in a low voice: "At first I thought he had turned to Lu Buwei, but when I saw that he spoke in a dignified manner, he was not like you, Master. Later, I took your thief complaint letter and questioned Lu Buwei sternly, only then did I realize that he was just like you, Master." Not afraid of death. Ha! Although this person is not suitable for the law, he is a good material to be a royal doctor."

Xiang Shaolong was taken aback, didn't this make Li Si's dream come true?He hurriedly said: "Chu Jun had better think twice, Li Changshi is also a suitable candidate." Xiao Pan shook his head and said, "If it's appropriate, it's best for you to be the master. Have you ever heard Li Si confront anyone head-on? In terms of knowledge, Li Si is ten times better than Feng Jie, and his study of criminal names is comparable to Shang Yang's." More than nothing. Therefore, he is the most suitable for the position of the court lieutenant of the Sangong Jiuqing created by him, and he is in charge of the law. The widow can also use his learning to unify and strengthen the laws of the whole country for the future. The world has laid a solid foundation."

Xiang Shaolong was speechless, when it comes to governing the country, how dare he argue with the outstanding figure who will unify China in the future. But Tingwei is one of the nine ministers, so Li Si should be satisfied. At the same time, it can also be seen how much influence he has on Xiao Pan. Xiao Pan can tell that Feng Jie is only speaking for righteousness because of Feng Jie's tone and demeanor.Success is not a fluke, because Xiao Pan knows people well, the world will fall into his hands in the future. Xiao Pan suddenly became excited again, and said in a low voice: "Xiao Jun has told the widows in detail about the Battle of the Ranch. The process was indeed wonderful, and the master may be even more powerful than Bai Qi. If the master leads the army in the future, he will be invincible. "

Xiang Shaolong secretly laughed in his heart, that was the thing he was most afraid of, Xiao Pan had this idea, he would definitely not escape this responsibility, fortunately this was not an imminent matter, he changed the subject and said: "How does Lu Buwei shirk responsibility?" A cold murderous intent flashed in Xiao Pan's eyes, and he said in a deep voice: "Of course, if there is no trial, they will all be released, and then randomly find some people to kill and use their heads to make up for the number, so we don't have to worry about us recognizing our identities. If it weren't for the black dragon With this move, maybe I will call him in and kill him with my own hands. Hmph! Meng Ao deserves death too, luckily he still has two good sons."

Turning to Xiang Shaolong again, he said, "Shouldn't the black dragon be finished?" Xiang Shaolong told the details. Xiao Pan sighed: "Fortunately, there is a master who came up with such a wonderful plan, otherwise I really don't know how to suppress Lu Buwei. Hey! I have today..." Xiang Shaolong interrupted him and said, "Don't say such things. The prince is a figure who is destined to rule the world, and the humble minister is at best just helping to make it happen!" Xiao Pan showed a moved expression, and after a while, he sighed and said, "The Empress Dowager moved to Ganquan Palace yesterday!"

Ganquan Palace is a small palace for the royal family located in the north of the city, facing Xianyang Palace far away. Zhu Ji moved there and left her son, since the relationship between the two became worse. Xiang Shaolong frowned and said, "Have you ever quarreled with her?" With a look of being wronged, Xiao Pan shook his head and said: "On the contrary, these days, I followed my master's instructions and deliberately repaired it with the Queen Mother. She said that she would move to Ganquan Palace, and I also tried to persuade her to stay, but she didn't have the slightest idea. There is room for negotiation, so just move and move. It's really strange. Hey! In fact, it's better for her to leave the palace, because widows can't see it."

Xiang Shaolong knew that he was referring to the adulterous affair between Zhu Ji and Lao Ai.It was strange in my heart, logically, if Zhu Ji wanted to maintain her influence on the government, it would be wisest to stay in the palace.But why did she move out of Chengyang Palace?Thinking of this, my heart skipped a beat, and I thought of Qin Qing, a contemporary stunning beauty who had just had a physical relationship with me. With her well-informed information, she would be the best person to secretly investigate this matter. Xiang Shaolong asked: "Has she still attended the morning meeting and discussions?"

Xiao Pan smiled and said: "How can she let go of this? Although she doesn't often attend the morning court, everything, no matter how big or small, has to be reviewed by her first. It is more difficult to deal with than before. The most annoying thing is still Lao Ai, a thief. His arrogance is growing day by day, he looks like the queen mother's spokesperson, not only talks too much, but also keeps reporting and telling stories to the queen mother, I really want to kill him." Xiang Shaolong meditated for a while, then smiled and said: "Since that's the case, why don't we come here to recruit and make Lai Ai the Queen Mother's spokesperson. With this guy's wolf ambition, he will definitely fight Lu Buwei for power, then we can Sitting on the mountain and watching the tigers fight."

