Chapter 41 Thirty-ninth round of feasts for ministers and officials
At the night banquet of the ministers, the whole body was decorated with lights and festoons. Shi Huang ate home-cooked food and looked at the singing dress with dancing sleeves, already drunk.However, Rena and her party, who really came to entertain the emperor, could not enter the banquet... Concubine Li, who was hiding in the dark, was watching everything.The singing and dancing party inside is in full swing, and eight young women, singing and dancing gracefully, come up with a wave of swaying... A woman in the air flies towards Dan Chi, holding a sharp blade in her hand, and goes straight to the first emperor, Meng Tian is seriously injured when he uses the sword to block it...
It was night, in a small courtyard a hundred steps away from Hunhuai Zhan.Seeing that there was no one around, Zhao Gao gently pushed open the door, and walked in vigilantly; outside the wall, the footsteps of the night guards from the commander-in-chief of the North Xinjiang passed along the street.
In the shadow of the lamp, Concubine Li looked unhappy.Zhao Gao stepped forward and gave a light salute: "The slave has seen your mother." Concubine Li pretended to be a woman in black in the palace, and asked in a low voice: "How about it, report the situation here..."
"The emperor's bedroom has a single courtyard, guarded by thousands of imperial guards. The other ministers live in small courtyards, and are still arranged according to the various ministries of the Jiuqing...Why, the empress..." Zhao Gao looked terrified and suspicious.Concubine Li smiled brightly: "Master Zhao, where are you going? No matter what, I can't take this risk. I called you here to keep the peace of this small courtyard." The women in black cast a sideways glance, and saw that although those women were all dressed in black, they were all extremely pretty with fair faces. "Slave understands." Zhao Gao sighed in his heart, she can really work hard. "You don't understand." Concubine Li sat down dignifiedly, glanced at Zhao Gao, and ordered: "You should find out for me immediately, is it possible that the new Qinzhong will arrange singing and dancing in the banquet, Mr. Zhao can't even do this, right? ?”
Zhao Gao lowered his eyebrows and bowed his hands: "Your Majesty, don't worry, there are songs and dances to cheer up the fun, and the servant has already found out."
"Where is Kabuki? Where is Kabuki now?"
"This... it's inconvenient for me to ask more questions." Concubine Li was very unhappy, and said: "It's the most convenient for you, you can't even ask, why don't you let me ask the emperor?"
"Slave, let's go..."
"Forget it." Concubine Li slowed down her tone: "You have done a good job, isn't this Gong anxious! But one thing, we must never let anyone know that Bengong is coming to the Northland, otherwise we will all have to finish the game ! Do you all understand?"
"No! This subordinate understands."
"Listen, everyone." Concubine Li turned her brows upside down, and looked around majesticly: "From now until Xushi tomorrow night, no one is allowed to step out of the small courtyard. Anyone who disobeys the order will be executed, and General Chang will exercise the power of life and death."
"No!" Chang Qingguang replied.After arranging a lot of things, Concubine Li just let Zhao Gao back out.
On the same night, in a small village not far from Hunhuaizhang, at the home of Yangpener, Rena found her eight sisters, all of whom were beautiful daughter-in-laws in their thirties.Pearl and Scorching Sun are responsible for the implementation of the night banquet in Xushi in the evening of Ming Dynasty.At this time, someone said: "You two girls, everyone is here." Zhu Zhen felt embarrassed when she heard it, and pushed Jiao Yang to speak first, but Jiao Yang said: "Oh, the young master has settled down for you, you go first... ..." Pearl looked at the sisters, while Rena and the daughters-in-law were chattering and laughing like boiling water.Pearl said very restrainedly: "I have never done such a job in front of the public... I have to speak in front of everyone. In the past, it was Sister Yongxia who came forward... Then I will just say a few words. I know, you all There are old and young, and the family is very busy, but no matter what, I have to overcome and get this thing done tomorrow night. Remember, you must bring your most beautiful dress."
"What do you know?" Jiao Yang snatched up and said, "The Hun women only have dance costumes for dancing, do you think so?"
"The princess is right, we brought them all."
