Jiapingguan Chronicle

Chapter 696 I feel better all of a sudden!

The Empress Dowager's birthday is less than a month away. It sounds like there is plenty of time, but in fact it is really not enough at all.

The entire city of Xijing was busy with the empress dowager's birthday celebration ceremony. The officials of all ministries were so busy with it that they couldn't help but wish they could grow up in the yamen every day. They seldom returned home. Looking at it, everyone lost at least a circle of weight. .

Officials from all ministries, especially grateful for the wisdom of the Empress Dowager, issued a decree early on, not accepting birthday gifts from local officials, nor accepting tribute from affiliated countries, otherwise, they must be so busy that they would not even need to sleep Yes, it is very possible that a few of them will do their best.

Song Jue supported the Queen Mother's decision very much, and at the same time issued an imperial decree, except for officials and generals who were ordered to call to Beijing, no vassal king or official was allowed to leave their territory. If anyone was called to Beijing, the officials would Dismissal from office was investigated and dealt with, and the vassal king was sent directly to the clan mansion.

At the same time, under Song Jue's behest, Jingzhao Mansion issued a Xijing curfew. Starting [-] days before the Empress Dowager's birthday, Xijing City will implement a curfew. Loitering in the street, offenders will be fined heavily.

Even if it is a heavy punishment, many people are lucky, thinking that as long as they are more careful and cautious, they will not be caught by the forbidden army or the patrol battalion. Therefore, three days before the curfew was just implemented, The Forbidden Army and the Patrol Battalion have arrested many violators. Together, there are almost two to 300 people.Among the two 300 people, there are ordinary people, ministers, servants of wealthy businessmen, and occasionally a few officials who are late on duty and don't want to sleep in the yamen.The last one is usually treated kindly, and the soldiers of the imperial army or the patrol battalion will send them home in person.

Commander Bai has had a very difficult time these past few days, and there are deep shadows under his eyes. If he hadn't gone to the Duke's Mansion every night to find Shen Haolin and Shen Cha to vomit bitterness, he would have exploded long ago.Even so, Bai Meng's resentment is still deep, and she always complains that these people in Xijing are too ignorant, which invisibly brings them a lot of trouble.

"Tell me, it's also a curfew. Why can the people at the border follow it so easily? Look at these bastards in Xijing again. The curfew seems to kill them. They don't honestly admit to themselves when they are arrested. Wrong, they jumped one by one, saying that it is wrong to issue such a ban."

"Don't be impatient, next time there is such a person, you can ask him, if he really died because he didn't obey the curfew, would he regret it?" Shen Cha glanced at Bai Meng lightly, "Commander, you have to understand that border gates are different from Xijing. The people in the border gates, even the children, know that when the moon is dark and the wind is high, it is a good time to kill people and steal goods. Almost all the secret agents of various countries come out at that time. Yes, the curfew just ensures the safety of the people at the border."

"Besides, the people at the border say that those who go out after the curfew are all criminals. Even if they are killed by mistake, they are not worthy of sympathy or pity." Song Qiyun, who had been depressed all the time, yawned, looking The two cushions on the side were unused, so I reached out and pulled them over, put them under my head, lay flat, and said, "But the people in Xijing have always lived and worked in peace and contentment, and there is no hidden unknown danger, so don't worry about your own life." When will it be inexplicably ended? For them, the curfew will only be their troubles, and it will indeed have a certain impact on their normal life. Commander, don't complain, you need to give the people a process of adaptation."

"Your Highness is right, I'm just impatient." Bai Meng sighed, "It's because I've been crazy busy during this time that I can be very irritable, and I can't tolerate their behavior at all."

"Fortunately, there is no need to receive those foreign envoys, otherwise, we would be busy." Song Qiyun yawned, "I'm so hungry."

"Didn't you just eat? Why are you hungry again?" Bai Meng looked at Song Qiyun carefully, "Your Highness, have you lost weight these days? And you don't seem to be in good spirits these days. Didn't sleep well?"

"It's not just that he didn't sleep well, he's exhausted these days." Shen Haolin threw a blanket to Song Qiyun to keep him from freezing, "The birthday banquet process set by the Ministry of Rites is too complicated, this kid is a bit Unbearable."

