Chapter 27: Deceiving Xianfeng

  Early morning, the sun just rises.

  Qishan and his party continued on their journey, heading towards Beijing.

  Guldu and Zhilan both found that He Ming was missing, but they didn't ask any questions and continued on their way in silence. Due to the argument last night, Li Zhen and Zhilan didn't speak to each other again.

  After more than half a month of traveling, they arrived in Beijing.

  Entering the capital, Zilan bid farewell to Qishan and left with reluctance.

  Qishan brought Li Zhen to stay at the post house, and Huang Shi-hai bid farewell to Li Zhen to visit his fellow apprentices in Beijing. After Qishan stayed at the post house, he handed over the memorial and waited for Emperor Xianfeng's summons. At noon, just as Li Zhen and Qishan were about to have lunch, an imperial edict arrived, ordering the two men to enter the palace for an audience.

  Li Zhen hadn't eaten a mouthful of rice, his stomach was growling with hunger, and he silently cursed Xianfeng, but the eunuch who had been leading the way to the Forbidden City took off. After entering the Forbidden City, the eunuch no longer led the way, instead, a eunuch about thirty years old, with a pale face, led the two of them on their way.

  The eunuch led the two into the imperial city with a sweep of his sleeve, his expression stern.

  Neither of them spoke, and the atmosphere was very tense.

  Li Zhen saw Qi Shanzhang only followed behind Han Laiyu, but didn't speak, and also didn't give him any money. He secretly thought that Qi Shanzhang was an old fox. Li Zhen helplessly took out six one-thousand-tael silver notes from his pocket and stuffed them into Han Laiyu's hand, smiling and saying: "Sir, this is a meeting gift from my family's elder to you, please accept it."

  "Alright, alright!"

  The middle-aged eunuch's tense face broke into a smile, his eyes narrowing to slits as he nodded in satisfaction. After a pause, the eunuch continued in a soft voice: "My humble name is Han Laiyu, and I am one of the emperor's personal attendants, honored to hold the position of Chief Eunuch of the Qianqing Palace."

  Li Zhenxin was shocked and did not expect that this eunuch in front of him was a big shot.

  Li Zhen's face piled up with a smile, and he said with a flattering tone: "Lord Han is in charge of the Qianqing Palace every day to serve the emperor, and sees the emperor's face every day, making us envy."

  Han Laiyu heard this and a happy smile also appeared on her face.

  In this world, thousands of things can be penetrated, but horse fart is the only thing that cannot be penetrated.

  Han Laiyu, although his body was broken, could see the emperor every day. The generals and ministers in the court were powerful, but they also had to fawn on him. Han Laiyu felt pleased in his heart, and his mouth began to loosen, saying: "The emperor has summoned you, and the people in the imperial kitchen are preparing lunch. The emperor is in a great mood today, and he may let you have lunch in the palace, what a stroke of luck!"

  Li Zhen immediately said: "If it weren't for your guidance, our family's elders would still be in the dark, relying on your help."

  Han Laiyu saw Li Zhen was quite talkative and smiled, asking: "Are you Li Zhen?"

  Li Zhen paused for a moment, his face showing a look of surprise, and asked incredulously: "Could it be that the Duke also knows the name of Mo Jiang?" His tone was filled with delight and astonishment.

  Such a tone and expression made Han Laiyu extremely satisfied, feeling very relieved in her heart.

  Han Laiyu smiled and said: "Our family also knew it when the emperor mentioned it."

  Li Zhen said, "To have the Emperor mention my humble name is truly a blessing from our ancestors." As they say, speak to people in their own language, and speak to ghosts in theirs. Li Zhen's words were smooth as water, and he chatted with Han Laiyu with great ease. After passing by several palaces, the three of them arrived at the grand hall where Xianfeng had his meals. Han Laiyu went inside, leaving Qi Shan and Li Zhen standing outside.

  Qishan said in a low voice, "Li Zhen, thanks to you today." However, Qishan was calm and composed, with an air of self-satisfaction, and didn't take Han Laiyu seriously at all.

  Li Zhen said in a low voice: "The adults have gained benefits, can they still reduce the younger generation?"

  Qishan smiled and nodded, no longer speaking.

  Qi Shan was very pleased with Li Zhen's generous behavior. He had not accepted the six thousand taels of silver that Li Zhen had submitted earlier, and now it had been transferred to Han Laiyu, which showed Li Zhen's loyalty.

  Before long, Han Laiyu came out and let them in.

  Qishan entered and immediately went to Xianfeng to pay his respects with a kneeling bow.