Pearl looked at the scorching sun, and laughed again for a long time: "Look at you, who wouldn't let you say..." A group of women roared with laughter.Suddenly, the sheepfold came in angrily, "You guys, keep your voice down...my mother is sleeping!"
"Are you afraid of disturbing your son?" Some daughter-in-law deliberately teased him.Renna pouted at Pearl and Yanyang, covered her mouth and smiled.Jiaoyang understood, so he asked loudly: "Hey, sheep pen, do you object to your daughter-in-law dancing?"
"Who, who objected?"
"Look, you're blushing!" She choked on a single sentence, and the sheepfold was speechless. She just murmured, "The people brought from the palace can dance better than you, so I don't believe I can appreciate you. Hmph! "
"That's why you're ignorant." Pearl said: "There is indeed no shortage of these things in the palace, but you don't know, what the emperor wants to see is the result. The new Qinzhong has been built for several years, and the harmony between the various tribes is good. But the emperor doesn't know. You see, all the sisters are beautiful flowers from different tribes, and the six of you performed on the same stage, and you acted so well, so united, this should give Mr. Fusu and General Meng Tian a lot of face."
Jiaoyang looked at Pearl in surprise: "Oh, you are really unambiguous, you are right." She gave a thumbs up.She raised a little finger to the sheepfold again, and said: "Hey, I said sheepfold, do you still look like a man! Really." She gouged out the sheepfold, and the sheepfold knew that she was wronged, I had no choice but to laugh at myself: "I, I didn't know there were so many names." Scooter Yang felt it was funny and angry, and all the girls laughed into a pot of porridge. "That's right, who is it!" Seeing that he had nothing to do with him, the sheep pen took the opportunity to slip away.
On the second night, in the main hall of the Chinese army in Hunhuai Zong, there were butter lamps on the walls.The copper royal items carried by the imperial driver are tripod, turtle, crane, deer, green dragon, white tiger, red bird, basalt, shellfish, evil spirits and other objects.They are arranged in the corners of the four walls and roofs, the glazed light burns incense, and the purple air is transpiring.In the center of the main hall, a large peacock palace lantern is hung, illuminating the hall brilliantly.The civil and military officials sat on the ground on the bamboo strips on both sides, leaving a large open space, where a velvet jacquard blanket had already been laid.On the front, the third-level dange climbs up the steps, under the shadow of the sea blue totem wall, in the middle sits the first emperor and a concubine.Zhao Gao nodded and stood under the shadow of the wall.
Li Si sits at the head on the left, Fusu and Meng Tian sit on the right, and the ministers and generals line up to divide.On the table in front of you are all kinds of mountain delicacies and home-cooked dishes in Xinqin.Those who swim in the river, those who run on the ground, those who fly in the sky, and those who hunt in the mountains.There are all kinds of vegetables such as mushrooms, ears, moss, celery, persimmon, eggplant, etc., steamed, boiled, cooked, stewed, deep-fried, braised, fried, stir-fried and other methods have been exhausted. A copper platter the size of a basket, and a complete map of the new Qin Dynasty in northern Xinjiang displayed with various foods.Among them, Changhe is a mellow three delicacies soup, in which carp, storks, geese, and teals swim leisurely in the Yellow River. A bright quail egg represents the sunset hanging between mountains and rivers. A fragrant grouse is placed as a chicken head mountain Lying on the eastern plateau of Longdong, the grassland is made of green vegetables, the hills are made of braised chicken nuggets, the Dabei Yishan is made of steamed buns, the ditches, ditches, weirs, and embankments are also made of steamed buns, and the shrubs and forests are Various vegetables.Its title is "Xin Qinzhong Shiquan Baoxie", and the whole is a series of gourmet dishes.
All the ministers and workers sighed in admiration: "It's really amazing..."
"That's a good name!" Shi Huang was amazed. "Everyone, the dish in front of you is the construction tour of the new Qin Dynasty, and it is the best gift to me for more than ten years since the unification of the Great Qin Dynasty. Come, let's make a toast to their hard work!"
"It all depends on His Majesty's wise decision-making!"