Song Qiyun nodded towards Bai Meng, pursed his mouth, his little appearance was really wronged.

"In the past few days, I will be with Uncle Wang, Brother Wang, and Brother Wang to familiarize myself with the entire process of ceremonies and birthday banquets with the people in the Ministry of Rites. Every step and every action has strict requirements and must be very standardized. Like Uncle Wang, they just need to sit on the sidelines and watch us, but we juniors must follow the standards set by the Ministry of Rites." Song Qiyun stretched out his thumb and index finger, "You don't know, the Ministry of Rites The process is written so thickly and verbosely, I didn’t understand it after reading it all night.”

"I've seen the process of the Ministry of Rituals, it's really too thick." Shen Cha nodded, "Actually, people like Brother Yao Jia and the others who live in Xijing all the year round can participate in many such important ceremonies, and they are already used to these But Xiaoyun is not. He and Xiaojiu left Xijing for Jiaping Pass when they were very young. During these years at the border, there were almost no times when they returned to Xijing to catch up with such important ceremonies. They finally There is no problem with the basic and most commonly used etiquette, but it is certain that you will not adapt to this very complicated etiquette."

"That's what happened." Song Qiyun turned over with a cushion in his arms. "Besides, the people in the Ministry of Rites don't know what they are thinking. They practice for a whole day, and they don't allow them to eat during the breaks. If it doesn't hinder everyone Uncle Wang is here, I really want to kick them to death!"

"No food?" Shen Haolin and Shen Cha looked at each other and frowned at the same time, "Why? Uncle Wang doesn't allow food?"

"Of course not, we are the only ones who don't give food." Song Qiyun curled his lips, "If you say you're full, you'll feel sleepy and it's hard to concentrate."

"Didn't you tell Your Majesty about this?" Seeing Song Qiyun shaking his head, Bai Meng's frown deepened, "Don't worry, Your Highness, I will ask Your Majesty this question when I enter the palace. It's about going crazy!"

"It's really going crazy!" Shen Cha's face also darkened, "Will the people in the Ministry of Rituals take responsibility for starving them to death? They have a heavy responsibility, and we can understand that they don't want to make mistakes in birthday banquets and ceremonies. But you can’t pay that price.”

"There's something worse than this!" Song Qiyun curled his lips, "You also know that once I'm too hungry, my temper is not very good, and my complexion is also worse. They don't dare to speak of me in person, they will whisper about me behind my back , Say I’m coquettish, I don’t look like someone who has led the army or fought in the war. They thought they spoke in a low voice, but I have good ears, so I heard everything.”

"Commander, I will enter the palace with you." Shen Cha closed the file he was reading, "No matter what, I must seek justice for Xiaoyun today."

"Boss, don't be so troublesome!" Ying Shisan opened the door and came in from the outside, bowed to several people in the room, and said, "The guys from the Ministry of Rites were denounced by Prince Lian, and they are now in the prison of the Ministry of Punishment."

"Oh?" Song Qiyun regained his energy immediately upon hearing this, sat up and looked at Ying Shisan, "What's going on?"

"Prince Lian told all about the situation in the past few days, His Majesty Longyan was furious, and directly sent the brothers in Jingli to raid the homes of those officials." Ying Thirteen sneered, "From their respective At home, they all confiscated a huge amount of property that was seriously inconsistent with their salaries, the largest one had 100,000 taels of gold, and more than three million taels of silver, not counting antiques, calligraphy, paintings and precious stones."

"It's just those few officials from the seventh rank who have such a high net worth?" Song Qiyun snorted, "The Ministry of Rites is not a slick government office!"

"What Your Highness said is that His Majesty has ordered Yingying's brothers in Beijing to conduct a strict investigation, and the Imperial Army and the Patrol Battalion will assist!" Ying Shisan looked at Bai Meng, "The commander-in-chief can go directly to the Ministry of Punishment now."

"understood!"

"Sure enough, the wicked have their own rewards. If they hadn't gone too far, they wouldn't have caused such a big trouble!" Song Qiyun stretched his waist, "Well, my king's mood is a little better now."

"There is one more thing that can make His Highness feel better." Ying Shisan smiled slightly, "There is news from the palace that His Highness can rest for a day, and there is no need to go to the Ministry of Rites to study tomorrow."

(End of this chapter)