Xiao Pan said angrily: "But as soon as I see Lao Ai, I get angry for no reason..." Xiang Shaolong interrupted him with a smile: "If you want to achieve great things, you must have a very broad-mindedness and means, capable people can't. In the end, Lai Ai is just a small role, at most she is forming a clique for personal gain, and the harm is far less than that of Lu Buwei. Only with the backing of the queen mother can he stir up wind and rain. And because in the eyes of others, he is always Lu Buwei's party. If he makes gods hate ghosts, it will be of no benefit to Lu Buwei. The prince should bear with him for a few more years !" Xiao Pan said dejectedly: "Master is right. One day I have not formally ascended the throne, and I still have to look at the Queen Mother's face. Hey! Before the Queen Mother left the palace, she asked me to make Lai Ai a Marquis, but I politely refused at that time. Did you know that the Queen Mother started from that day?" , so she refused to affix a seal to the decree I signed, and there was a backlog of documents. Alas! It seems that she had to do as she wished." Xiang Shaolong said: "This means that those who know the current affairs are heroes. The prince can speak to the Queen Mother, and after the Spring Festival, everything will be renewed, so that I can confer the title of Marquis on Lai Ai." Xiao Pan said distressedly: "The matter is still not that simple. The Queen Mother still has to promote some of Lao Ai's treacherous parties to important positions. For example, the position of internal history, Lai Ai will be taken over by his clansman Lao Si. In addition, Ling Qi, Han Jie and the other two, one literary and one military, are both Lai Ai's new party members, and the Queen Mother wants me to allow them to take important positions, and it is a headache to think about it." Xiang Shaolong knew that things would be like this, and if it wasn't like this, Lai Ai would not have the ability to rebel in the future.Comfortingly said: "No matter how he expands his power, it will always be difficult. In order to get the support of the queen mother, the prince has no choice but to endure his anger for a while. What's more! Lu Buwei's head hurts more than the prince!" Xiao Pan thought for a while, then laughed and said, "I don't know why, everything falls into the master's hands, and it always becomes easy. Of course, I will obey the master's words." After the two discussed for a while, Xiang Shaolong left the palace and went to find Qin Qing. Qin Qing saw that not long after they broke up, Xiang Shaolong came to her, with a happy expression, seeing him in Neixuan. After the two had a relationship that day, because Xiang Shaolong devoted himself to practicing swords, he never did the thing of cloud and rain.Meeting each other in Qinqing Mansion at this moment, one can't help but feel a subtle feeling of intimacy and strangeness, both of them have a moving situation of being fresh and not knowing how to deal with the new relationship. It was still Xiang Shaolong who took her jade hand, stepped out of the backyard and asked: "Did Master Qin hear about the Empress Dowager moving to Ganquan Palace?" Qin Qing frowned, and said in a low voice: "I knew it as soon as I returned to the mansion, but because the people brought by the Empress Dowager Zhao to Ganquan Palace are all her cronies, so if Shaolong wants people to investigate, I'm afraid he will have to teach Shaolong is disappointed." Xiang Shaolong pulled her onto a small bridge, sat down on the railing of the bridge, put his other arm around her small waist, and said, "There must be a reason for the Empress Dowager to move away from the palace, it's really puzzling." When Qin Qing hugged him, she was soft and weak, half of her body was close to his arm, her beautiful legs were close to his side, even though it was a snowy day, her pretty face was still as red as the summer sun, half happy and half angry, she said: " Mr. Xiang, please check it out? The servants will see it!" Xiang Shaolong laughed, and hugged her on his lap.Qin Qing exclaimed, lost her balance, and when she tilted her delicate body, her fragrant lips had already been sealed. After a period of ecstasy and lingering, Xiang Shaolong said with full will: "This is punishment for you and calling me Mr. Xiang, is Mrs. Qin willing to be punished?" Qin Qing was both sweet and uncontrollably ashamed, gave him a coquettish look, and said angrily, "You're so overbearing!" Xiang Shaolong was so obsessed with her obsession, he thought to himself that he only hated himself in this era, somehow lost the ability to make women pregnant, otherwise if he could grow up like Qin Qing or Ji Talented women and their stomachs must be very happy and happy. Thinking of this, the tiger's body trembled. Qin Qing saw that his face changed greatly, and said in shock: "What's the matter?" Xiang Shaolong stared straight ahead, and said in a low voice, "Oops! I think the Empress Dowager is happy." ◇◇◇◇◇◇ As soon as he stepped into the gate of the mansion, he heard that Zou Yan had returned, Xiang Shaolong was overjoyed, and asked Zou Yan to be greeted by a talented woman in the inner hall, and rushed to meet him. Zou Yan looked as bright as before, and when he saw Xiang Shaolong, he was overjoyed.At this time Ji Yanran had already told him in detail the reason behind inviting him back. After dinner, Zou Yan took him to the small pavilion in the garden to talk. Of course, he was accompanied by the talented girl Ji. Xiang Shaolong was embarrassed and said, "For our mundane affairs, you actually have to work for godfathers, us juniors really..." Zou Yan smiled and interrupted him: "Why