Longevity begins with slaying demons and eliminating demons

Chapter 590 Sir, times have changed ()

"Really?" The young eunuch was doubtful.

"It's absolutely true!" Yang Jiong replied categorically, "My admiration for the emperor is like a surging river, endless, and the world can learn from it!"

This young eunuch's name was Han Shunxi. He was the one who took the lead in shouting "Long live our emperor" under the white marble steps on the day Gu Xu killed Emperor Tianxing.

With the death of Emperor Tianxing, several powerful eunuchs in the former Daqi Palace, such as Cao Tong, the eunuch of Bingbi, all chose to commit suicide because they were afraid of Gu Xu's liquidation.

After Gu Xu moved into Zichen Palace, for the sake of saving money, and as a time traveler, he was already used to taking care of himself and didn't like to be served by a large group of people anytime and anywhere, so he dismissed it. A large number of palace personnel.

After all, when shopping in stores in his previous life, he always liked to choose slowly by himself. If a clerk followed him too attentively, he would feel uncomfortable.

If even daily chores such as eating, drinking, bathing, dressing, etc. were surrounded by a large group of palace maids and eunuchs, it would undoubtedly be unbearable for Gu Xu.

The maids and concubines in the palace have basically been released to the people to marry their husbands.

For more than twenty years, Emperor Tianxing has practiced in seclusion and has not been close to women. However, the imperial court still followed the old system and held private drafts every three years.

As a result, many "older virgins" between the ages of twenty and forty gathered in Zichen Palace.

They spent the best years of their youth in the deep palace, but they never even saw the emperor's face.

Gu Xu couldn't help but sigh at this, it was really a full man who didn't know how hungry he was.

In his army, a large group of bachelor soldiers could not find wives, almost to the point where even the sight of sows made them think they were pretty. However, Emperor Tianxing kept thousands of women in the palace for the so-called "royal face". Leave them with nothing to do.

Are you not worried at all about the declining fertility rate and negative population growth in the wilderness?

Most of the maids and concubines were sincerely happy about Gu Xu's decree to release the palace ladies back to the people, and they all praised the new king's wise decision.

They are like canaries that have been imprisoned in a cage for a long time, and now they are finally freed and free.

However, there were also a very few people who, when they were about to leave the palace, caught a glimpse of the new monarch's young and tall figure with a jade tree facing the wind from a distance. Inexplicable feelings surged in their hearts, and they actually raised the idea of ​​​​staying.

But Gu Xudu flatly refused.

On the one hand, he was not a sentimental person; on the other hand, Zhao Yan was still beside him at that time, looking at him with a smile.

If he upset her jealousy, he would never end up easy.

As for the eunuchs in the palace, they originally thought they would pack up and leave, but Gu Xu considered that they might be looked down upon by others after they left, making it difficult for them to "re-employ".

So, after cleaning up a group of eunuchs who had done evil, took bribes and violated the law, Gu Xu kept the rest.

However, Gu Xu did not let them idle in the palace, but sent them out to deal with a lot of chores during the early days of the new dynasty. After all, he is currently short of manpower, so this can be regarded as making full use of the labor force.

Someone once advised him: "Emperor, the number of servants in the palace is too small, and it may be difficult to demonstrate your royal majesty."

Regarding this, Gu Xu secretly cursed in his heart: If you want me to recruit more people, do you also pay the wages of these people?

However, he responded calmly: "A person's majesty does not depend on the number of his servants, but comes from his own strength."

Han Shunxi, who was the first to surrender, was temporarily promoted by Gu Xu to the position of "eunuch in the hall" because his family background was innocent and he had not done any evil deeds.

Since the current eunuchs with higher status than him were either dead or imprisoned, Han Shunxi instantly had the greatest authority in the inner court.

But he didn't dare to get carried away with it, and he didn't dare to imitate his predecessors and use the little power in his hands to plunder and make money.

Because he knew very well that his current power and status all originated from the young new king.

This new emperor is completely different from Emperor Tianxing who practiced in seclusion and ignored secular affairs.

He is determined to seek governance, strictly supervises, knows everything about the affairs of the court, and cannot tolerate a grain of sand in his eyes.

