Chapter 485 The Eve of the Coup (5k)
In the hotel room.
Zhao Duan, wearing a golden sword, crossed his legs and sat in the chair, stepping on Qin Qiu's head under his boots, looking weird.
"Who? Dare to attack an official? Let me go..." Qin Qiu was furious when he was stepped on. He tried to struggle, but was horrified to find that the boots on his head were surprisingly heavy, so he turned to ask for help:
"Why don't you knock this thief down?"
Outside the door, a group of subordinate officials came to their senses and tried to break in. Zhao Duan put a little force on his boots and said indifferently:
"Ask them to go downstairs and guard."
Qin Qiu screamed like a killing pig, and was so frightened that he immediately changed his words: "Get out of here! Go downstairs and wait for me! Hurry!"
This... a group of subordinate officials looked at each other and had no choice but to retreat.
"Close the door." Zhao Duan ordered leisurely. After the door was closed tightly, Qin Qiu, who was lying on the ground with his butt raised and his hands on the ground, said with a slight trembling:
"You must know that this is the capital."
Zhao Duan said calmly: "Answer my question first, are you a Jinyi from Zhao Yamen?"
Qin Qiu was stepped on the ground and could not see clearly what was going on in the room, but he was keenly aware that this person was not easy to mess with, so he hurriedly picked up the tiger skin:
"Although I'm not, but... I have a very close personal relationship with Zhao Shaobao, the Zhaoyamen."
"Zhao Shaobao?" Zhao Duan sneered:
"It turns out he is the treacherous minister's bastard. No wonder he acted arrogantly and bullied the market. He deserves to be killed."
In the room, the empress who was quietly watching the show glanced at him.
Oops... I pulled the wrong tiger skin... Qin Qi felt cold in his heart, complained secretly, and changed his words:
"However, the man named Zhao has been away from Beijing for a long time, and I have stopped interacting with him long ago. I am not familiar with him."
Zhao Duan rolled his eyes and was too lazy to talk to this little guy. He raised his feet:
"Really?"
"Yes, yes, I still have a personal grudge against the King of Hell, Zhao. He almost killed me back then, so please spare my life..." Qin Qiu got up little by little and looked up to see the appearance of this vicious man.
Immediately, he felt as if his throat was being strangled, his eyes widened in horror, as if he had seen a ghost.
I saw Zhao Duan tearing off his disguise mask casually, revealing his true face, with a half-smiling smile:
"Qin Qiu, Qin Qiu, do you still bear grudges against me?"
"Zhao...Brother Zhao?!" Qin Qiu's eyes were round and his throat was as thin as a drake. He rubbed his eyes fiercely and confirmed that the person in front of him was Zhao Duan. He was overjoyed at first, and then sweat poured down like a waterfall:
"No...no, I'm not...that..."
He was almost crying. His legs that he had just barely stood up fell to the ground, and his crotch was wet.
Zhao Duan pinched his nose and kicked him angrily:
"Okay, I've only been away from Beijing for a few months, but you bitch has started to act like a tiger and act arrogant."
Qin Qiu was kicked badly, but he burst into tears and laughed. He hugged Zhao Duan's thigh and started crying:
"Brother Zhao, you are back. I said that Ji people have their own destiny. I don't know how many people in the city are hoping that you will not come back. Only Qiu'er's loyalty will not change..."
< br>
He knew that if Zhao Duan wanted to kill him, he could just kick him to death, but he would immediately turn into a licking dog.
"Okay, let go of your hands, shut up and stop howling. If you reveal my identity, believe it or not, I will throw you into prison?" Zhao Duan looked disgusted.
Qin Qiu then let go, with snot and tears on his face, crying and laughing, and in high spirits:
"The capital said, brother, you are protecting His Majesty and avoiding the rebels. Why are you in the city?"
While he was talking, his big eyes noticed that a veiled and noble woman stood quietly in the room. She seemed to realize something and opened her mouth wide:
"Is this, Your Majesty... Your Majesty..."