  Li Zhen stood still, staring blankly at Xianfeng.

  At this time, Xianfeng had been on the throne for only three years, but his body was very poor, his complexion looked pale and weak, with bloodshot eyes, and even his face was slightly swollen, giving people a sickly feeling. In Li Zhen's heart, he was secretly wondering if Xianfeng had indulged in the harem too much, leading to kidney deficiency.

  Suddenly, Li Zhen felt his waist clothes being pulled, and it was Qishan signaling Li Zhen to pay respects. Li Zhen secretly said that he only kneels to the dead, then with a thud, he knelt on the ground, knocking his head: "Your humble servant Li Zhen, has seen Your Majesty."

  Qishan felt a pang in his heart, for he had once been in Li Zhen's situation.

  The first time I met the emperor, I was a bit nervous.

  However, Qi Shan didn't know that Li Zhen wasn't afraid, but rather doing it on purpose. Because Xianfeng had an impression of Li Zhen, now seeing him lost in thought, he must have been interested, so Li Zhen deliberately slowed down half a beat.

  Xianfeng's gaze fell on Li Zhen, his face without anger, instead smiling and asking: "Are you Li Zhen? Qi Shan's memorial said your marksmanship is accurate, killing Yang Zhengqing and Li Yongbao. Today, seeing me, why did you suddenly become stunned? Is it that I look ugly? Unbearable to the eyes, frightening you?"

  Li Zhen knocked his head on the ground and explained: "I report to Your Majesty, I followed the master back to Beijing, thinking that I would see Your Majesty, my heart was extremely excited. Today, seeing Your Majesty's face, my heart is extremely excited, so I lost my manners. I deserve to die ten thousand times, please punish me, Your Majesty." Li Zhen knelt on the ground, calling himself a slave again and again, but in his heart he thought that he would change this title sooner or later.

  Calling oneself incompetent is actually self-deprecation.

  Xianfeng listened to Li Zhen's words and immediately asked, "You've been thinking about seeing me every day, now that you suddenly see me, is it not a bit disappointing compared to what's in your mind?"

  Han Laiyu's eyebrows furrowed, and he immediately tensed up.

  If this sentence is answered incorrectly, it would indeed be an affront to heaven.

  Qishan also became nervous and worried about Li Zhen.

  Li Zhen replied loudly: "I have seen the Emperor, my heart is still surging with excitement, I feel hot-blooded. After leaving the palace and returning to the Jiangbei camp, I will definitely tell the soldiers under my command about seeing the Emperor, let them envy me a little. Then find a scholar to record the events, so that future generations can remember."

  Hahaha...

  Xianfeng burst out laughing loudly, a bright smile spreading across his face.

  Li Zhen's words greatly inflated Xianfeng's vanity, and he was extremely pleased. Han Laiyu nodded secretly, thinking that Li Zhen was smooth and versatile, and could be befriended. As the chief eunuch of the Qianqing Palace, although his official position was not high, he had always been by Xianfeng's side, and having seen many grand scenes, he took note of Li Zhen's smoothness and eloquence in his heart.

  Xianfeng looked at Qi Shan again and praised: "Qi Shan, you have a discerning eye for people, I am very pleased."

  Qishan's heart was surging with emotions, and he hastily said: "This is all due to the emperor's wisdom. If it weren't for the emperor allowing me to take charge of the Jiangbei camp, I wouldn't have discovered Li Zhen."

  "Alright, get up!"

  Qishan kowtowed again to thank him and then stood up.

  Li Zhen knelt beside him, still not getting up. He wasn't unwilling to get up, it's just that Xianfeng hadn't called him. In this imperial court, Li Zhen also didn't dare be too casual. At this moment, Li Zhen was thinking of changing this thing at all times, he must change it.

  Xianfeng saw Li Zhen kneeling and asked: "Li Zhen, why haven't you gotten up yet?"

  Li Zhen replied: "Your Majesty has not allowed me to get up, so I dare not get up."

  "Get up!" Xianfeng laughed and said.

  "Thank you, Your Majesty!"

  Li Zhen also kowtowed and thanked him, then stood up and stood neatly beside Qi Shan.

  Xianfeng waved his hand and said: "Take a seat, dine with me."

  "Thank you, Your Majesty!"

  Qishan and Li Zhen hastily paid their respects, then sat down with great courtesy, both of them sitting on the bench with half a buttock, eating in an orderly manner, not daring to overstep any bounds.

  PS: First update, Monday's ranking has been rushed, Xiaodong continues to explode. Please support Xiaodong, thank you.