After he took power, a large number of officials were packed into Luojing Prison within just a few days. The originally empty and deserted cell was now overcrowded.

There were even many people lining up outside, waiting for some empty seats to be made available after Qiu Houwenzhan.

Han Shunxi did not want to become "cell friends" with these people.

He looked serious, took out an imperial edict from his sleeve, and began to read:

"According to the timing of heaven, I accept the order of Ziming:

"Yang Jiong, the governor of Luojing, is in a prominent position. He does not want to serve the country and instead engages in corruption.

"When the Ghost King of Mang Mountain invaded the country, he embezzled disaster relief funds, causing the people to lose their homes and make complaints spread; he also accepted bribes, appointed cronies for personal gain, engaged in malpractice for personal gain, and corrupted the government;

"He also secretly collaborated with Mingquan and Yanling merchants to resell the government's cultivation resources and enrich his own pockets, which caused the imperial court's dignity to be ruined and its interests to be damaged. His evil deeds are clearly exposed and are in fact the anger of both humans and gods.

"According to the law, I will hang Yang Jiong as a warning to others. All the ministers will take this as a warning, fulfill their duties, be honest and honest, and jointly protect the tranquility of Daxia to comfort my heart.

"Appreciate this!"

When he heard the word "hanging", Yang Jiong seemed to be hit by a thunderbolt. His whole body stiffened instantly, and his plump face lost its color and became as pale as paper.

There was deep fear and despair in his eyes, and he kept begging Han Shunxi: "You can't kill me, you can't kill me! I... I was forced to do this, and everyone around me did the same! I... I'm just doing the same thing as them..."

However, Han Shunxi just stared at him coldly, without any sympathy on his face.

"Sir, times have changed," he said calmly, "When you are under the rule of an emperor, you have to do things according to the emperor's rules.

"The laws of Daqi may sometimes be just a piece of paper, but in Daxia, the laws are iron laws, a reflection of the emperor's will, and cannot be trampled by anyone."

As soon as he finished speaking, Han Shunxi turned around and left.

As the door slammed shut behind him, the cell was once again shrouded in darkness.

Yang Jiong was left lying lifelessly on the straw mat with an ashen face, and layers of fat on his body, like a heavy hill.

…………

In the Kunyuan Hall, the bead curtain hung lightly, swaying in the wind and making a tiny sound.

On the beams, the gold paint is mottled, and the auspicious patterns of dragons and phoenixes are vaguely visible, but the edges are slightly dimmed.

The porcelain is neatly arranged, but the luster is not as good as when it was new, and some parts are still stained with fine dust.

Sunlight poured in from the window lattice, forming bright beams of light, illuminating every corner of the hall and also illuminating the dust dancing in the air.

This was the palace of the queen of the Daqi Dynasty in the past.

It is located on the central axis of Luojing, facing the Qianyang Hall, the emperor's palace, with graceful and graceful painted buildings.

When it was most prosperous in the past, hundreds of servants shuttled through it, busy and orderly, taking care of every detail of the queen's daily life.

However, now, as the palace maids were dismissed, the once bustling palace suddenly became empty and deserted, and seemed particularly quiet.

The former empress Chen Anzhi was in the palace, packing her belongings silently.

She had already taken off her exquisite and gorgeous emerald crown with dragon, phoenix and pearls, untied her priceless gold and jade belt, and took off her colorful red dress with clouds and dragon patterns.

Instead, there was a simple light blue skirt and an ordinary wooden hairpin.

In the past, many people praised her beauty, saying that she was graceful, dignified and bright, like a gorgeous peony flower, showing her motherly demeanor as a queen in the world.

However, when she took off her gorgeous clothes and no makeup, she seemed to have turned back into a little wild flower on the roadside.

Delicate and soft, but she no longer has that overwhelming grace.

After the change of dynasty, she has become a commoner. According to the rules of the new dynasty, she has to leave the former palace. Except for a few simple personal items, those valuable items from the past were all royal property and she could no longer take them away.

Her daughter Xiao Wanjun, the former Princess Zhaoning, was quietly helping her pack her things.

She was still as usual, wearing simple men's clothes and tying her hair with a scarf. She looked handsome and handsome, like a handsome young master.