"Banquet! Your majesty please first!" Shi Huangdi was not polite, he picked up the flaming sun's quail egg with his chopsticks, "I will eat it first..." After speaking, he swallowed it in one gulp.Only then did the ministers move their chopsticks, and the big pieces were full...
It's already been three rounds of drinking.At this time, the palace people sang, and a bang sounded, followed by chime bells, light gongs and adagio, and se, sheng, xiao, reed, flute, and yu played in unison, which was exciting and soul-stirring.I saw eight young women, all dressed in snow and green, with long lotus green dresses sweeping the floor, coming up with a wave of shaking.Sure enough, the eyes of the sky are fully opened, and everyone is extremely beautiful, as beautiful as a fairy.With a frown and a smile, the masked green veil is uncovered and covered, which is very interesting and wonderful.All the seats were pleasantly surprised, they stretched their necks and opened their eyes wide without blinking.Shihuang was drunk and overwhelmed by this exotic atmosphere, and his suspicious eagle eyes relaxed his vigilance.
It is the talent of a brave general to charge into battle and go through life and death; it is the strategy of a general to take precautions before they happen and lift weights lightly.At this time, Meng Tian was not in a daze, he was a little puzzled: this is too professional... He leaned his head and whispered to Fu Su: "This doesn't look like the song and dance we prepared..." Fu Su heard a trace of worry: "How did you see that?"
"There is no Rena inside." The two of them did not escape the eyes of Zhao Gao under the wall shadow at all, nor escaped the gaze of a woman in black from the dark side corner of the wall shadow. She was hiding. Concubine Li.The two commanders in Beijiang were whispering abnormally, which naturally attracted the attention of Concubine Li who was hiding in the dark. She said inwardly as if praying: Don't show your feet... These two people are too shrewd, and they have obviously begun to suspect .snort!It's really hateful, why don't you do it...
Outside the main hall, several guards remained motionless like nails.A rare majestic aura is inviolable, forming a dignified atmosphere, which is completely different from the singing and singing in the hall.Not far from the entrance of the main hall, Rena in colorful attire was circling anxiously back and forth.The few sisters not far behind her were also in a hurry and had no choice but to be firmly blocked by the imperial guards.
Rena came to a centurion head again and begged anxiously: "Please, Mr. Jun, please believe that we are really going in to sing and dance..." The centenarian said with a blank expression, "I'm sorry, we didn't accept I have received such an order, so I dare not let you in." Renna was even more surprised, "You really didn't receive any order?"
"I have nothing to say." The head of the centurion said more and more coldly, "You have no right to know, we are ordered to protect the safety of everyone inside."
"Hey, look, how come those men in black can come and go as they please?" Rena shouted.The centurion head said impatiently: "He is from the palace, can you compare?"
Seeing the scorching sun rushing towards her, Renna eagerly stepped forward: "Princess, you are here. Somehow, until now, we have been blocked from the door..."
Jiao Yang instinctively knew there was trouble, otherwise Meng Tian would have come out to find them... Jiao Yang came to the head of a hundred households, saluted first, and said, "What's going on here? Why, there seems to be singing and dancing inside? "
Facing scorching sun's inquiries, the head of the hundred households pretended not to hear them and simply ignored them.Just as Jiao Yang was about to get angry, a man with a sword in his arms, wearing black clothes and a hood came out from nowhere, raised his hand and slapped the head of the hundred households: "Who is making noise here, and you don't want to chase him away."
Renna was annoyed by this person: "Tell you that we are here to perform songs and dances for the emperor..."
"I told you to go away, did you hear me? If you keep talking, you will never be forgiven." The man in black swung his sword at Rena.Renna is really a little scared, and the sun is not happy: "Why are you shouting? I see you are dressed like this? Who are you?" Forced himself to Wei Ling, he said: "You want to die..." Rena and Jiaoyang suddenly saw Tian Huo arriving with a patrol guard, and asked Rena in surprise, "Why don't you go in?" Rena said dejectedly: " How to get in, they won't let us in at all."
From afar, Tian Huo saw that the man in black with a hood looked very familiar, and felt that something was wrong tonight, so he deliberately asked loudly: "Who won't let in? Can you afford to miss the performance?" The man in black with a hood didn't dare to look at Tian Huo. Isn't that the nemesis of Yanziwu?But at this moment, he must not show weakness, so he said sternly: "Can you afford to put suspicious elements in?"