"I ask, you answer." Zhao Duan interrupted him and asked coldly:
"Tell me everything you know about the current situation in the city."
"Yes!"
Qin Qiu was so angry that he didn't dare to breathe, his heartbeat was beating like a drum, and he immediately told him everything he knew, like beans poured out of a bamboo tube.
When he first fought against Zhou Cheng of Dali Temple, Qin Qiu was thrown into prison. After Zhou Cheng's fall, he went home to recuperate.
Then, as Zhao Duan's status rose, this bastard in the dandy circle also pretended to be powerful, but he became prosperous.
And because he hung out in the "Beijing Circle" composed of the powerful princes in the capital, he was well-informed. However, Zhao Duan from the province went out to look for someone, and the monarch and his ministers quickly got a general idea of the situation in the city.
"...So. Now Xue Shence has gone south to Linfeng Road to take charge of the overall situation and prepare to stop the rebels? And Qingzhou Heng Wang Chen Bing is dozens of miles east of the capital, on the border of Qingzhou? Was he blocked by the Beijing camp?"
< br>
Zhao Duan frowned: "What about the court? Who makes the decision?"
Qin Qiu said: "Master Dong is the leader, and court meetings are held almost every day these days. However, people in the government offices below are distracted, rumors are spreading among the people, panic is widespread, and prices are soaring.
The yamen was seriously short of manpower, so the imperial yamen delegated some power to some subordinate staff recruited temporarily to help with work. The villain received an errand to check the identity of people entering the city. ”
Zhao Duan sneered: "On an errand? You're taking advantage of the chaos to make money."
The dandy was lying on the ground, not daring to refute.
Zhao Duan was too lazy to pay attention to him. He turned around and exchanged glances with the empress. Both of them looked relaxed.
Although there was turmoil in Beijing, the functions of the imperial court continued as usual, and the worst did not happen.
Xu Zhenguan moved lightly, walked to the kneeling dude, and said majestically: "Has there been any change in the Prime Minister's lineage?"
No... if you ask him this, it's a bit over the top... Zhao Duan complained.
Qin Qiu hesitated for a moment, not daring to raise his head and said:
"Your Majesty, I don't dare to speak nonsense about the country."
He has confirmed the identity of the woman in front of him, his adrenaline is soaring, and he does not dare to exceed the rules in the slightest:
"But... I have been checking around the city these days, and I did find something. Yesterday, an unidentified person entered the city, and the relevant records of entering the city were erased. However, the people below witnessed that he was killed by a man from the old man's house in Xiaoge. The steward secretly picked him up...
Furthermore, a few days ago, farmers from the suburbs of Beijing came to the city one after another... At this time, it was quite abnormal. When the villain went to check, he found that these people did not look like farmers, but all looked like retired veterans. Like a pawn... More specific, but I dare not delve into it. ”
Zhao Duan and Xu Zhenguan were both stunned for a moment, their eyes focused at the same time!
Did this guy really make a discovery? Zhao Duan frowned:
"Didn't you report what you said to the imperial office?"
Since Qin Qiu received the errand, it stands to reason that he should summarize and report it to Ma Yan.
Why do you say "I don't dare to explore further"?
Qin Qiu choked and said cautiously: "The villain... I haven't had time to report it yet."
Oh, was it because I didn't have time, or was it because I was pretending to be blind and pretended I didn't see it? Zhao Duan sneered.
He knows this guy very well. After thinking about it for a while, he knows the whole story:
During Qin Qiu's inspection, he did notice something was wrong, but he deliberately concealed it because he was afraid of the prime minister's government and did not want to get involved in the bloody troubles at the top.
After all, the last Dali Temple case taught him a profound lesson.
This is a wise and prudent strategy for protecting one's self. Especially, the whereabouts of the empress and Zhao Duan are unknown, and Qin Qiu is extorting money at this time. Why doesn't he make a fortune as soon as possible and find a way to escape from trouble?
