Chapter 41: The Emperor and His Ministers Have Already Met with the Time (41)

Luo Xiuyuan was not in the palace. He was a very idle emperor. Shen Minghuan took over the memorials that he was supposed to review. Since the palace examination, he had no official duties.

He even lived a more relaxed life than when he was the crown prince or the King of Ling. At least at that time, he had to plan for the throne.

But he was still an ambitious emperor. He could not be idle. He had to create work even if he had no work.

So he decided to leave the palace to understand the people's sentiments and listen to the people's voices.

Of course, there was another more important reason - someone asked him to meet, using the information channel when he was the King of Ling.

Gu Chenglin and He Zhang decided to assassinate Shen Minghuan because they knew that Luo Xiuyuan was leaving the palace today.

The emperor's departure from the palace was a big deal. Even if the guards of the palace would not be weakened because of this, there would be an extra loophole. In addition, the guard commander was his adopted son and had no defense against him at all, so it was easier for him to come in than he thought.

It was precisely because his sudden impulse was too sudden, otherwise, if Luo Xiuyuan knew a word, he would have stopped him long ago.

"Chen Xiaoyu, go out and ask them to leave. Don't gather here. I'm fine." Shen Minghuan said.

Chen Xiaoyu hesitated for a moment, replied "yes", and took the order.

He Zhang watched Chen Xiaoyu leave, and listened to the footsteps of the crowd outside walking away in an orderly manner, and tightened his hand holding the weapon.

"You hate me so much, General He?" Shen Minghuan keenly noticed the other party's movements, thinking, "I have heard of you. It is said that your family was killed by evil people, and the late emperor avenged you, so you are so loyal."

"Ah, then I am the evil person in your mind now. If someone kills me, wouldn't you be so devoted to that person?"

Lu Suiping, who was walking to Gu Chenglin to explain to him, trembled in his heart, and inexplicably had some bad premonitions, which made him extremely scared, "Prince, what are you thinking about?"

"Thinking... Well, nothing." Shen Minghuan said absent-mindedly.

"Lord Lu?" Gu Chenglin frowned, "Chang Mao?"

Didn't you say that there was something important to tell him? Why are you in a daze before you even start talking?

"General." Chen Xin walked out from behind Shen Minghuan, looked at the mess on the ground, and closed his eyes as if he was stung.

Isn't this person in front of him a porcelain of Daqi? Precious, priceless, and a treasure, but fragile.

This was the first time he had entered this man's life, which was full of dangers. He was passionate and enthusiastic when the storm started, but he felt scared when it ended. He looked pale and forced a smile, "Come with me, I'll explain it to you."

Chen Xin pulled Gu Chenglin and He Zhang to the door and whispered, while Lu Suiping tried desperately to find the reason for the strange premonition in his heart.

Chang Mao bowed to Shen Ming in silence: "Your Majesty, His Majesty invites you."

"You are so strange, does Luo Xiuyuan have a magic that can change his personality?" Shen Minghuan was very curious.

The taciturn Lu Suiping became talkative, and the energetic Chang Mao was depressed. No, maybe it would be more appropriate to describe him as calm? Even Qu Zhengcheng didn't like to wear night clothes anymore.

Shen Minghuan nodded to himself, worthy of being the protagonist, not only improving himself, but also driving the growth of those around him.

Shen Minghuan was just teasing, not necessarily getting an answer. Seeing that Chang Mao was still silent, he said tolerantly, "Lead the way. I just happen to have something to say to His Majesty."

Chang Mao glanced at him, lowered his head and bowed, then slightly turned sideways to lead the way.

He was very serious and looked very reliable, just like a different person. Shen Minghuan sighed in his heart.

Without Shen Xiaoan's nagging, Shen Minghuan rode on the horse as he wished.

Lu Suiping and Chen Xin, two civil servants who could not ride and shoot, followed behind in a carriage. I don't know why Luo Xiuyuan wanted to see Shen Minghuan and the two of them followed.

Daqi has been in turmoil during this period, but these turmoil was confined to the high attic and did not affect the people downstairs who were happy, angry and sad about firewood, rice, oil and salt.

When Shen Minghuan just came back, it was the first snow in Yanling. Now two months have passed quickly, and it will be the New Year in ten days.

This is only once a year, and no one wants to have regrets. Even if they feel that there are more soldiers on the streets this year, which adds a bit of solemnity, some people still walk out of their homes with courage.

People live in groups because they are good at drawing courage from their companions and relatives.

The streets gradually regained the liveliness of previous years.

Later, the court issued the Equal Land Order and sent people to read it to them word by word. Now the first batch of people who were drawn by lot have been allocated farmland, and those people are so happy that they have to look at it more than ten times a day even if it is not time to sow.

Although others are envious, it can be expected that they will definitely have their own fields before the ice and snow melt and the earth warms up next year.