Tian Huo has been searching for some information from the past in his mind. Why did the person killed in Yanziwu be exactly like this person... Tian Huo said unexpectedly: "I have seen you, Yanziwu..." The man in black was obviously shocked, Turning around with a sneer, he said with a sneer: "Little General, you must have read it wrong... Sorry, I am on official duty. Your scope of authority is only in charge of the periphery. Please follow orders. We are all soldiers."
"Thank you for the reminder!" Tian Huo deliberately repeated the old story: "If I remember correctly, you should have been stabbed by me."
"I don't know what you're talking about." Of course the man in black couldn't forget that night.But this Tianhuo is too powerful, no, I have to hide from him tonight, thinking of this, he wants to leave.Tian Huo shouted sharply: "Kyoto secret envoy, where are you going?" The man in black turned pale with fright. It turned out that he was Jin Cheng, the Kyoto secret envoy who had fought against Tian Huo in Yanziwu, and he had to pretend to be calm and said to Tian Huo at this moment: "Please Take your guards away, so as not to cause trouble for both sides." Jin Cheng, the secret envoy of the capital, said and took the opportunity to escape.
In view of the current situation, Tian Huo was afraid that something might go wrong in the hall, so he had to give up.He concluded that something would happen tonight, so he became more vigilant and never dared to take it lightly. The secret envoy from the capital could only let him go first.Tian Huo turned around and shouted to the patrolling guards: "Guards, step up your guard!"
Tian Huo entered the palace and told Meng Tian about the situation. Meng Tian felt more and more critical, but he was afraid of causing panic among the ministers.Seeing Tian Huo rushing in, Fusu also asked, "What's the matter?" They both shook their heads hastily to cover it up.When Fusu answered with other ministers, Meng Tian ordered Tian Huo in a low voice: "Mobilize the guards of the Chinese army, search and arrest closely, and control all suspicious personnel without any mistakes."
"No!" Tian Huo hurried away.And Meng Tian still doesn't have the heart to enjoy the singing and dancing...Seeing that Zhuzhu kept going around the second gate, he made an excuse to pass by, and only then did he know that the guards at the gate had been replaced by some unknown men in black, who were neither allowed to enter nor Not allowed out.Meng Tian calmly asked them to let the pearl go, the man in black pretended not to know Meng Tian, Meng Tian saw that this place could just cover the sight of the officials inside, so he yelled angrily in a low voice, his guards came over, and immediately put those few The man in black took it first...
In the main hall, eight young women sang and danced, gradually pushing the atmosphere of the banquet to a climax.Most of the generals and officers have already forgotten what they are doing, singing softly and slowly in harmony with the voice.But Zhao Gao was nailed to the stage like a wooden stake, seeing all the actions of Meng Tian and Tian Huo in his eyes, Zhao Gao was sweating for Concubine Li, and even more for himself... The postures are stacked up, landed again, and stacked again.This time it was four women who circled around the Peacock Palace Lantern.Suddenly, the headlights dimmed for no reason, and the hall suddenly lost its previous light, causing a crowd of surprises: "Hey, what's going on..." At this moment, there was indeed a commotion in the hall, and someone shouted under the night to arrest the assassin... Light and dark Under the alternation of light, Meng Tian saw a woman flying towards Danchi in the air, like a beautiful projectile ejected away, she completed several somersaults in the air, and then she held a sharp blade and went straight to the first emperor.Meng Tian didn't know his feelings well, he raised his qi in his dantian, and he flew up to meet the snitch.The woman used the technique of Immortal Stealing Treasures, she first hit Suo Hun San with her left hand, but was intercepted by Meng Tian's wide sleeves, and then waved her hand to snatch the sharp sword in her right hand, and used her own body to hit it firmly On the woman, it hit and fell, but a short blade pierced deeply into Meng Tian's shoulder.At the same moment, the woman also slapped him, and fell heavily on the Danchi steps.