Since you have no confidence in the court, why should you report it? Just causing trouble?
Qin Qiu is like this, and the other subordinate officials in the city who are responsible for inspections and sharing errands may all have the same intention. In this case, the so-called inspections have become nothing more than an empty shell.
Ma Yan, who was in charge of the imperial office, had limited manpower, so he might not have noticed these secret changes.
In the final analysis, if the government machine is distracted, no matter how wise and capable the ministers sitting at the top are, they will become blind, deaf and dumb.
As for Qin Qiu's decision, one is because he wants to atone for his sins, and the other is that since the empress and Zhao Shaobao have returned, he naturally has no reason to run away.
"Li Yanfu..." The empress' heart sank.
"Your Majesty is worried that Li Dang is plotting secretly?" Zhao Du Anxin understood.
The empress nodded, then shook her head: "We need further confirmation."
Zhao Duan felt relieved and glanced at the henchman on the ground:
"You go first, do you know what to do?"
Qin Qiu’s blessing reaches the soul:
"The villain will deal with it and will never reveal any information related to His Majesty and Shaobao. He will just treat it as being driven out by two powerful men. If the villain leaks even a word, I will kill my whole family!"
"Go away." Zhao Duan said:
"Remember it when you go back. When the chaos in the city is over, I will send back the money of anyone you extorted intact, otherwise you will know the consequences."
"Yes! Don't dare to neglect!"
Qin Qiu was overjoyed, stuck his butt out, lowered his head and backed out the door. After closing the door, he let out a long breath and was almost soaked.
There was joy in his eyes, and he was a little proud:
Now in this city, I, Qin Qiu, am probably the only one who knows about His Majesty's return, right?
He walked downstairs triumphantly, faced a group of "outsourced employees" of the imperial office, and deliberately pretended to be depressed: "Let's go, let's go."
"Uh, Mr. Qin...that's what's upstairs..." someone asked.
Qin Qiu kicked him over and said angrily:
"You meet a noble person with a good background. Stop asking around, you can't afford to offend him. Be careful if you know too much, you will die without knowing how to die."
The subordinate officials no longer dared to ask any more questions.
When working in the capital, what these low-level officers are most afraid of is accidentally offending some powerful person. It is the basic rule not to inquire more.
……
inside the room.
"Your Majesty, what do you mean..." Zhao Duan closed the door and turned to ask. Xu Zhenguan thought for a moment, turned her white palms, and found a delicate leaf-like instrument in her hands.
She walked straight to the window, put the white porcelain "leaves" on her red lips, and played it gently.
There was no sound, but Zhao Duan clearly felt the slight waves in his heart.
Xu Zhenguan put down the blade instrument and looked at the street with lacquered eyes:
"This is a way to summon the secret guards in the city. I need more manpower to confirm the movements of Party Li."
Therefore, you have already had a channel to get the news... Zhao Duan sighed and said seriously:
"Your Majesty did not return with a big fanfare, but entered the city in a low-key manner first. He just wanted to find out first who are the restless people in the city who may be colluding with the rebels?"
Two words popped into his mind: fishing!
I thought to myself, could Zhenbao be planning to take the opportunity to fish? Catch all the unstable factors and hidden rebels in the DPRK and China?
"This is indeed a good opportunity, but if these people don't jump out in a short time, we can't keep waiting. If His Majesty doesn't show up, the local people's will to resist will not be strong enough." Zhao Duan analyzed calmly.
He believes that the current situation is not suitable for fishing.
Because the damage caused by continuing to hibernate may be greater than digging out some borers.
"No," the empress shook her head and looked at him with clear eyes:
"I will only hide in the city for one day at most. Tomorrow morning, no matter what the outcome is, I will enter the palace to 'go to court' to stabilize the situation.
Please...you...Collect_6Ⅰ9ⅠBookⅠ(Six\\\Nine\\\Book\\\!)