"Wanjun, you should understand," Chen Anzhi wiped a bracelet until it was as clean as new and gently put it into his luggage. Then he turned to his daughter and said earnestly, "In the past, our family has done many things in pursuit of wealth and power. Many things happened that were not tolerated by Gu Xu.

"Now that he is about to ascend the throne and proclaim himself emperor, our family will inevitably be liquidated by him."

For the first time in these years, Xiao Wanjun heard her mother speak to herself in such a gentle tone.

She recalled that the last time they met, her mother had aggressively asked her to marry someone to protect the interests of her natal family, the Chen family in Xiangyang.

The last queen of the Qi Dynasty was like a river clam, and her gorgeous Yanju crown dress was her hard shell. However, when Gu Xu destroyed this shell along with the Da Qi Dynasty with a thunderous force, her fragile, soft and helpless heart was revealed.

But even if she became a commoner, the first thing she thought about was her family, not her daughter and son.

"What does mother need from me?" Xiao Wanjun asked directly. She has always been smart and smart, and she has long been keenly aware that her mother has something to ask of her.

Chen Anzhi approached her, hugged her into his arms, and gently stroked her back.

This hug was not intimate, and there was still a subtle distance between their bodies.

The mother's movements in caressing her daughter were also a little clumsy - after all, the princes and daughters of the Daqi Dynasty were raised by wet nurses from childhood. As a queen, how could she always take care of the children personally and laboriously?

"Wanjun, you have grown up now. You are a famous beauty in Luojing. You are much more beautiful than your mother used to be." Chen Anzhi whispered softly, "You just need to dress up a little. Stop wearing men's clothes all day. Change into something new." Wear a gorgeous skirt and some beautiful walking shoes, and all the men in Luojing will fall in love with you.”

"What do you mean by this?" Xiao Wanjun took a step back and broke away from her mother's arms.

"I remember that you seemed to have some interactions with Gu Xu during those days in Luojing," Chen Anzhi didn't seem to notice his daughter's reaction, and still maintained a gentle tone, "Your beauty is not inferior to His wife. If you can win his favor and say a few nice words in his ear, maybe he will be merciful to our Xiangyang Chen family. "

It turns out that my mother hopes that I can use a honey trap!

Xiao Wanjun looked calm on the surface, but he was laughing at himself on the inside, feeling that he had become a mere tool in the eyes of his mother.

At the same time, she also realized that perhaps because her mother spent a long time in the deep palace, accompanying the concubines every day, her vision was gradually limited by the palace walls, and her understanding of the reincarnated Emperor Ziwei seemed rather shallow.

She knew that Gu Xu was always determined, and any decision he made could never be easily changed by a few sweet words from a woman.

Otherwise, he would not have achieved such brilliant achievements today.

What's more, saints and strong men are always known to be indifferent to emotions. How can they be easily moved by women's lust? …………

"It is said that a strong saint has his heart set on the road and lacks the seven emotions and six desires of a mortal. But why is the emperor so leisurely and leisurely that he shoots pigeons with a slingshot in the imperial garden?"

In the imperial garden, Zhao Yan looked at Gu Xu beside her and joked with a smile.

While she was speaking, Gu Xu narrowed his eyes slightly, pulled the rubber band of the slingshot casually with his fingers, and then quickly released it. A small stone, surrounded by the whistling wind, accurately hit the pigeon flying in the air.

This is Gu Xu's first time trying to use a slingshot. However, with the power of "Destiny" to control probability, he naturally became a "sharp archer" without any need for practice.

He bent down, picked up the pigeons that had fallen on the ground, stuffed them into the "Xianyunju", then pondered for a moment and replied: "Perhaps it is because the way I cultivate is somewhat different from that of other saints and strong men."

"Oh? What's the difference?" Zhao Yan asked curiously.

"The Tao they cultivate is the Tao of Heaven. The deeper the realm, the higher they can fly and the farther they are from the human world," Gu Xu explained, "And the Tao I cultivate is the Tao of humans. The power comes from All living beings need to receive some earth energy in order to practice better."

"Down to Earth? What does this mean?" Zhao Yan was confused.

Since marrying Gu Xu, she often hears some strange words from his mouth that she has never heard before.