Tian Huo shouted from outside the gate: "Guard the gate of the palace and catch the assassin!" At the same time, Zhao Gao shouted from inside the palace: "Be careful, Your Majesty... the guards enter the palace to escort you!" Without the emperor's order, no one is allowed to carry a knife Entering the palace, but what Zhao Gao ordered was the emperor's order, and the guards rushed in... The three women were captured, and the four women were captured by Tian Huo's men when they escaped from the gate of the palace.Immediately, these captured women all died of poison.Tian Huo couldn't help being angry for a while: "It must be the Purple Swallow Group..." Zhao Gao was terrified when he heard it.Tian Huo shuttled back and forth, searching for suspicious criminals.
Meng Tian gritted his teeth and pulled out the short blade on his shoulder. He covered the wound with his other hand in pain, and the blood flowed out from the gap between his fingers.Everyone gathered around and shouted, and the whole hall was in chaos.Fusu helped Meng Tian up from the velvet jacquard blanket, and shouted: "Hurry up, pass on to the imperial doctor..." In the dark night, taking advantage of the chaos, a secret team managed to escape from the trap under the support of the inside and outside. They are Concubine Li personal entourage...
After a while, Shihuang, Zhao Gao and others came out from behind the wall shadow, and saw Fusu was present, and the imperial doctor was bandaging Meng Tian.The first emperor came over and touched Meng Tian's wrist, he also knew a little bit about medicine, he felt a little comforted, and said: "For my sake, the general was injured!" The imperial doctor promised: "Long live, General Meng's injury is not bad If you get in the way, you can recover in a few days."
"Okay, you step back first." The imperial physician Nuo turned around and withdrew.Meng Tian said to the first emperor with great guilt: "Your Majesty, this minister's serious crime is unforgivable. It almost caused a big mistake, which shocked your majesty." , I heard someone shouting outside the main hall: "Come in..." The guard escorted the eight women in colorful clothes into the hall, but they were already frightened and weeping.At this time, Rena carefully explained: "We are not in the same group as the dancers in front, we are from the northern Xinjiang, and we are here to entertain the emperor." Another woman also said: "We have been blocked at the door all the time. Besides, now you are here to arrest us..." Li Si snapped: "Nonsense, we are clearly in the same group, and you dare to argue."
In the hall, Fusu was very disgusted with Li Si's attitude: "Prime Minister, how can you be so indiscriminate?" Li Si retorted: "Why am I indiscriminate! This is the great camp of the Central Army in Northern Xinjiang, why don't you see assassins usually?" .This time the emperor is on his tour, there are assassins, the old minister is really confused!" Fusu stepped forward and gave a deep salute, "As the prime minister of a country, you...you are responsible for what you say tonight." Li Si faced Shi Huang respectfully said, "Your Majesty is lucky!" But the nose is not the nose, and the face is not the face.
Meng Tian said anxiously: "Your Majesty, they are innocent. These eight dancers are indeed dancers specially arranged by me. They are all from some local tribes. Before the accident, they have been kept outside the hall by guards, and they were replaced by others." They...Tian Huo had already quietly informed me in advance, so I suspected that someone was plotting something wrong...If it wasn't for the timely handling on the spot, today would have caused a catastrophe..." Rena hurriedly knelt down and kowtowed to the first emperor: "Your Majesty At first, we happily thought that we would be able to cheer up the Emperor Daxing tonight, but in the end...General Meng is my benefactor, and the Great Qin State Policy has made us live a good life. No matter how bad we are, we will never repay our favor!"
"The prime minister accused us for no reason. We are all old and young, and the children are still breastfeeding. We are different from them..."
"Well," Shihuang mused, "I trust you. However, tonight's matter must be investigated clearly, and the bad guys must not be let go. Hey, is there any Amutu family among you..." One of the women hastily kowtowed and said, "Your majesty has good eyesight. In the morning, the emperor drove to my slave's house, and the emperor was chatting with my slave's Ah Weng..."
The First Emperor smiled: "It's really hard for you. Well, although I didn't see you sisters dancing, I still want to thank you, and I can step back."
"Long live thank you!" Rena hurriedly retreated with her sisters, and looked at Meng Tian by the way: "General, we have let you down..."
