That year, that cicada, that sword

Chapter 388

Today's Dark Guard Mansion has six branch offices, under which there are divisions, and under the division there are guards. With six people involved, these ten people constituted the high-level rule of the huge Dark Guard Mansion.

However, there is another branch outside the Dark Guard Mansion, named Peony, and its members are all women. This branch was established by a confidante of Emperor Wuzu Emperor Xiao Lie, and will be taken over by Empress Lin in the future. The main duty is to protect the royal family. Women's safety.

In the first year of Taiping, Lin Yinping, who was already the queen mother, collapsed in Feishuang Palace. Before she died, she was entrusted to her orphan on the sickbed. One of the items was about the ownership and inheritance of peony. Afterwards, the two handed over power to her in accordance with Lin Yinping's will.

Although Peony is not as powerful as the Yinwei Mansion, but it has its own way of survival, men are masculine, women are feminine, and softness can overcome rigidity, especially in the imperial capital, a place where there is so much filth. Most powerful men regard women as playthings, but it is precisely these women who play tricks, which can make men unable to recover for more than ten years.

In the civil and military affairs of the Manchu Dynasty, the wife of the royal family dare not tell, but it is not guaranteed that the maids, singing girls and even concubines of the family are Peony's people. These women are good at spying and inciting. The wind and the wind are not as good as the wind beside a woman's pillow", which shows the power and honor that Peony secretly hides.

Xiao Zhinan is in charge of Mudan, so she has great power, but after all, she is not the grandmother Lin Yinping who listens to the government behind the curtain. This is the court elder.

As for the power of old Han Ge, it is needless to say that Chen Qiong, one of the dignified left governors, was dismissed from office, and even lost his life.

A carriage came out from the imperial capital and headed southeast all the way.

The coachman was an old man with a white face and beardless, gloomy and taciturn.

The carriage was full of women, and an ordinary-looking woman was in a deep sleep.

This seemingly ordinary woman is Xiao Zhinan after changing her appearance. The reason why she changed her appearance was not because she wanted to deceive anyone, but simply because Xiao Zhinan's appearance was too eye-catching. unnecessary trouble.

After an unknown amount of time, Xiao Zhinan finally woke up from his lethargy, his eyes glazed over, and he was speechless.

Yin Zhu, who was kneeling and letting Xiao Zhinan pillow on his lap, said softly: "Your Highness, you are awake."

Xiao Zhinan's eyes gradually brightened, his pale lips moved slightly, and he asked in a weak voice: "How long have I been asleep?"

Yinzhu couldn't hide his bleakness and said: "Three days and two nights."

Xiao Zhinan sighed lightly, and asked again: "Where have we been?"

Liu Ying, who was leaning against the car window, opened the curtains a little, and replied softly: "Your Highness, we left Zhili Prefecture yesterday, and are now in Qizhou Pingyuan Prefecture, and we will arrive at Langya Prefecture in about three days. "

Xiao Zhinan let out a long breath, closed his eyes, and said in a low voice: "Three days, do you think King Qi will do anything?"

Yinzhu and Liuying looked at each other, neither of them dared to speak rashly.

But Qiu Guang thought about it carefully, and said cautiously: "According to my servant's humble opinion, His Royal Highness King Qi is mostly in the army, so this way is probably..."

She didn't dare to continue talking.

Xiao Zhinan opened his eyes, and muttered to himself: "I'm afraid he has no good idea, should he go to Jiangnan again?"

Yin Zhu couldn't help asking: "Your Highness, why didn't you report this matter to His Majesty?"

Xiao Zhinan didn't mean to hide anything, and said frankly: "The matter of peony has always been a thorn in the heart of my mother. Since Emperor Wuzu, Peony has been in charge of the mistress of the Xiao family, but it happened to be here with my mother. The imperial grandmother insisted on letting me take over the management of Peony, even if there was a transition in the middle, the elder aunt Mo Shu and the aunt would jointly take charge of it. The imperial grandmother's grudge against the empress is obvious. In fact, I understand in my heart that the empress even angered me because of this matter. Come on, our mother and son have been at odds with each other these years, we really don't look like a mother and son."

