Chapter 453 It’s not about right or wrong, it’s just about stance
Chapter 453 It’s not about right or wrong, it’s just about stance
The heavy footsteps left from behind the door and gradually faded away.
Deng Ming stood where he was, staring at the closed door.
The moonlight shone on him, outlining his tall, heavy figure and solemn face.
Less than half a quarter of an hour later, footsteps sounded from behind the door.
A figure hurried out, it was Mao Xiang's personal bodyguard.
His face was solemn, but he acted skillfully. He walked up to Deng Ming in a few steps and whispered:
"Master Deng, please follow me."
Deng Ming nodded, strode in, and followed closely behind.
The lights in the Jinyiwei were dimmer than those outside the door.
There was a sense of oppression and tension in the air, which made people slow down their pace involuntarily.
The guard led Deng Ming through the winding corridor and finally stopped in front of a closed door.
The guard knocked lightly on the copper ring.
After a moment, a deep and powerful voice came from inside the door:
"Come in."
Pushing open the door, Deng Ming walked into the room.
Mao Xiang was seen sitting at the desk. He was not wearing the uniform of the Jinyiwei, but a white lining and a slightly thin shirt, holding a document in his hand.
The flickering candlelight in the room lengthened his figure, adding a bit of majesty.
Seeing Deng Ming coming in, he raised his head and asked with a sharp gaze:
"It's so late, what's the matter?"
Deng Ming took a deep breath, walked forward quickly, put the paper in his hand on the table, and said in a heavy voice:
"My lord, I found some clues about the Duke of Liang and the Marquis of Xiping."
"Oh?"
Mao Xiang's eyes suddenly became sharp as he looked at the papers on the table.
After a long while, he turned his head slightly and glanced at Deng Ming:
"What's the matter?"
"Regarding Jiang Li's death and the divine punishment in Yunnan."
After hearing this, Mao Xiang's expression remained calm and he moved his gaze to look at the papers on the table.
"I know, you can go back."
Deng Ming was stunned, a look of deep surprise flashed across his eyes, and his brows were instantly furrowed.
He didn't understand why the adults' reactions were so indifferent.
"Sir, the above is my speculation about the process of the two events. I am 90% sure that this is the case."
Mao Xiang raised his head, a strange look flashed in his eyes, and he spoke lightly:
"Put aside the case for now. Your transfer order will come tomorrow.
After you arrive at the Banner Guard, do your job well and don’t let the emperor down.”
what?
Deng Ming's pupils suddenly contracted, his face was filled with shock, and then his whole body tensed up, as if he had fallen into an ice cellar!
He almost instantly questioned his own judgment.
Could it be that the Jinyiwei were involved in these two incidents?
A great sense of absurdity began to spread in Deng Ming's heart, making his throat dry.
The predecessor of the Banner Guard was the Jinyiwei Qianhu Suo, which was responsible for the imperial carriage, drums, flags and banners after it became independent.
In important ceremonies held by the court, he was responsible for adding majesty and solemnity to the ceremony.
It is the most insignificant and useless office among the Twelve Guards of Shangzhi. It has no power and influence and can only serve as a decoration.
The difference between a Jinyiwei assistant who holds tremendous power and a Qishouwei who serves in a low-ranking government office is as great as the difference between heaven and earth.
"Why?" Deng Ming's voice was hoarse, his face full of disbelief.
Mao Xiang's face was calm. He glanced at him and said calmly:
"You led people to search the Qinhuai River today. Have you not considered the consequences?"
"Sir! I was looking for my daughter. The daughter of Minister Qin of Works and the granddaughter of Academician Song were also there. The three of them disappeared together!" Deng Ming explained hurriedly with a frown on his face!
"Heh." Mao Xiang chuckled and shook his head slowly:
"Sir Deng, you and I are Jinyiwei, serving His Majesty and are the emperor's servants.
The place where you and I appear is not peaceful.
Who are the people in Qinhuai River today?
You are wearing the uniform of the Jinyiwei and leading them to search everywhere. Are you afraid that there are no rumors in the capital?"
"I was just anxious at the moment, so I took this desperate measure. I have no intention of causing trouble."
