Chapter 14: One Article Shakes the World

  Admiring the height of the temple, sighing at the distance of the Jianghu road. The sky was just a little bright, and I heard the outside watchman shouting: "Half dawn, day and night have changed, five watches! When!"

  It was said that the third watch had arrived, and Chen Yunsheng, who was lying in the inn and sleeping soundly, quickly woke up and immediately got up. To say also pitifully, this small official from outside who came to take office couldn't get a good place to stay, so he hastily went around visiting various places, went to the Ministry of Official Personnel Affairs to exchange documents, and then threw himself into the inn.

  Although officials are high above the common people, they have to get up at two or three o'clock every day to change into court attire and wash. This early morning is not just a matter of saying hello, Chen Yunsheng opens his sleepy eyes, quickly washes and changes into a green official uniform.

  After everything was settled, he thought of going out as soon as he took a step. As soon as he pushed open the door, a gust of cold wind blew over, and his mind suddenly cleared up a bit. He slapped his forehead and said, "Almost messed up big time."

  Having said that, he turned around and went back into the house, walked to the desk, carefully picked up the two scrolls on the table, smiled slightly, and then went out again.

  There were many houses in the inn, but not many people lived there. Chen Yunsheng opened the door and found that several people had already mounted their horses outside. When they saw Chen Yunsheng come out, they nodded to him from a distance, which was considered a greeting.

  Chen Yunshang knew that these were all officials who had been granted an audience with the emperor, so he hastily rolled up his scroll and walked out of the door, mounting his horse.

  Just as Chen Yunshang was about to mount his horse, a shout of "qi yu" rang out. Chen Yunshang couldn't help but look over and saw that the sedan chair was for elderly officials, while most of the civil and military officials of the time were riding horses instead.

  The curtain was gently lifted, and the old man sitting inside saw Chen Yunsheng and shouted: "Stop"

  As soon as the voice fell, the two sedan chair bearers stopped and came down. An old man wearing a red changshan with a silver fish bag at his waist said: "Chen Mingfu, long time no see."

  "Ah, Liu Shijun, how come you're also staying here?" Chen Yunsheng dismounted his horse in a hurry after getting a clear look at the old man's appearance. The old man was actually Liu Changsheng, the governor of Wuzhou Prefecture on the Huainan Road. Although he was only a low-ranking governor, he still held a fourth-grade official rank. It was unexpected that he would also be staying in this humble lodge.

  "Xu Zei and Luo Zei have rebelled!" Liu Changsheng didn't say another word, and with just one sentence, he shocked Chen Yusheng.

  "What time?"

  Luo Ze wrote an article slandering Empress Tian, and at this time the article was already in Empress Tian's hands.

  "Ah!" Chen Yunsheng was shocked at once. Such a big thing, he didn't know anything about it, and it wasn't his fault either. He had rushed all the way here without having many opportunities to ask around.

  "Yun Sheng, what brings you here this time?"

  "Oh, the student has come to Beijing for a job interview. The court wants to transfer me to Huainan Road. I hope you will take care of me in the future, teacher."

  "Alas... there are many disputes on the Huainan Road, never mind... never mind..." Liu Changsheng waved his hand and turned to enter the sedan chair, which slowly drove away.

  Chen Yunsheng stood still, looking at the scroll in his arms and then at the sedan chair disappearing into the distance. After a moment of contemplation, he turned around and mounted his horse to continue on his journey.

  Chang'an's prosperity is indeed true. Before the fifth watch, when the night color has not yet dissipated, small vendors have already rushed to the market, and some households have even started cooking smoke.

  Chen Yunshang, however, didn't have the heart to appreciate these things. Before long, they arrived at the palace gates, looking up with a deep breath of admiration. If Tang Guan were here, he would surely be stunned. This was completely different from the ruined remains that had been restored after thousands of years.

  There is a poem as evidence: "The moon is bright and stands beside the Yuhe Bridge, half-opening the gate without releasing the morning", and another says: "On the fifth night of the new year, everyone walks in the dark and enters, meeting but not recognizing each other"

  The first sentence says that the ministers and officials arrived early, and in the evening they saw the magnificent palace, the Imperial Bridge and the Xuanmen Gate.

  The second says that when the civil and military officials arrived at the palace, they were all black-eyed, and familiar officials couldn't tell each other apart without a close look.

  It's a pity for these officials, the moat is in the way, and in this environment, one careless move will make them fall down. This kind of thing happened more than once in the previous dynasty, fortunately, this kind of undignified death can still be posthumously awarded as a martyr.

  There is another gate under the city wall. Let's put aside the details for now. We only see that civil and military officials are lined up, horses and sedan chairs have all been taken down, and there are special people to move them away.

  Chen Yunsheng stood at the back of the crowd, gazing at the few sedan chairs that had not yet landed in front of him. A look of envy flashed across his eyes. The people in the sedan chairs were all high-ranking officials, but they were also old and frail, and coming to court was just a formality for them.