did Shaolong become so polite, let alone feel sorry for it, because the old man has been quiet for a long time, and is about to go back together to see those old friends in Jixia." Xiang Shaolong thought of Shanrou, and when he was about to speak, Ji Yanran said, "You needn't say anything, Yanran asked her godfather to find sister Rou for us, and with her godfather's relationship, it should be an easy task. " Xiang Shaolong was worried about Shanrou, and he was overjoyed when he heard the words, thinking that Shanrou's swordsmanship came from Jixia, and it should be a matter of course for Zou Yan to find her. Zou Yan sat down at the stone table, his eyes sparkled, and he said in a deep voice: "I never imagined that I, Zou Yan, would be able to create a new sage in the age of wind and candle, and there is nothing more unexpected than this in the world. " Ji Yanran gently said to Xiang Shaolong: "Godfather has finished his masterpiece "Book of Five Virtues", and even gave it to me to keep it temporarily for him!" Xiang Shaolong had a strange feeling in his heart. He vaguely understood that Zou Yan had seen the future and knew that the world would be unified by Xiao Pan in the future, so he left his painstaking masterpiece in Qin, otherwise it might be destroyed in the flames of war.His heart moved: "What godfather wants to do with this "Book of Five Virtues", just give me instructions." Zou Yan's eyes lit up with joy, and he smiled and said, "When the black dragon is born in the future, Shaolong, you will be responsible for presenting this book to the Crown Prince. It will be a hundred times more powerful than letting the old man say it himself." Ji Yanran was stunned and said, "Isn't godfather going to leave after the birth of the black dragon?" Zou Yan shook his head and sighed: "The number of days is fixed, I'm afraid godfather can't wait that long. Even if you don't come to see me this time, I will come back to visit you, and then return to Qi by the way." Ji Yanran's complexion changed, and after looking at Xiang Shaolong in dismay, she said in amazement: "Godfather!" Zou Yan laughed, and said freely: "Spring goes to summer, this is the law of heaven, life is impermanent, but it is still just a phenomenon of nature, can't Yanran understand it?" After all, Ji Yanran is very human, forced a smile and said: "Godfather blamed you well! Yanran has been taught." Xiang Shaolong nodded, and blurted out, quoting a famous sentence from Su Shi, a master of the Song Dynasty: "People have joys and sorrows, and the moon waxes and wanes. Godfather is right." Zou Yan's eyes showed surprise, and after staring at him for a long time with Ji Cainv, he praised: "Shaolong sees more thoroughly than this old man." Before that, Shaolong must be patient and avoid confronting him head-on, so the old man can rest assured." Xiang Shaolong showed respect from the bottom of his heart, Zou Yan can be said to be the most discerning person in this era.But only he, Xiang Shaolong, truly understands the wisdom of this master-level figure's insight into the secrets of heaven.No wonder his theory of the Five Virtues has had such a far-reaching impact, reaching different levels of political and academic culture. Zou Yan looked up at the boundless snowy night, groaning silently. Ji Yanran said softly, "Godfather! Doesn't it seem like we're lying to God when we create a black dragon like this?" Zou Yan laughed dumbly and said: "It is indeed a bit of a trick! But the destiny has been revealed, and the new saint is the heir apparent who was trained by Shaolong. Although the six eastern countries still have a bit of momentum, they don't know self-love and only know how to criticize each other. In the future, as long as the Crown Prince holds the power, the days when the six kingdoms will perish will be numbered." Xiang Shaolong was surprised: "After all, godfathers are all from Qi, why don't they worry about the fate of their own country at all?" Zou Shu said calmly: "The country of Qi is just the place where I was born, but I see the world after the unification. And now that King Jian of Qi is stupid and wronged the country, just thinking of him makes me feel angry." Ji Yanran interjected: "Godfather and Yanran both have the same opinion, that is, only when the world is under one master can the people live in peace and happiness. But just remember what Shaolong said about 'absolute power corrupts people absolutely. 'Two words, I am afraid that the prince will change in the future, and he will not be as good as he is now, and he will look down on the situation." Xiang Shaolong couldn't help revealing the secret: "Only when the system of electing leaders by the people appears, the situation can be completely improved, but that will be more than two thousand years later." Zou Shu and Ji Yanran looked at each other, and the latter said in amazement, "How can there be such a system? Why are you so sure, my lord, that it will happen after two thousand years?" Xiang Shaolong scolded himself in his heart, scratched his head in embarrassment and said, "I'm just making a random guess!" Zou Xian smiled and said: "Shaolong often has amazing words, because you are not an ordinary person, otherwise my good daughter would not be so devoted to you." Looking at the stars and the moon, only the snowy sky, With a desolate voice, he said: "It's night! I also want to rest early, and tomorrow I will leave for the country of Qi." Xiang Shaolong and Ji Yanran glanced at each other, they both understood that this master who understood the knowledge of heaven and man knew that his lifespan was nearing the end of his life. This trip is the last time they meet.