Mao Xiang shook his head again: "Whether it is an offense or not is not up to you and me, but to your Majesty and the dukes and princes present at the Qinhuai River today."
At this point, Mao Xiang's eyes flashed with gloom. He stared blankly at the weak yet strong candlelight and sneered:
"The Tongzhengsi, Dudufu, Zhanshifu, Jingzhaofu, and the Ministry of Rites all sent documents, and they explained everything in detail, but I only saw four words."
Mao Xiang raised his fingers and tapped on the table.
"How dignified!"
Deng Ming's face turned pale instantly.
He had anticipated what would happen tonight, and that there would definitely be trouble.
But no one expected that such a storm would come so quickly and with such unprecedented force.
"My lord, I."
Deng Ming hesitated to speak, feeling mixed emotions.
Mao Xiang interrupted his thoughts, with a tone that left no room for doubt:
“As Jinyiwei, we should understand that our every action represents His Majesty and the court.
Do you think those corrupt officials are afraid of us?
What I am afraid of is the imperial court.
Today, your appearance at the Qinhuai River will also affect the court.
But this time, I am afraid of the imperial court!"
At this time, hurried footsteps sounded from the door, followed by a voice:
"Sir, the Censor Zhan sent a document."
The solemn atmosphere in the room was suddenly broken, and Mao Xiang waved his hand impatiently:
"understood."
After he finished speaking, he looked at Deng Ming with a fake smile:
"Sir Deng, you and I have worked together for many years, and I have never doubted your loyalty to the Imperial Guard.
But now, the situation is different, and going to Qishouwei is also a good choice.
Otherwise you are stuck in the middle, which is difficult and you can’t please either side.”
Deng Ming gradually regained his composure, his breathing became smoother, and bitterness flowed in his heart.
You cannot be both loyal and filial, and the same is true when it comes to family and position.
The confusion in Deng Ming's eyes faded, replaced by reluctance. He tried to save the situation:
"Sir, clues about Duke Liang, Marquis Xiping, and Lu Yunyi"
"Okay, don't say any more."
Mao Xiang looked at him coldly, his eyes like knives:
"Do I really have to say something unpleasant?
In today's situation, even if you present complete evidence,
Your Majesty and the Crown Prince will only think that you are framing them, especially after what happened in Yuezhou!"
Deng Ming muttered to himself in his heart, suddenly feeling depressed.
Duke Liang, Marquis Xiping, and Lu Yunyi are now the people at the forefront of the imperial party.
As for him, it is still unknown where his butt will sit, so how can the people in the palace believe what he says?
“Although Chess Guard has no power or influence, it is also a place to hone one’s character.
There, you might learn how to hide your edge and protect yourself in complex situations."
Deng Ming remained silent.
No matter how he defends himself, the transfer order has become a fact and there is no hope of changing it.
A deep feeling of frustration surged into his heart, almost suffocating him.
"Go ahead, pack your bags, and head to Chess Guard tomorrow morning."
Mao Xiang's voice echoed in the empty house, seeming particularly desolate.
Deng Ming nodded slightly and slowly walked out of the room, each step seeming heavy.
Outside the door, the moonlight is still bright.
But the light shining on him seemed to have lost its temperature, making him cold all over.
He looked back at the closed door, feeling mixed emotions.
Finally, he let out a heavy sigh and slowly walked away.
Inside the room, Mao Xiang sat behind the desk with an expressionless face, his eyes looking in an unknown direction.
At this moment, a figure quietly opened the door and walked in.
It was Ma Yi, a captain of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.
He walked quickly to Mao Xiang and bowed slightly:
"Sir, Lord Deng has returned home."
"Well, keep staring."
Mao Xiang spoke lightly, and his eyes finally showed some movement.
He slowly picked up the document, but without opening it to look at it, he just held it close to the candlelight!
In an instant, the flames ignited the document,
The orange-red flame spread rapidly from the corner of the document, leaving behind a little bit of black ash and smoke. Qianhu Ma Yi looked at the document in disbelief:
"Sir, don't you want to take a look at these clues? Sir Deng is always good at unraveling the mystery."
Mao Xiang looked at the document burning in his hands and shook his head: "Reading it will only add to my troubles."
