Vendetta

Chapter 74

The little eunuch in the palace knelt on the ground and kowtowed to Yan Zhu, "Third Highness, there is no one in charge in the palace, and everything is messed up. Eunuch Zhao is in a hurry to send the young one to invite you."

Fu Ling asked, "Is there no other empress in the palace?"

"Concubine Han has doted on the harem for many years, and no new prince has been born for many years. Most of the other concubines in the harem are not favored and have low status," Yan Zhu said, "Please be safe, father-in-law, and I will enter the palace immediately. "

The little eunuch took the order to go down, Li Zhong responded and opened the door to come in.

"Let the imperial army seal the city immediately, seal the second prince's mansion, and control all people who have contacts with the second prince on weekdays, and immediately send people to find the whereabouts of the second prince, fourth prince, and Concubine Han. Those who can be caught alive Those who are caught alive, those who cannot be caught alive..." Yan Zhu's tone cooled down, and he said: "Kill them on the spot."

Li Zhong responded: "This subordinate obeys orders."

Fu Ling in the room heard the movement, got up unsteadily by herself, got out of bed, and was about to go to the outer room wearing only one coat.

Yan Zhu got up immediately, pulled him back into the room, and said, "Why are you up? Sleep for a while..."

"Are you still sleeping? I heard it all inside. How can I sleep when such a big event happened?" Fu Ling rubbed her eyes and began to put on her outer robe. "I will enter the palace with you."

Yan Zhu took over and straightened the skirt for him, saying: "Okay."

There was no one in charge in the palace, and Zhao Fu'an, the great eunuch next to the emperor, was obviously not enough. The maids and eunuchs walked back and forth in a panic, in a very chaotic manner.

Yan Zhu sat in the center of the hall and said: "Seal the royal father's bedroom, and no one is allowed to enter or leave. Anyone who trespasses will die; everyone in the palace will stay in place, and those who wander around will die; let everyone approach the mouth. Those who dare to reveal half of it and chew their tongues indiscriminately will die."

When he spoke, the aura of being a king was undoubtedly revealed.

Yan Zhu turned his head, saw Fu Ling's face was a little dazed, he smiled and said: "Are you scared?"

"How is it possible? I'm the King of Hades," Fu Ling recovered, tugged Yan Zhu's sleeve, flattered her very naturally, "I think you are so wise and powerful."

Yan Zhu smiled, and the gloom in her heart became a little less.

The emperor was lying on the couch, and had been dead for a long time, but no one dared to touch him, the body remained the same, and there was a sandalwood box by his hand, the box was tipped over, and the medicine inside spilled all over the floor.

The old eunuch Zhao Fu'an said: "Your Majesty didn't get up for a long time today, and the slaves called out a few times, but they didn't get an answer from His Majesty, so they went in to check. I didn't expect..."

Zhao Fu'an lowered his head, with tears in his cloudy eyes. When the emperor was still a prince, he had been serving him all the time. He thought that he would not be able to serve him for a few more years because of his age. Who would have thought that the emperor would be one step ahead of him? gone.

Yan Zhu's face was gloomy, and he asked: "Who was the last person Father saw yesterday?"

The old eunuch Zhao Fu'an said: "If you go back to your highness, you haven't seen anyone since your highness yesterday. Your majesty's dragon body is not in good condition, so he went to bed early."

Fu Ling asked, "Did you eat anything in the end?"

Zhao Fu'an pondered for a while and said: "Concubine Han Guifei sent someone to deliver soup at night."

Yan Zhu frowned: "What soup? Bring it up and ask the imperial physician to have a look."

The soup was put aside, there was still half a bowl left, the imperial doctor sniffed it carefully, and then took out a silver needle to test the poison.

Yan Zhu asked: "What soup is it? Is it poisonous?"

"Non-toxic." The imperial physician took a look at Yan Zhu's face and wiped off the sweat before saying, "It's a bowl of old ginseng soup."

"Drinking old ginseng soup in summer, ordinary people can't stand it, let alone father?" Yan Zhu said angrily, "When things are delivered, don't you know what they are?"

The court ladies and eunuchs beside the emperor immediately knelt on the ground, Zhao Fu'an said: "Concubine Han's gifts have always been sent directly to the emperor, and it has been like this for so many years, this..."

Yan Zhu put his hand on his forehead, he sat down on the chair, and said wearily: "Forget it, I got it, let's prepare for the burial."

"Yes."

The emperor went into the coffin first, but it was too late to be buried. Yan Zhu took out the imperial edict, and became the new king in a clear and right way. With the assistance of the Prime Minister Hu's family, the situation in the court was stabilized.

Yan Zhu succeeded to the throne in a hurry, and before the enthronement ceremony, the first thing to do was to solve the problem that the former emperor had never encountered in his life-the Northwest army suppressed the border.

Yan Zhu was wearing a bright yellow dragon robe and a twelve-pronged crown on his head. He was sitting on the dragon chair at the moment, with sword eyebrows and starry eyes, not angry but majestic.

Yan Zhu glanced at Manchao civil and military, and his tone sank: "Why, Manchao civil and military, there is no one who can command the west?"

"Your Majesty," the Minister of the Ministry of Officials took a step forward and said, "In the past, culture was more important than military affairs. Most of the court officials were Chinese officials, and most of the generals guarded the border. It may be too late to mobilize for a while. Moreover, the person in charge should be familiar with the Northwest, so that he can The odds of retreating from the enemy."

Hubu Shangpin said: "Chen Shangshu is right, besides, these treasuries are tight, this battle must be resolved quickly, otherwise food and military salaries will be difficult to support."