However, I really need this day to find out as much as possible who in the DPRK may be colluding with the rebels. So far, I can still afford to wait for one day. ”
One day...
Yes, if the Empress showed up immediately and sent people to investigate after she stabilized the situation, many traces would disappear.
Therefore, waiting one more day will not affect the overall situation, but can also try to detect hidden dangers in the DPRK and China.
After all, in many cases, the damage caused by a mole in the court is far greater than the loss of a city.
However, she didn't dare to wait any longer, so she chose to officially return early tomorrow morning.
"By the way, over there at Shenlong Temple..." Zhao Duan suddenly spoke.
Xu Zhenguan shook his head and said calmly:
"Xuanyin has left Beijing."
Zhao Duan was stunned. After Zhenbao entered the city, had he quietly used his spiritual consciousness to investigate it?
He stopped talking and waited for the Ouchi secret guards to appear. He looked out at the crowded streets, thinking that there should be no trouble on the last day.
……
……
Throughout the day, the capital remained as usual, with almost no one aware of the Empress' return.
After dusk, the number of people on the streets gradually dwindles, and as the smoke from the cooking pots disappears into the darkness one after another, night comes.
"Xiao Ge Lao" Li Yinglong and his two confidants were waiting quietly in the darkness, with a mixture of excitement and anxiety on his feminine face, and he couldn't help but wander around.
This is a secluded street, and his car is standing guard in front of a closed drug store.
Suddenly, the light came on in the medicine shop, and Old Xiaoge became energetic and walked over wearing a cloak.
In the thick darkness, the drug store door opened, and two figures walked out one after another.
One person is holding a lantern and following behind, with alert and fierce eyes. He is undoubtedly a master.
The man walking in front walked steadily, but his whole body was hidden in a dark hood.
"Father, everyone is here and waiting for you." Li Yinglong urged in a low voice.
The dim yellow lantern swayed, and Li Yanfu's majestic face was faintly revealed in the faint light:
The hair on the temples and the beard are connected together, as thick and stiff as a hedgehog's fur, and the lavender eyebrows are like two twisted scars, welded on the eye sockets, and the cold gaze sweeps across, making people tremble.
At this moment, Li Yanfu is no longer as old and weak as he is in front of outsiders? Clearly strong and healthy!
"Stop talking nonsense." Li Yanfu scolded expressionlessly, and stepped into the carriage, followed closely by Mr. Xiaoge.
Soon, the wheels were rolling, speeding along the cold streets that were almost covered with gauze.
In the carriage, a smile appeared on Li Yinglong's feminine face:
"If my father's attitude during the day was shown to outsiders, they would definitely not guess that you had already made arrangements."
Li Yanfu snorted. There was only an outline of his face in the darkness and he couldn't see clearly. His vague voice was deep and powerful:
"At this time, I don't know how many people in Beijing are staring at my father. It's hard to reach the sky if you don't want to show any flaws.
Therefore, the best thing is to be generous and show everything to them. ”
Li Yinglong smiled and said:
"What my father said is true. When our Li family slave comes to Beijing, he will always be watched. If he doesn't come, it will be false.
The more restless and angry I am outside, the more it seems that you are still unable to make a decision. Only in this way can you dispel the wariness of many people in the court and catch them by surprise. ”
Li Yanfu was too lazy to talk nonsense with him, and the old man's voice was a little ethereal in the darkness:
"Things are sealed. After tonight's gathering, I'm afraid it will no longer be possible to hide it."
Li Yinglong also fell silent for a moment and said seriously:
"But for such a big matter, if you, father, don't show up in person, I won't be able to control the situation and won people's trust.
But until tomorrow, there will be no need to cover up these things. We, father and son, have been acting for so long, I have been pretending to be the impetuous Mr. Xiao Ge for so long, and you have been pretending to be sick for so long, and it is finally over.
