Chapter 134 Trading
Chapter 134 Trading
Sikong was still on his way to Xuchang and would eventually return to Luoyang. But people in Luoyang didn't seem to feel anything about it and few people were talking about it.
What everyone talks about more is the legendary "one thousand breaks one hundred thousand", although the actual situation is not like that.
The emperor was very willing to believe this and was extremely excited, even though this was a terrible battle fought by his subjects stabbing each other, it was meaningless and all that was lost was the vitality of the Central Plains.
"Shao Xun can make chicken soup and fight wars. Isn't he a man of great talent?" Emperor Sima Zhong said while eating a cake in Hualin Garden.
Queen Yang Xianrong responded perfunctorily.
Your Majesty, don’t you really know what Sima Yue’s return to the capital means?
You can eat Hu cakes now, but you may be given poison cakes in the future. Alas.
Yang Xianrong was really worried.
She was a little scared.
During the more than one year that Sima Yue was away, she did a lot to protect herself.
She was not unaware of the risks.
In fact, she knew very well that if she had a choice, she would rather divorce the emperor, just like Wang Huifeng divorced the prince, and live back home.
With the current state of the Jin Dynasty, even if she became the second Jia Nanfeng, what would it matter? It would be useless. She would still be the target of public criticism and still could not escape the worry of her life.
But divorcing the emperor is just a fantasy. Who would allow it?
She could only stay in this palace and plan things in vain for her future in the hope of gaining temporary peace until the Jin Dynasty collapsed.
It makes me despair just thinking about it.
"The Queen has not had any meal since noon. How about a pancake?" Seeing that the Queen didn't say anything, Sima Zhong suddenly picked up a warm Hu pancake and handed it to her.
For a moment, Yang Xianrong was somewhat moved, but this emotion disappeared after she took the Hu Bing.
She is a very realistic person, and after experiencing several dethronements, she has seen through many things.
The emperor is a good man, but just a good man.
In this world, good people are useless, and ruthless people are more likely to thrive.
Is Shao Xun a ruthless person? It seems so at present.
In the Taiji Hall, he killed people quickly and efficiently without blinking an eye.
To be honest, she was already somewhat charming at that time in Jinyong City, but this man just wouldn't take the bait, and even if he did, she wouldn't give him any benefits.
There was no further news about the incident at Jingu Garden.
Is he still a human being if he accepted the benefits but didn't show any expression in return?
Yang Xianrong was a little unsure about how to win over Shao Xun.
All that can be confirmed at the moment is that this person is ambitious.
No one else knew the news about the Xuchang armory case, but the aristocratic families in Yingchuan knew something about it, and the palace had also heard of it.
Based on this, Yang Xianrong became more certain of her judgment that Shao Xun had great ambitions.
The relationship between him and Sima Yue should be like a rift between them, right?
So, how can we take advantage of this?
She has no idea yet.
"Empress, has Shao Xun returned to the capital?" The emperor suddenly asked, "I will give him a sword to dig out all the hiding toads. I don't want to hear them call anymore. I want to eat them."
"No." Yang Xianrong said casually, "Didn't the soldiers in the capital spread rumors that Shao Xun went to the old site of Guangcheng Garden?"
Guangcheng Garden!
Yang Xianrong's heart moved. Shao Xun did everything with a purpose. Why did he go to Guangcheng Garden?
That place has been abandoned for a hundred years and there is nothing there. What does he want to do?
Yang Xianrong was very curious for a moment and wanted to find someone to investigate and find out the whole story.
She subconsciously felt that there was something to be done here.
******
Shao Xun returned to the capital in early November.
When passing by Sikong Mansion, he turned his head and looked, as if expecting to see something.
All I saw were servants.
The servant recognized him and bowed respectfully. Then the doorman Xu Lang threw away the military book and ran out to greet him.
Shao Xun signaled with his eyes and waved his hands, then left under Xu Lang's puzzled gaze.
I have been to the palace several times before, and each time I was always smiling and walking briskly. Why did I feel like I was running away this time?
After staying at home for one night, someone came from the palace early the next morning and the emperor ordered him to meet him.
Damn! News spreads fast.
This house in the city must be under surveillance.
Alas! Shao Xun thought about it pretentiously. When you are famous, you will have a lot of gossip. The important position of the Palace General in charge of the palace guards is indeed a top figure in the capital. No matter what the palace conspiracy or coup d'état is, they cannot avoid them.
Before leaving, he thought for a moment and asked the servants to bring two beds with him.
The group went to the palace in this way. When they passed through the Duanmen Gate, the servants returned to their mansions and the Huchuang was placed at the door.
"General." Yang Bao appeared out of nowhere. When he was near Shao Xun, he knelt on the ground with a plop, perhaps out of excitement.
"Master Yang Chuang and I belong to the left and right guards respectively, why is it necessary to do this?" Shao Xun asked in surprise.
Yang Bao was a little embarrassed. He was so excited that his legs were weak. However, he remained calm, bowed, and then stood up. His whole set of movements was extremely smooth, without any hesitation, as if he had intended to do this.
"I can become the leader of the building thanks to your kind words. I will always remember this great kindness in my heart." Yang Bao said.
Shao Xun didn't believe him at all.
However, it was indeed unusual that Yang Bao knelt down to worship him today, in front of so many people.
Therefore, he said with a pleasant face: "You and I are from the same hometown, it is natural for us to help each other." Yang Bao nodded repeatedly and said: "My dear, you want to enter the palace? I have received the military order, and I will send someone to escort you right away."
When Shao Xun heard this, he knocked on his helmet with his fist and said, "Who am I? How can I be worthy of being escorted by the imperial guards?"