Yan Zhu closed his eyes and asked, "If the Hu people attack, how long can the northwest frontier defense resist?"

Hu Wenyou replied: "Half a month, no more than [-] days at most."

Yan Zhu took a deep breath and felt a headache.

In the past 20 years of his father's reign, the national power has not advanced but retreated. He has indulged the martial arts in all corners of the country to collect money everywhere. Corruption of officials is common. The treasury cannot collect money, so it is naturally tight. The floor tiles in the palace are broken and there is no money to repair them. Not to mention strengthening border defense.

As soon as he succeeded to the throne, the hidden dangers of Rouran Sixteen Departments broke out. How will such a big mess end?

After retreating from the imperial court, Yan Zhu still didn't make a list of regulations. Yan Zhu sat in the imperial study, looking at the mountain of memorials, he couldn't help rubbing his temples.

Fu Ling lay on top of him, squeezed his shoulders, and leaned closer and said, "I'll go."

Yan Zhu was startled: "What?"

Fu Ling walked in front of Yan Zhu, and said seriously: "I'll help you pacify the northwest."

Yan Zhu said without hesitation: "No."

"Why not?" Fu Ling said, "I am familiar with the Northwest, I can speak nonsense, and I have been to Rouran Sixteen Departments, no one is more suitable than me."

"But you have never led troops to fight," Yan Zhu shook his head, and said: "The battlefield is changing rapidly, and I am not at ease if you are not fighting alone."

"But it will be too late when the barbarians call!" Fu Ling said anxiously, "The second prince doesn't know where he has gone yet, you have to sit in the middle of the capital, you can't get away, and all the civil servants in the court are powerless. , I can only move my mouth, if I don’t go, who else can go?”

Fu Ling lowered her tone and said, "Yan Zhu, I said before that I will do my best to help you, don't you believe me?"

Yan Zhu sighed slightly, and said, "It's not that I don't believe you, I'm just worried about you."

Fu Ling smiled and said, "Don't worry, I will definitely come back victorious!"

Yan Zhu smiled slightly, and kissed Fu Ling's forehead, with reluctance in his eyes: "I hope you can return safely, don't fight hard, if you are really lost, come back, even if the barbarians come to the capital..."

"They won't come to the capital," Fu Ling said firmly, "You protect the world, and I protect you."

Yan Zhu took a deep breath, pulled Fuling into her arms, and said in a trembling tone, "...Okay."

On the court hall, Yan Zhu sat on the dragon chair, and said loudly: "I have made a decision, appoint Ye You as the Grand Marshal of Zhenxi, and immediately lead [-] troops to the northwest to fight against the enemy!"

Fu Ling walked to the middle of the main hall, exchanged a glance with the person on the dragon chair, and then half-kneeled respectfully: "I obey the order."

No one in civil and military circles in the Manchu Dynasty had ever heard of the name "Ye You", but the person in the center of the hall was dressed in black, with a black scabbard sword on his back, with a handsome appearance, but he was still a young man who was not as weak as a crown.

Immediately, someone raised an objection: "Your Majesty, this person is still young, and I am afraid that such a big task..."

Before Yan Zhu opened his mouth, Fu Ling said, "There are twelve military officers in the hall, am I right?"

Minister of the Ministry of War said: "It's not unusual to find out about this matter once you investigate it."

"But there are fifteen people who practice martial arts. Whether or not they practice martial arts can be seen from their posture and behavior," Fu Ling smiled. Let's compete with me to see if I am qualified to be a marshal."

Minister of the Ministry of War said: "One enemy is fifteen, you are too arrogant."

Fu Ling smiled, and looked at Yan Zhu: "What does Your Majesty think?"

Yan Zhu smiled slightly: "Very good."

The imperial court does not punish generals, and there are families of military generals, but the imperial court is still relatively peaceful. Now that there has been no war for 20 years, it is inevitable that it will be more comfortable. How is it like the rivers and lakes are full of dangers?

Fu Ling has mastered "Twelve Heavy Golden Swords" to a high degree of proficiency, and there are very few people in the whole world who can match it. The general who shuttles through the battlefield at the border is still capable of fighting, but the defense officers in the capital are not enough.

As soon as the Dragon Tooth Knife came out, it exuded the evil spirit of being proudly born in the world. Compared with it, other swords and swords were like small fish and shrimps, and there was no comparison.

The 15 people were divided into several rounds, and the siege was fruitless several times. The pitch-black dragon tooth knife came and went freely, but it was too late, and the 15 people were convinced in the battle.

With a smile in Yan Zhu's eyes, he nodded and asked: "Ye You is not only strong in martial arts, he is also proficient in Hu language, familiar with the terrain in the northwest and the situation of Rouran Sixteen Departments, he is the best choice for cherishing the Generalissimo, Ladies and gentlemen, do you still have any objections?"

The crowd had nothing to say, they all knelt down and said in unison: "Your Majesty is wise."

Li Zhong, who was beside Yan Zhu, walked up to Qian and handed the tiger talisman to Fu Ling.

Fu Ling took it solemnly with both hands, and knelt down on one knee: "I will live up to your majesty's trust!"

On the second day, Fu Ling was wearing silver armor, sitting on the black horse he had brought back from the northwest. The silver armor was shining brightly, and the young man's eyes were extremely determined.

The army behind has been counted and ready to go.

Fu Ling turned her head, Yan Zhu stood on the tower looking at him.

With the army behind and the long battlefield ahead, the young marshal who put on his military uniform for the first time turned his head, his clear willow-leaf eyes curled up, he waved his hand, and smiled brightly at his sweetheart on the tower.

The road ahead is long and the mountains and rivers are thousands of miles away. You protect the world and I protect you.