The burning firelight made Ma Yi's face flicker, and the corners of his mouth twitched:
"Your Excellency is absolutely right. In the current situation, there is only a stance, not right or wrong."
Mao Xiang sighed, and a rare look of fatigue appeared on his face.
"Since the transfer order has been issued, there is no need to worry about it.
Let's transfer those who are not sure about their minds tomorrow. We can't let them stay in Jinyiwei.
We are the emperor's servants. We can be forgiven for doing things wrong, but we cannot be disloyal."
"Yes."
Ma Yi nodded, with some concerns on his face:
"Sir, I'm afraid that such actions will cause unrest."
"It doesn't matter. If the Jinyiwei is as stable as Mount Tai, our heads will be moved."
Mao Xiang said calmly, threw the document into the brazier and watched it burn to ashes.
Ma Yi's eyes flashed with gloom, he moved closer and lowered his voice:
"Sir, Lord Deng is of a special status, you can keep an eye on him.
As for the others, it would be better to kill them all and put an end to it all."
"You are cutting off your own retreat." Mao Xiang looked at him with a calm voice.
Ma Yi curled his lips and chuckled:
"My Lord, since I joined the Jinyiwei, I have never thought of leaving. Even if I die, I will die in the Jinyiwei. Whoever opposes your Majesty, I will kill."
Mao Xiang's eye sockets were deep and his cold eyes stared at Ma Yi:
“You have ambition and ability, and more importantly, you are loyal enough to the palace.
I will do this as you said. After that, you can fill Deng Ming's vacancy."
"Yes, I will start working on it tomorrow."
"Well, send some people out, like we did last time, to keep an eye on Lu Yunyi and Liu Heiying and see what they are up to.
Also, why hasn't the news from Yuezhou been delivered yet? It's so slow, hurry up!"
"Yes, sir, I will make arrangements right away."
"Go down."
Ma Yi turned and left, his footsteps getting farther and farther away.
The sky gradually brightened, and the eastern sky gradually turned into a gentle blue-purple color.
The first ray of morning light peeked out shyly, and Yingtian City slowly woke up under the caress of the morning light.
In the early morning of summer, even before the sun comes out,
The air was quietly brewing with the scorching heat of the day.
No. 2, San Tiao Lane, Xi'anmen, in a slightly quaint study room.
Lu Yunyi leaned back on a carved wooden stool, his eyes closed, his brows furrowed, and his forehead soaked with cold sweat.
As the first ray of sunlight penetrated the tulle and entered the room,
A gentle touch brushed his cheek, and the summer heat surged up.
Lu Yunyi's eyelashes trembled slightly, and he slowly opened his eyes.
There was still a hint of haziness and sleepiness in his bloodshot eyes.
The residual effect of yesterday's drunkenness was still there, and a feeling of dizziness suddenly hit me.
He looked around, taking in the scattered light and shadows in the study, and the neatly arranged ancient military books.
The tense body slowly relaxed and he let out a long sigh.
In his dream, all the people he saw looked miserable, having experienced war.
It was missing some arms and legs, and the missing arms were embedded in the wall and were moving around.
"My lord, are you awake?"
Feng Yunfang, who was standing at the door, noticed the unusual movement and hurried over, taking a large glass of water from the square table next to him.
Lu Yunyi happily took the water, drank it all, and then asked:
"What time is it?"
"Reporting to the Lord, it is already Si time."
"It's already nine o'clock." Lu Yunyi muttered to himself.
Feng Yunfang looked confused.
Lu Yunyi gently kneaded his brows, feeling the shaking in his mind, and ordered:
"Prepare some breakfast, something simple and light, and also prepare some honey water."
"Yes!"
Feng Yunfang did not leave immediately, but took a booklet from the side, put it on the desk, and said respectfully:
"Sir, these are the land deeds and house deeds sent by Marquis Jingchuan, Marquis Dongping and other marquises this morning, as well as two large boxes of gold, silver and jewelry."
Puzzlement flashed in Lu Yunyi's eyes. He took the booklet and stared at it blankly.
After thinking hard for a long time, he finally remembered,
Last night I seemed to have promised some adults that I would help them teach their playboys.
"Yun Fang, who did I promise yesterday? Please help me think about it."