"Do something that ordinary people should do," Gu Xu replied with a smile, "For example, reward yourself with a roast pigeon in the evening; or take a walk in the garden with your lover."

However, the two of them came to the Royal Garden today not just to hunt pigeons or take a walk.

Just now, they made a special trip to the inconspicuous well at the edge of the Royal Garden - it was the prison where Xiao Zeyao's ghost body was once held.

This prison was originally a space that was carved out of nothingness by Emperor Tianxing and was independent of the wilderness. It contained a huge amount of death energy and was specially used to maintain the survival of Xiao Zeyao's ghost body.

After the death of Emperor Tianxing, this space lost its owner, and the passage connecting it to the wilderness began to become unstable.

Gu Xu was very worried that once a large amount of the death energy leaked out, the people living within a few miles of the palace might die without knowing it.

He must solve this hidden danger as soon as possible.

Fortunately, the Tai'a sword has now fallen into his hands.

Although Tai'a Sword does not recognize him as its master - of course, he has no interest in becoming the master of this so-called "first name weapon in the wilderness", he can still use his "control" authority to forcibly mobilize some of Tai'a Sword's Tao Then the power will completely seal this prison.

He also extracted all the death energy in the prison and sealed it in the space magic weapon.

Although these dead energy are dangerous, they can also be used as materials to refine powerful magic weapons.

The war in the Great Wilderness has come to an end, but the real enemy is still waiting in the sky.

A new war may break out at any time.

Gu Xu must be prepared for danger in times of peace and be fully prepared.

…………

After a while, Gu Xu and Zhao Yan walked out of the lush imperial garden and walked into the East Sixth Palace like two tourists.

The concubines and maids who lived here in the past have moved away long ago, and the once crowded and bustling palace now looks empty and deserted.

Zhao Yan frowned slightly when she saw the scene in front of her.

The living environment of this harem was far more narrow and depressing than she had imagined. It was in sharp contrast to the spacious and majestic Fengtian Hall and Qianyang Hall not far away.

The tall palace walls stood ruthlessly, cutting the sky into a narrow line, and the lane in the middle could only accommodate two people walking side by side. Walking here, it feels like being squeezed tightly by the walls on both sides.

Here, only noble concubines are qualified to live in a hall alone. Other low-level concubines often live in a side hall together, or even sleep on a bunk in a collective dormitory called "lower room".

Zhao Yan could not imagine how this cage-like place could accommodate the three thousand beauties from Emperor Tianxing's harem in the past.

She suddenly hugged Gu Xu's waist tightly and deliberately said to him in a tender and resentful tone: "My Majesty, if you are obsessed with other vixens after you ascend the throne, will you forget your concubine here?" A place where luck doesn’t come to me for months or even years, leaving me to wither silently in loneliness and look old?”

Gu Xu looked at her slightly turned eyes and couldn't help but think to himself: How can you still have the nerve to call others a vixen? You yourself are the most seductive vixen in the world.

However, Gu Xu also knew that Zhao Yan, a female general who was galloping on the battlefield, often acted coquettishly in front of him recently, like a little woman, just to seek more security from him.

After all, he killed Emperor Tianxing and occupied Luojing, which meant that he could go to Jiange to pick up Shi Xiaohan at any time.

On the day of the Luoshui Conference, the scene when Gu Xu risked his life to rescue Shi Xiaohan from the "ghost attendant" left a very deep impression on Zhao Yan.

As the rebellious eldest daughter of Duke Yan, Zhao Yan has always been confident in her beauty, talent, and charm. She feels sure to win against all the women in the wilderness.

However, in front of Shi Xiaohan, whose figure was far inferior to hers, she felt an inexplicable lack of confidence.

After all, in a sense, she successfully snatched Gu Xu from Shi Xiaohan's hands while he was in trouble.

Gu Xu smiled, pointed to the towering cornices of Kunyuan Hall not far away, and comforted her: "How could you live in such a cramped place? That is where you should live."

Although Zhao Yan had already expected that he would say this, she still couldn't help but look happy when she heard Gu Xu admit her position in his heart.

It is not that Gu Xu has never considered being like the protagonists in those novels, treating his women equally.