  Chen Yunsheng also seemed not to be the first time to have a chance to attend the imperial court, in fact, according to his sixth-grade official position, he was not an official of the capital, this opportunity although rare, but it was not entirely non-existent.

  At this moment all the officials lined up, the city gate was opened wide, and the civil and military officials entered in an orderly manner, following various procedures, walking towards the imperial palace.

  It was early in the morning, and there were no lights or fires in the palace. The officials proceeded forward in the dark, feeling their way according to their ranks. Those who led the way were naturally the top-ranking officials, who were extremely familiar with the route and could have walked it with their eyes closed after decades of doing so.

  We say "the stinky Tang and the foul Han", referring to the poor moral character of these two periods, especially in the imperial court. However, the ancient Ming Palace, which has long been buried by history, is solemn and tranquil. Although there are crowds attending the morning court, not a single sound can be heard.

  First- to fourth-rank officials directly entered the Hall of Imperial Supremacy, while fifth-rank and lower officials lined up in rows outside the hall, still ranked by grade.

  They were all officials who had been granted permission to attend court and were not regular attendants of the fourth rank or higher, besides, even if they entered this place, there would be no room for them.

  If there is any important instruction inside, someone will naturally come out to pass it on. If the officials outside want to report something, they will also have the opportunity to go in.

  The palace was heavily guarded, Chen Yunsheng held the scroll in his hands, not hiding it at all. The guards were paying attention to him, but they didn't come forward to ask questions.

  At this moment, Chen Yunshang's heart was in a state of turmoil, unsure whether to surrender or not. Now that Li Jingye had truly rebelled, he would never be able to live in peace if he went to Huainan Road.

  The majestic Yuan Hall, towering and majestic, with dragon and phoenix carvings inside, tall pillars standing in rows. Those who can enter are at least titled as " Envoy" of the fourth rank, but now they dare not breathe loudly.

  Looking up at the dragon throne, there is no one above, but behind the dragon throne, there is a hanging curtain. The people who came to pay their respects today did not come to see the emperor, but rather the person behind the curtain, that is, the empress dowager!

  It's extremely terrifying now, normally as soon as they arrive, the inner guards order them to kneel down, but today it's quiet behind the curtain, as if no one exists, yet the faintly visible shadows make them not dare to lift their heads.

  Neither kowtowing nor speaking, which dynasty is this mourning for?

  Some ministers exchanged glances with each other, but none of them dared to speak up.

  "You little scamp!" A furious feminine voice suddenly came from behind the curtain.

  "We deserve to die ten thousand times!"

  "We deserve ten thousand deaths!"

  Although it's not clear why, this lifesaving phrase was born out of habit. It's strange to say, but the imperial court language that has been cultivated for generations is such that when a superior gets angry, the subordinate is guilty and deserves to die. This phrase is actually similar to the later internet slang "I bought a watch last year", both are habitual phrases.

  This shocked the minor officials outside, and seeing the big shots inside crying for mercy, they couldn't stand it anymore. Immediately, those outside the temple also knelt down in a heap.

  "We deserve ten thousand deaths!"

  "Bang!" A memorial flew out from behind the curtain, fell to the ground, and officials of a high rank immediately looked over, this one glance was not good, it could be said that their souls were frightened away.

  "A Declaration to the World on Behalf of Li Jingye"

  The words are scattered all over the chapter, and you can tell what's inside without even looking. Now it's already been buzzing that Zhong Zong has been abolished! Xiang Wang has ascended to the throne! Xu Jingye has rebelled!

  That scolding by Ruo Binwang is truly satisfying, listing Wu Zetian's crimes and punishments, writing that makes one's blood boil with indignation.

  But there is no way to refute it. The swallow pecks at the emperor's grandson, and the rise and fall of emperors all happen under everyone's eyelids.

  "Is there not one person who can stand up and say something in this grand hall?!" The woman's voice rang out again, but the ministers all remained silent. Lu Binwang's writing shocked the world, while Xu Jingye took advantage of the situation, with more and more rebellious officials gathering under his command.

  "A mere petty thief, daring to offend His Majesty's dignity! I, your old minister, have a plan that will annihilate him in an instant!"

  An elderly voice sounded, and among those present, only one official remained standing.

  All officials looked up and said in unison that it was indeed so. Now, only this Grand Councilor Pei Yan dared to come out and speak.

  "Is the old master's intention not enough to worry about?" The person behind the curtain saw Pei Yan speak up, and his tone also weakened a bit.

  "This defamatory article is indeed unbearable to hear, it can deceive some mean people, but it cannot deceive the hearts of all people. Now that the emperor is grown up, he does not involve himself in government affairs, Xu Jingye is nothing more than this. As long as Empress Wu lets Emperor Ruizong manage state affairs, they will be speechless, and the court will not lose a single soldier or general, and the rebels will disintegrate on their own."

  The person behind the curtain seemed startled by these words and wanted to speak but hesitated.