"Wait first..." Meng Tian called out to Rena, and then ordered the guards to tear off the dress on the left shoulder blade of the dead assassin to see what was there.After looking at them one by one, the guards exclaimed: "They all have the symbol of copper coins and big purple swallows..." Shihuang also looked at a few, and said in surprise: "What's going on?" The destroyed Yanziwu belonged to the Purple Swallow Black Clothes Group." Fusu was also terrified.Only then did Meng Tian signal for Rena and her partner to wipe off their left shoulder blades, Rena understood, and the eight of them also wiped off their left shoulders, and sure enough nothing was left, which completely dispelled other people's doubts. "Okay, you guys go down this time. Remember to go to Jiaoyang first, and let her arrange you to rest." Rena and others promised Meng Tian and left.At this time, the officials remembered to greet the First Emperor, and knelt down in a big way: "Your Majesty is brave in martial arts, deters evil spirits, and people and gods are in awe."
The first emperor sat on the throne in the middle of his previous self, accepting worship.Then, the first emperor looked at the crowd and said loudly: "Everyone loves you. You don't have to say those empty words to win my favor. I know that the intention of this evil force is to murder me, of course it would be better. No, can't it just be blamed on Fusu and Mengtian? These people's behavior is so vicious and arrogant. I have experienced countless murders in my life, but I have never let them succeed. , This is completely unpopular and acting against the heavens. This Purple Swallow Black Clothes Group must be strictly investigated to the end."
"Your Majesty," a minister standing next to Li Si said, "I think Meng Tian should be prosecuted for the crime of not thoroughly investigating. If the villain really gets his way tonight, murdering the emperor and endangering the country, the consequences will be incalculable!" A minister also said: "Your Majesty, I agree with this proposal. Merits are merits, and mistakes are mistakes. The two should not be confused. I think Meng Tian is guilty."
Instead, Li Si remained silent.The following ministers refused to accept it: "Even if Meng Tian is guilty, he should be innocent if his merits and demerits are equal?"
"What a mess. Swallows are flying in the sky, and besides, they are all women. Why can't you catch one each? Why are you accusing others for no reason now... Well, don't discuss any more!" Shihuang was furious, and then stared again. Glancing at Li Si, he stepped back first. "Retire from the court!" The people in the first palace still sang as if they were in the palace: "Young Master Fusu to meet you in the palace!" Everyone dispersed.
Fusu walked into the palace anxiously, and bowed deeply to the first emperor, saying, "I have seen my father."
"Pingshen. Come here and let me have a look..." For several days, Shihuang hadn't been able to meet Fusu alone. At this moment, he grabbed Fusu's shoulder with both hands excitedly with mixed feelings, shook it vigorously, and looked at it carefully. For a long time, he said: "My son, I see that you are much stronger than before, and your skin has become darker. This is a sign of good physical symptoms. Your father led the army to conquer Zhao, and I am the same as you now. It took me many months to get tanned. Why, you still hate your father?" Fu Suyin held back her tears and said, "My child only knows that the deeper the father's love, the higher the expectations. Let the child come to this difficult This place sharpens your temperament, strengthens your perseverance, and improves your confidence. This is love, and your child can receive it infinitely. Father, but you, your health seems to be not as good as before. Father needs to take more care of you. This is related to the long-term stability of the Great Qin Empire, father. "
"Fu Su Wuer, I know all these things." Shihuang felt very tired, and said emotionally: "Some people wish that I would die early. My son, I originally wanted to take you back to Beijing this time as a father, but tonight This incident made me worry about your future again. You are always the target of others' attacks, and the bigger the target, the greater the attack. General Meng Tian is not the kind of person who makes me worry at all, let you come to him Come on, isn't it to let him protect you? Do you really think that you are allowed to monitor him? Meng Tian is the person I will trust the most after a hundred years, so you still can't go back and stay here quietly. As a father, I have already I made it very clear, I have never said so many words to any prince, you just need to understand. Besides, the master behind the purple swallow group must be in the capital, and I will not let them go after returning to the palace this time. Remember me In other words, the most satisfying thing for your father is that your temperament has become less irritable, and that's right. Well, go down and rest, I'm tired too!"
"My son, keep this in mind, father, please rest early!"