But he is not an emotional person who ignores interests.

He knew very well that the position of Queen of Daxia must and could only belong to Zhao Yan.

Although Shi Xiaohan was his first love, and the two had a deep friendship and even had an engagement, the Youzhou Zhao family was his most important "partner" in the rebellion.

If Daxia is compared to a start-up company, then Zhao gave him a huge amount of start-up capital and held a considerable part of the shares.

For him, Zhao Yan resolutely gave up the throne of Dayan, led the army in the north to join his command, charged into battle, and fought for his cause. Her father, a mighty true king, also attacked the imperial city with him and participated in the feat of killing Emperor Tianxing.

If Gu Xu gave the position of queen to someone else, or hesitated on the matter, then even if Zhao Yan had no objection, her father would definitely come to seek justice for his daughter.

"Really?" Zhao Yan blinked.

"When have I lied to you?" Gu Xu smiled slightly and then added, "However, after the enthronement ceremony, I plan to move to Changchun Garden outside the city."

To be honest, Gu Xu didn't like the atmosphere of Zichen Palace. He felt that the buildings here were too neat and solemn, showing the order of superiority and inferiority everywhere, reminding him of the strict rules of the Qi Dynasty all the time.

"Changchun Garden? That is a garden from the Chu Dynasty. Hasn't it been reduced to ruins long ago?" Zhao Yan asked doubtfully.

"I have sent people to start repairing it," Gu Xu explained. "A few days ago, a large number of refugees from other places came into Luojing, but there are not enough job opportunities for them in the city. They have no way to make a living. If we don't find something for them to do, , I’m afraid it will cause riots in the capital..."

…………

Gu Xu did not deliberately conceal his whereabouts.

While he was talking with Zhao Yan, a palace maid in her twenties saw them from a distance on the corridor not far away. This girl's name is Cuiying, and she was once the personal maid of the former queen. When most of the palace ladies left the palace, she chose to stay and continue to take care of Chen Anzhi's daily life.

Seeing this, Cui Ying hurried to Kunyuan Hall and panted to report to Chen Anzhi and Princess Zhaoning Xiao Wanjun: "Empress, princess, the emperor and Mrs. Zhao are nearby."

When Chen Anzhi heard the news, his hands trembled and a trace of astonishment flashed in his eyes. She quickly put down the necklace she was arranging, stood up, and began to carefully apply makeup and adjust her appearance.

"Cui Ying, please go quickly and respectfully invite your majesty and empress in without any hesitation."

"Yes, empress." Cui Ying responded.

"Stop calling me empress, I'm just a civilian woman now." Chen Anzhi sighed softly.

Then, she turned to her daughter on the side and ordered: "Wanjun, go and change your clothes quickly. You have been naked all day long, and you are still wearing a man's clothes. How do you behave?"

Although Princess Zhaoning Xiao Wanjun said nothing, she did not disobey her mother's wishes and silently walked behind the screen.

She knew that her mother was so nervous at the moment, and she obviously wanted to take this opportunity to express her loyalty to Gu Xu and try to save her family.

Although she felt that there was little chance of success, in this desperate situation, she still chose to fulfill her duty as a daughter and obey her mother's arrangements.

…………

After a while, Zhao Yan gently held Gu Xu's arm and stepped into the threshold of Kunyuan Hall.

Chen Anzhi and Xiao Wanjun were already waiting at the palace gate.

Chen Anzhi secretly raised his eyes.

In just a short moment, the eyes of the past queen and the future queen of the Great Wilderness collided with each other.

Chen Anzhi seemed to see a red peony in full bloom.

Graceful and luxurious, overflowing with brilliance.

Just like the one who used to be in charge of the imperial court.

But now, I am like a dead leaf that has lost its color, falling into mud in the bleak autumn wind.

Chen Anzhi felt a sense of sadness. She quickly looked away and gently tugged on the sleeve of her daughter beside her.

The two of them knelt down and saluted together, their voices trembling slightly, and they said respectfully:

"Chen Anzhi, a civilian woman, pays homage to His Majesty and pays homage to the empress!"

"Public girl Xiao Wanjun, pay homage to your Majesty and pay homage to the empress!"