Perhaps because the good days are visibly approaching, even the stingy people have become more generous this year, and they all want to buy more New Year goods and celebrate well.

So there are more people on the street.

As soon as Shen Minghuan appeared on a tall horse, the pedestrians on the street retreated to both sides in panic, and the originally narrow street was forcibly opened up a wide avenue.

Shen Ming was delighted: Is there such a benefit?

He has never been patient and hates meaningless waiting. The thought of being squeezed in the middle and unable to move is disturbing.

The cheers and shouts of the ignorant people came from afar, and the surroundings became quiet for no reason. The whispers on the roadside were like buzzing insects, and listening to them made him feel uncomfortable.

Chen Xin couldn't bear it anymore and brushed open the curtains, and was about to rush out to stop those ignorant people regardless of everything.

It's not like that!

You don't know anything, why do you say that to him!

You are the people he carefully protects under his wings. Those corrupt officials and powerful families can scold him and poke his spine and say that he is cruel, but how can you?

If you say that... that person... will be so sad...

Lu Suiping held Chen Xin's wrist and closed the curtains again without any objection.

Chen Xin's eyes widened, clearly showing anger, but his eyes unconsciously turned red, "Brother Lu, why did you stop me?"

The curtain swayed as the carriage moved, and the elegant figure in front of the right side appeared and disappeared from time to time.

Lu Suiping shook his head and pointed at Shen Minghuan outside the gap: "Look."

Shen Minghuan would turn his head to look at the people around him from time to time, and they could see the man's expression.

His eyebrows were gentle, and the corners of his mouth were slightly raised. He looked very leisurely. If you get along with him for a while, it is easy to see that this person is happy at the moment.

Happy——

Is it because you see that the people live and work in peace and contentment, and have enough food and clothing? It doesn't matter even if you are misunderstood.

This person really... loves this land.

Chen Xin raised his wide sleeves to cover his face. He clenched his teeth and cried silently.

*

Shen Minghuan rode slowly and leisurely, and could see the wine flag of Yingzuilou fluttering in the wind from afar.

The closer he got to Yingzuilou, the more people there were on the street, but this had no effect on Shen Minghuan - they still avoided him like snakes and scorpions, and Shen Minghuan's way forward was always wide and unobstructed.

Suddenly, a trembling old man rushed out from the side of the road. He was very old, with a bent back and gray hair. After just a few steps, he stopped and began to pant slightly.

He was the image that could most resonate with and pity others. At this moment, he stood in front of the convoy with a cane, quickly attracting the attention of everyone present.

The old man knelt in front of the tall horse and cried, "Sir, I beg you, let my son come back for the New Year, please be kind, please."

The old man's face was full of wrinkles, and tears kept flowing, making him look even more pitiful. He kowtowed with difficulty, crying non-stop.

The whispers on the roadside became louder.

"Ah, I know him. He is the old man Liu next door. He has only one son. He joined the army and has not even married yet."

"Why do you say that there are wars every day? We fought against Li Lan before and finally won. Now we have to fight the bandits again. When will this war end?"

Someone in the crowd shouted: "Withdraw! Don't fight anymore. Let our good boys come back!"

Someone took the lead, and then others followed:

"Yes, don't fight anymore. Fighting will kill people. Let this old man's son go home!"

"My son is also in the Zhenbei Army. Sir, please don't let him go to war again."

Some people also held opposing views:

"We can't retreat. Have you all forgotten how the bandits treated us before? They slaughtered a city of ours before! We have a deep hatred and cannot reconcile!"

"My grandfather was killed by them. They are devils and cannibals."

"You said that was a thing of the past. Now they dare not come to our Daqi."

"That's right. You can only say that because you don't have children in your family to join the army. Look how pitiful that old man is."

"It's almost the New Year now..."

The two words "New Year" seem to always arouse people's melancholy. The more the family reunites, the more they cannot tolerate any flaws.

The opponents were weak to begin with, and they were speechless when the big killer came out.

Shen Minghuan was riding on a tall horse. Compared with the old man kneeling on the ground, he should have been the stronger party.

However, Gu Chenglin, Lu Suiping and others who knew the inside story looked up at him and felt that Shen Minghuan's figure was particularly thin in the midst of thousands of people pointing fingers.

From beginning to end, he was alone, walking alone in this muddy and turbid world.

The chaos was broken by the cry of a child: "Mom, I want my brother, I want my brother..."

"Don't cry! Mom told you that your brother died in the war and he can't come back!" There was also an unignorable sadness in the woman's cold voice, and the child cried even louder.

Shen Minghuan was silent for a moment, turned over and got off the horse, slowly walked to the old man, bent down and helped the old man up in the tense eyes of everyone, "Old man, I..."

He said bitterly: "I will do my best to get your child back. Starting from next year, he can spend every year with you."

"Are you serious?" The old man excitedly held Shen Minghuan's hand.

"Really." Shen Minghuan looked at him gently: "I promise you."