"Actually, in the final analysis, it's all about power. I don't want to let go of this power, because without it, I wouldn't be where I am today. The queen mother felt that I had disgraced her queen, and she was unhappy. I don't like to care about these housework that no one can tell right from wrong, so even with my elder brother's blessing, I have been walking on thin ice these years, cautiously, not daring to get involved too much in the muddy waters of the temple, for fear of making a wrong step. He was plotted against by others." Xiao Zhinan said calmly, "Fortunately, the situation in the palace is not clear yet, so it's better not to get involved rashly, so as to avoid more accidents in your life."

All three women bowed their heads in silence.

Xiao Zhinan murmured to himself: "All evils and adultery are the first, regardless of deeds, and there are few perfect people in the world. Hundreds of goodness and filial piety are the first, regardless of deeds, and no filial sons in deeds. I was born in this so-called heavenly family. How dare you talk about your heart.”

It has never been an empty talk that there are no relatives in the sky.

The carriage stopped slowly, and the old coachman outside asked softly through the carriage: "Your Highness, we are not far from the capital of Pingyuan Prefecture. We have really entered the jurisdiction of Qizhou. Is Your Highness entering the city?"

Xiao Zhinan didn't speak, Qiu Guang said softly, "It's Eunuch Chen from the Supervisor of Ceremonies."

Xiao Zhinan let out a groan, and asked outside: "Is it Chen Zhijin, one of the four masters of the Sili Supervisor, Eunuch Chen?"

"If you go back to Your Highness, it's the old slave." The old coachman leaned his upper body slightly forward even across the carriage, and said in a soft voice: "The old slave is ordered by the palm print to escort His Highness to Langya Mansion."

The Supervisor of Ceremonies is the head of the 24 yamen of the inner court, similar to the cabinet system, there is a palm seal eunuch who is equivalent to the first assistant of the cabinet, a chief Bingbi who is similar to the second assistant, also known as the eunuch who is admiral, and four who are equivalent to cabinet members. The pen eunuch, Chen Zhijin, as one of the four pen-holding eunuchs, not only has a high position and authority, but also has a high level of cultivation. He has been ranked among the earth immortals many years ago.

Xiao Zhinan signaled Yinzhu to help him sit up, then asked Qiu Guang to lift the curtain of the car, and said softly to the old man: "Since Eunuch Chen is here, I can rest assured. After I return to Beijing, I will go to Zhang Daban and Eunuch Chen." thank."

The old coachman shook his head and said: "This is the job of an old slave, I am ashamed to be Your Highness."

Xiao Zhinan leaned on Yinzhu, smiled weakly, "I won't go to the city anymore, the sooner I arrive at Langya Mansion, the sooner I can feel at ease, thank you Eunuch Chen."

"Don't dare to thank you." After another salute, Chen Zhijin put down the curtain and drove the carriage again.

When the carriage was about to drive out of the jurisdiction of Pingyuan Mansion, a wave that should have come a long time ago finally arrived long ago.

Chen Zhijin suddenly raised his head and looked to the south. A tall old man in black was walking towards the carriage. He seemed to be slow but fast, but within a short while he was less than ten feet away from the carriage.

Chen Zhijin's face became more serious.

The visitor had white hair scattered freely, slightly protruding cheekbones, deep-set eye sockets, and a high nose bridge. What was even more surprising was that he was born with a pair of blue eyes. He did not look like the people from the Central Plains at all, but rather resembled those western sea travelers. .

The old coachman clenched the reins tightly with both hands, the veins on the back of his thin hands were exposed, and he narrowed his eyes and whispered two words softly.

"Xiao Lin."

(End of this chapter)