The empress was seriously injured and on the run, and the abominable Zhao Duan was not in the capital. In addition, Xue Shence, the biggest obstacle, was also forced to lead troops in Linfeng. Even the capital camp outside the city was held back by King Heng of Qingzhou...
It is simply a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. If you miss it, you will never have it again. ”
How could he be immature at this moment?
The ferocious look between the father and son's brows and eyes are completely carved out of the same mold.
……
"Xiangguo, here we are."
At this time, the carriage stopped in an alley. The father and son got out of the car and entered a yard in the alley.
When I pushed open the room with the windows covered with black cloth, I saw an entire room filled with people sitting around a table. The candlesticks on the table spread dim candlelight.
The faces in the room were reflected, most of them were the mainstays of the "Li Party" and powerful officials in charge of a government office in the court.
There were also a few unfamiliar faces, and the appearance of two of the generals must have been particularly familiar to Zhao Duan if he were here.
Astonishingly, he was the commanding military attache of the Jinwu Guard and the Qianniu Guard among the "Twelve Guards" of the imperial army that guarded the imperial city!
"Prime Minister!"
"The Prime Minister is here!"
Everyone in the room stood up one after another, looking excited.
Li Yanfu stepped into the door, lifted his hood with both hands, and smiled slightly:
"Everyone, take a seat. Those who can gather here tonight are all brothers and sisters, so there is no need to be polite."
“You’re welcome, Prime Minister!”
When everyone sat down and formed a circle, Li Yanfu, who was sitting in the main seat, lowered his eyes, looked at the map of the entire capital spread on the table, and said calmly:
"Don't delay the party for too long tonight. The truth is that there will be no nonsense.
Now everything is ready. Tomorrow morning, when the ministers gather in the palace, we will raise troops in the name of "Qingjun Side". At that time, the imperial guards in the palace will patrol the main entrance, and it will be Kingo and Qianniu..."
The two commanders whose names were called straightened their backs - they were a little nervous, but there was no fear in their eyes.
The empress disappeared, and five rebel armies approached the capital. Anyone with a discerning eye knew that the Yu Kingdom was about to change its master again.
At this time, they believed that it was a wise move for them to seek refuge in Huai River and establish the "Li Party" supported by the family.
As long as he takes control of the capital and then selects a prince to assist him in ascending the throne, it is the power of Conglong!
"...At that time, the Prime Minister will personally lead his troops into the palace, control Dong Xuan, Yuan Li and others, and take control of the Xiuwen Pavilion.
Now that the court has no owner, all orders in the city are controlled by the Xiuwen Guan. As long as he has control of this new cabinet, the prime minister can immediately borrow the power of the cabinet to control the defense of the capital. When the time comes, everyone will work together to provide support, and we will succeed! ”
Li Yanfu pressed his hand hard on the "Imperial Palace" on the map and spoke in a deep voice.
Everyone in the gathering was refreshed, and they put their palms on Li Yanfu's hands one after another, and stacked them into a high pile.
Finally, Li Yanfu placed his free hand on the top of the "Palm Mountain" and pressed hard:
"After tomorrow, a mark will be left in history. There was the Xuanmen coup three years ago, and tomorrow, there will be the 'Qingjun Change'!"
……
……
The same night, Zhao Zhai.
The night was as cool as water, and the entire Zhao family residence was quiet. The only sound was the chirping of insects in summer, and the silent noise of flying insects hovering next to the bamboo strips lanterns on the eaves.
Eugene Flower was wearing a silk lining and emerald green embroidered shoes. The white and red back half of her feet were exposed, almost pulling on the shoes.
Holding an exquisite lotus lantern in his hand, he pushed the door open and walked out of the bedroom, arriving at the steps under the eaves of the back house.
She bit her plump lips and carefully covered her daughter with a thin blanket in her hand, who was holding her knees on the steps of the corridor. She was also wearing single clothes and looking at the few dim stars in the night sky in a daze.
"Mom?" The girl Zhao Pan turned her head and murmured softly.
……
Typos help to catch bugs
(End of chapter)