"Then pick a few old brothers to help you carry your belongings in." After Yang Bao said this, he immediately selected a few people without waiting for Shao Xun to refuse.
After a while, seven or eight people came over, and when they saw Shao Xun, they all saluted and said, "Greetings, General."
Shao Xun saw that they were indeed old brothers. Some of them had even fought with him in Biyong, and now they were all squad leaders and team leaders. He immediately patted them on the shoulders and said, "I haven't seen you for half a year since the disbandment of the Kingdom Army."
"I wish I could return to the general's tent." Several people sighed in unison.
"There will be a chance." Shao Xun laughed, and then, surrounded by the crowd, he entered the Duanmen.
His reputation among the imperial guards is indeed quite great now.
During the Wang Guojun era, he led the training as Lieutenant Sima, and many people knew him.
Several wars further spread his fame.
He personally led the Kingdom's Central Army of more than 6,000 people, and sometimes he also drew elite troops from the upper and lower armies to fight. When the Imperial Army was greatly expanded, many of these people got the positions of squad leader, team leader, or even higher positions.
Just like the Right Guard General Chen Jing who is on duty in the palace today, he has many of his old subordinates from that time, and wherever he goes, they all turn their gazes on him.
"I have to find an opportunity to get together with them in the future." Shao Xun thought as he walked, "Now that the relationship is in place, even if they are not willing to join the rebellion for the time being, there are many other benefits. How can Sima Yue, who is so high and mighty, understand the friendship between warriors? This kind of fame will always come in handy one day."
They soon arrived at the Taiji Hall, but this was not their destination. The group walked a long way and finally arrived at Hualin Garden.
"Greetings to Your Majesty and the Queen." Shao Xun knelt on the ground and paid homage.
Coincidentally, the queen seemed to still be wearing the long skirt she wore when she captured Sima Yi.
Gorgeous, majestic, beautiful, it makes you want to tear it apart.
"Shao Qing, please get up quickly." The emperor was eating and spoke incoherently.
"Shao Qing." Queen Yang Xianrong pressed the emperor's shoulder, signaling him to be quiet, then looked at Shao Xun and spoke.
"I'm here." Shao Xun replied.
You didn't have this attitude when you were in Jinyong City.
At that time, she was shaking her white and tender arms, deliberately trying to seduce me.
Although I am a queen-con, I still controlled myself.
"Ma Jichang of the Later Han Dynasty once wrote a poem that goes, 'Fang Yuhuang, linked the boats, spread the cloud sails, hung the snake curtains, the wind blew, the current was swift, the oars were rowed and sang, the water sang, the fish came out, the yarrow and the calamus floated, the Xiangling came down, and the Han women swam...'" Yang Xianrong said with a faint smile on his face, "I wonder if Shao Qing has ever heard of it?"
Yuhuang and Luzhou are the names of ships in the southern region.
These boats are connected by iron chains and sail in the lake, which depicts the scene of the emperor of the Later Han Dynasty swimming in the lake of Guangcheng Garden.
Yang Xianrong must have had a hidden meaning when she said this.
Your answer at this time will determine many things, so you must be extremely careful.
"I have heard of it. It is talking about the magnificent scenery of Guangcheng Garden in the Later Han Dynasty." Shao Xun replied.
The emperor was still eating. Yang Xianrong walked slowly, sometimes closer and sometimes farther away from Shao Xun, and asked, "Have you ever been to Guangcheng Garden, Mr. Shao?"
"I've been there." Shao Xun smelled a few wisps of sweet fragrance, but it didn't smell like the sea. He felt very comfortable and replied, "Although Guangcheng Garden has been abandoned, it has beautiful mountains and rivers and magnificent scenery. The gardens and parks from the Later Han Dynasty still exist, and we can recall the splendor of the past."
"Your Majesty." Yang Xianrong walked briskly around Shao Xun and came before the emperor, saying softly, "Perhaps we can send someone to Guangcheng Garden to investigate. If there is really something interesting there, we can slightly restore the gardens built since the Later Han Dynasty. In midsummer, there will be a place for boating and playing in the water."
"I don't want to go that far." Sima Zhong said with a frown.
He is stupid in some ways, but not stupid in others.
If a temporary palace is built in another place, he can go there if he insists, but he will definitely be surrounded by people, even Sikong Sima Yue who is about to return to Luoyang will follow him.
None of them wants to escape from my grasp and they want to follow me wherever I go.
"Your Majesty..." Yang Xianrong said dissatisfiedly.
"Well, let's send someone to investigate first." Sima Zhong said helplessly.
Shao Xun listened silently.
Emperor Sima Zhong was actually very easy to get along with and was very cooperative with the powerful ministers.
Why was such a good puppet killed by Sima Yue? It doesn't make sense.
Emperor Huai of Jin came to power. He opposed Sima Yue every day, but he managed to win over many court officials and generals and began to "rule the country himself", forcing Sima Yue out of Luoyang.
You are not Sima Lun or Sima Yi, and you do not have the prestige and ability to control the emperor, do you know that?
Or is there some secret that has not been recorded in history books? What happened? However, this is difficult to know.
After the emperor agreed to investigate, Yang Xianrong slowly stood up and looked at Shao Xun.
Shao Xun hesitated slightly.
He knew that Yang Xianrong wanted to make a deal with him.
Perhaps there is some other conspiracy?
But he was really helpless. Why are you meddling in the place I like?
Isn't it just that you want me to promise that when I'm on duty in the palace, I can withstand the pressure and protect her and the emperor's safety?
It's not that this cannot be agreed to, but not now.
The situation between him and Sima Yue is very sensitive right now, so it's best not to create any more trouble.
Yang Xianrong, messing around all day long, can't keep calm!
If you have the energy to plot a conspiracy, why not lend me some money?
(End of this chapter)