Chapter 17: Appointed as the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites (Part 2)

  "This is not, this should be fate, he deserved to be unlucky. That year, the emperor often dreamed of floods flooding Luoyang City. Zhang Heng came up with a plan, saying that Li Yuan was the flood, and the emperor's suspicious nature decided to execute Li Yuan. Unfortunately, human calculations are not as good as heavenly calculations. For this matter, Zhang Heng secretly spread a children's rhyme, which was "Sweep away the willow flowers, the emperor has no head". At that time, there were rumors in the court and in the countryside, and the momentum was created. Everything was ready, only waiting for the east wind. When Crown Prince Yang Guang reported this rhyme to the emperor, Li Yuan was scared half to death. However, this old man did a good job, and at that time, the middle-aged general Pei Renji quickly came out and pushed the disaster onto poor Li Hong's family. He said that Li Hong had a son named Li Hong, which should be referring to Li Hong's family. As soon as he spoke, the ministers fell silent, and everyone couldn't find a reason to argue back. The emperor also believed it, and then issued an edict to execute Li Hong and his 53 family members. Yuwen Shu only saved his useless nephew from Longyang. Today, the emperor ascended to the throne and granted amnesty to the world, pardoning his crime." Chen Chuan finished speaking and fell silent, eating his food with a vengeance, as if he was eating those annoying people."

  "Slander is secretly spread to harm the loyal and good, Li Hun is innocent but suffers the consequences!" After hearing the reason behind this, Xiao Shouren sighed, feeling a bit unjust for Li Hun, sympathetic towards Li Yu's misfortune, and even more fearful of Pei Renji's ruthlessness. What kind of person is this, who can sacrifice Li Hun and his family to protect Li Yuan? This was originally none of their business, how innocent they are!

  The two men were silent, and Xiao Shouren was the first to bid farewell. He guessed that it was time for him to pay his respects, and the eunuch who delivered the imperial edict would soon arrive at his small courtyard.

  Chen Chuan didn't try to stop him either. Xiao Shouren paid the bill and came down, rushing straight to his own small courtyard.

  It wasn't long after returning to the small courtyard that a eunuch arrived with an imperial edict. He was white and clean, somewhat old, surnamed Huang, and the younger eunuchs behind him called him Huang Gonggong.

  Xiao Shouren also followed the little eunuch's example, addressing this old eunuch as Huang Gonggong. As soon as this eunuch entered, his face was gloomy and Xiao Shouren knew that in these times, without money, it's hard to get things done. This eunuch who delivered imperial edicts saw the shabby little courtyard and immediately knew that there was no "grease" on Xiao Shouren's body. This thankless task instantly made the old eunuch's face turn sour like a bitter melon.

  Xiao Shouren calculated in his heart that he still had some silver on him, and there were a few hundred taels hidden inside the house. He took advantage of the opportunity to slip the old eunuch a ingot of white silver weighing about three taels when he shook hands with the old eunuch.

  This old man suddenly changed into a different person, in an instant he went from winter to spring, his eyes looked at Xiao Shouren with a completely different gaze, just like a wild cat that had arrived in the spring, making Xiao Shouren feel quite embarrassed.

  It's actually a helpless thing, the salaries of these royal family officials are not high, they have nothing to look forward to for the rest of their lives, no descendants of their own, just hoping that when they get old, they can eat well and dress well, enjoy the world and the red dust, so they are greedy for wealth, otherwise what's the point?

  This silver ingot is still very useful. Originally, Xiao Shouren was supposed to prepare the incense burner and tableware when he received the imperial edict, but now everything is simplified. In the words of the old eunuch Huang Gonggong, it's a time of war every day, where can you find these things? Besides, by the time you find these things, I'm afraid the emperor will have waited impatiently, and if you delay the imperial edict, you'll be guilty of disrespecting the emperor.

  So, Huang Gong hastily read out the imperial edict, and Xiang Shouren's first imperial edict came down like this.

  The imperial edict had many words, but the main idea was that Xiao Shouren should have an audience with the emperor at noon.

  Xiao Shouren did not dare to slack off, after sending away Huang Gong and the others, he hurriedly fetched a basin of water and washed his face properly. He didn't know if it was because he would see Yang Guang later or if he wanted to wash away the dark shadow in his heart from seeing the eunuchs.

  After tidying up his attire, Xiao Shouren set off and walked to the outer palace gate. The small eunuch at the gate examined the contents of the imperial edict before leading Xiao Shouren deeper into the mansion.

  Xiao Shouren finally knew what it meant to be like Liu Lao Lao entering the Grand View Garden, this time he had opened his eyes wide. The pavilions, corridors, kiosks, flower ponds, artificial hills and green waters inside were all so beautiful, so pleasing to the eye.

  Xiao Shouren has turned left and right so many times that he has forgotten how he got here. If he were to find his own way back now, he would definitely not recognize the road and get lost.

  The little eunuch took Xiao Shouren to the big eunuch, and the big eunuch took Xiao Shouren to the changing room, carefully stripping him naked for a thorough examination. Only after finding no weapons or similar items on his body did he feel at ease taking him to see Yang Guang.

  Yang Guang is in the Houyuan Tiger Roar Hall at this moment.

  In the main hall, there were not only Yang Guang alone, but also two old friends of Xiao Shouren. One was Zuoweiwei General Yuwen Shu, and one standing next to Yang Guang was that eunuch Huang who came to deliver the imperial edict. Another was a middle-aged man, born quite majestic, standing slightly lower than Yuwen Shu.

  Xiao Shouren came in and never looked up, he walked quickly forward as soon as he entered, knelt down and shouted "Long live the Emperor" three times, until Yang Guang called him to get up and speak that he dared to take a slight breath.

  That day under the city wall, he had also seen Yang Guang, but at that time he was half dead from exhaustion, and his situation did not allow him to be distracted. Moreover, since they were far apart, he couldn't see very clearly either.

  Xiao Shouren called him to get up and speak, and he took the opportunity to sneak a peek at Yang Guang, who was already a middle-aged man with a square face, a beautiful beard on his chin, and a typical handsome man. He wasn't wearing a dragon robe, but his clothes were extremely luxurious, embroidered with all sorts of things, with the sun and moon on his shoulders and the stars on his back. The crown on his head was even inlaid with twelve bright and shiny pearls, which should be night pearls, or at least definitely pearls, Xiao Shouren thought to himself.

  Yang Guang knew Xiao Shouren was sizing him up. When he stood up, he called Xiao Shouren to lift his head up.

  Xiao Shouren was very obedient, when Yang Guang told him to lift his head, he lifted it up obediently. But in the moment he did, Yang Guang was stunned instead.

  But just slightly stunned for a moment, then came back to himself, seemingly a little surprised.

  "Are you Xiao Shouren, who captured Yuchi Wende?" Yang Guang asked curiously.