Feng Yunfang spoke quickly: "Sir, there are the sons of Marquis Dingyuan, Marquis Jingchuan, Marquis Dongping, Marquis Xiongwu, Marquis Yan'an, and Commander Geng.
And the distant cousin of Duke Wei,
As well as the sons and nephews of Lord Liu, Lord Wang, Lord Zhang, and Lord Yu of the Metropolitan Governor's Office."
"so much?"
Lu Yunyi's expression was calm at first, but gradually became strange. He looked at the thick book in his hand:
“Are these the rewards they give us?”
"My Lord, this is not a reward.
The gentlemen said that this is the betrothal gift for you and Madam Mu.
Teaching children is to select talents for the country, and the people in the army support each other, which cannot be measured by money. "
Lu Yunyi laughed:
"Who said these nice words? Isn't it normal to help them take care of their son and give some tuition?"
"Well, sir, you said it yourself."
The study suddenly became so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.
Feng Yunfang looked at the adult's stiff face and realized that he had said something wrong, so he quickly spoke:
"Sir, I will order the maids to come in and change your clothes."
After a busy period, Lu Yunyi finished washing up.
After putting on my comfortable black uniform again, I struggled for a while.
The dizziness in my brain eased a little, but my stomach felt empty.
He walked out of the study and headed quickly towards the inner hall where they had their meals.
The Lu Mansion is indeed very large. I just moved in yesterday when I was dragged out for a drink. I haven't had a good look around yet.
Now walking in it, Lu Yunyi actually felt a little relaxed and happy, and even the hot weather became cool.
After years of hard work and entrepreneurship, he finally owned a mansion in Beijing. It was hard not to be happy.
Walking through the corridor covered with green vines, Lu Yunyi arrived at the courtyard.
At a glance, I saw a dozen young people sitting on the ground.
"Already here?"
Feng Yunfang's eyes flashed with confusion, and he quickly shook his head: "Sir, there was no one just now."
At this time, the housekeeper Gu Chunzhu hurried over, with a respectful look on his face:
"Master, these young men have come here together, saying that they want to join the army with you to fight the enemy, and they also want to see you."
"When did you come?" Lu Yunyi asked.
"My Lord, a quarter of an hour ago, do you think we should put them in the side hall first?"
"Need not."
Lu Yunyi looked back and found a guard in his twenties among the guards. He ordered:
"Lu Kang, these young masters will be our army from now on.
Let them stand at attention first. If anyone disobeys, they will be severely punished according to military law."
"Yes!"
At this time, those "young masters" also cast their eyes over.
Seeing Lu Yunyi being treated like a star, he guessed who it was.
But among the more than ten people in the group, some stood up, while others remained sitting there.
What's worse, his posture became crooked, more unrestrained, and his expression was full of contempt.
Seeing this, Lu Yunyi smiled, turned back to look at Lu Kang, and reminded:
"They are all troublemakers. Practice well. You're welcome."
Lu Kang was very tall, standing out from the crowd of guards. He chuckled:
"Don't worry, sir. I promise to keep them obedient."
Lu Yunyi nodded, ignored it, and turned to look at Feng Yunfang:
"The brothers were drunk last night, and I think they were dizzy. I told someone to take some silver and go to the city to buy some hangover food and food to send over.
By the way, the weather is hot, buy some more fruits to cool you down, don’t let the brothers get a heat stroke.”
"Yes!" Feng Yunfang agreed.
Lu Yunyi suddenly realized something and was a little surprised:
"I've been dismissed from my position now. Can I still send things in?"
Feng Yunfang was also stunned, but he immediately remembered:
"Don't worry, sir. Yesterday, Duke Cao gave his badge to me. Even if I am dismissed, I can still enter Puzikou City."
"Wasn't he also dismissed?"
Feng Yunfang moved closer and lowered his voice:
"Duke Cao gave me a duke badge, which means I can go anywhere in Yingtian City."
Lu Yunyi raised his eyebrows and said, “He is really brave, he can give this thing away randomly.
By the way, was Duke Cao drunk yesterday? Did he make a fool of himself? Tell me about it.
"My Lord, this is not good."
"If there's anything wrong, tell me!"
(End of this chapter)