The fox minister in the late Tang Dynasty

Chapter 423 The Last Gift

The carriage drove through the long palace road, and along the way, under the flags, two rows of imperial soldiers and palace guards greeted each other half-kneeling with weapons.

Geng Qing hadn't seen the kneeling soldiers and eunuchs in the palace for many years.

"Decades have passed, and a group of people have changed, but it's still the same."

It was a sigh of disgust but nostalgia.

When they arrived at Taiwei Palace, the carriage stopped, Zhu Hongzhao, Feng Yun, An Congyi, Meng Hanqiong, Zhu Hongshi and other on-duty civil and military officers in the palace greeted them with their arms bowed, and Kang Yicheng beside him had to bow their heads.

On the opposite side of the horses that came first, Shi Jingtang turned over, handed over with them, then turned to go to the carriage, "King Yong, we have arrived at Taiwei Palace."

Everyone quickly knelt down: "The minister waits to welcome King Yong."

With the curtain of the car lifted, Dou Wei and Jiuyu got off the station first, standing to the left and right as before. The figure in the middle stepped down on a low stool wearing golden Wenshui boots and a black uniform wearing mink fur, with old beards on his face. Xue Bai looked at them with kind smiles.

"Get up, the old man has stepped down as King Yong many years ago, and I came here today to meet His Majesty."

Back then, King Yong ruled the world and survived several dynasties. He can be said to be a model of Chinese and martial arts in the dynasty. Even today, His Majesty often talks about him as his teacher.

The emperor must not be disrespectful.

Zhu Hongzhao waited for the civil and martial arts to say "yes" and stood up and retreated to the left and right. Geng Qing bowed to them again. Even if his identity and hidden power were prominent, he had to be courteous so that no one could find fault. This is already a habit. up.

"Why don't you all go with me?"

Hearing that King Yong made an invitation, how could the few people here be unwilling?Hastily followed behind, just took a few steps and stepped on the stone steps, there was a 'hum' sound not far away.

"It's been so many years, and it's not shameful to rely on the old to sell the old in the palace!"

The walking water boots stopped, Geng Qing turned his head with a smile on his face, looked at the burly figure who was dissatisfied, and asked in a low voice: "Who is he? When I first came to the palace, I don't remember who I offended."

"That's Heyang Jiedu envoy Kang Yicheng." Zhu Hongzhao took two steps forward, "His son participated in King Qin's rebellion and died in the rebellion. He was in a bad mood. I hope King Yong won't be as knowledgeable as him."

"is it?"

Smilingly, Geng Qing raised his hand and ticked it off, attracting an eunuch, who approached him and whispered something, the smile on Geng Qing's face gradually subsided, and he stopped looking at Kang Yicheng, and at the same time stepped up the stairs, flicked his wide sleeves, Wow the negative to the back.

"A duplicitous person who participates in conspiracy, how can he let you live and kill—"

Zhu Hongzhao was shocked, and hurriedly wanted to explain a few words for his friend, but before he could speak, he followed a thin figure on the left side of King Yong, and rushed out, his fast eyes couldn't keep up, and he only had time to shout: "King Yong!" Kang Yicheng screamed, flew out like a cannonball, fell heavily on the ground and rolled several times.

"You have no official status, dare to fight." Kang Yicheng was wearing armor. He was suddenly hit by someone just now. The injury was not serious. The man shouted and cursed, halfway out of his mouth, a guard came over and pushed him to the ground.

"To shut up!"

Shi Jingtang drew his saber and chopped off his head directly, the head fell to the ground, bloody arrows shot out of the severed neck, leaving a bright red mark on the ground.

Zhu Hongzhao sighed, and begged King Yong to hand over the corpse to him for a proper burial.

"That's right."

The walking figure waved his sleeves and led the crowd away.

Ziwei Palace bedroom.

The smell of medicine filled the bed, Li Siyuan, who was overwhelmed with grief, slowly woke up, summoned the eunuch weakly, and asked what time it was.

"King Qin is my son after all, so I can bury him."

The servant led the order to go out, and stumbled back for a while, before Li Siyuan could speak, he knelt down and hurriedly said: "Your Majesty, the news just came that King Yong is here—"

Inside the curtain, the eyes of the old man with slightly closed eyes slowly opened, and the fingers hanging on the edge of the mattress trembled a few times excitedly. He wanted to get up, but he couldn't move. open.

That familiar voice came.

"Siyuan still doesn't want to get up."

It was just a familiar voice, already as old as him.

"teacher"

The palace maid backed away, Li Siyuan called out on the bed in a low voice, in his cloudy vision, the curtain was slowly lifted, and a figure sat by the bed, with silver hair and pale beard, looking at him with a smile.

"King Yong, you are old too."

Li Siyuan's expression was agitated, his lips were trembling constantly, he looked at the wrinkled face, but the tears couldn't stop falling down, wet the wooden pillow.

"Old, everyone will grow old."

Geng Qing looked at the old student with complicated emotions, and held his hand with some sadness, "Siyuan, how have you been these years?"

In the main hall, the left and right guards, palace maids and eunuchs retreated out at some point, leaving only two people talking softly,

As if going back to that time, Li Siyuan was like an obedient student, feeling the teacher's warm palm, shaking his head with difficulty, showing a wry smile.

"I didn't have a good life and was deceived by the teacher. I shouldn't be the emperor. If he traveled with the teacher and taught his children, maybe he wouldn't be what he is today."

"But you also enjoy the wealth and rights of the world. There are gains and losses."

"I'd rather not." Li Siyuan closed his eyes, and tears rolled down, "Yesterday. I just killed a son. This is a tragedy for the emperor's family. He conspired against him. He wanted to be the emperor, but he was not expected to be the emperor. As the emperor, I have to kill him, but as a father, I ordered to kill my own child. My heart hurts. Teachers and students feel so hurt."

The old man cried like a child in front of Geng Qing.

"Being an emperor, I worked day and night and never had time to catch my breath. The children in my family grew up one by one. They were looking forward to my death and the dragon chair under me."

The low-pitched cry spread outside, never thought that an emperor would cry like this, Zhu Hongzhao and others did not dare to listen, and retreated to the bottom of the stone steps to wait.

After an unknown amount of time, the crying in the bedroom gradually subsided.

The frail old man seemed to be in better spirits after crying, his face was red, and he also had the posture of the emperor in the past. He sat up and leaned against the head of the bed, looking solemnly at his mentor beside the bed.

"It was a family matter just now, but now it is a state matter. Has King Yong ever thought about coming back?"

Geng Qing shook his head.

"I'm used to being idle in the mountains and fields, and I don't want to go to court anymore. Is there anything Siyuan wants to ask?"

"I want to ask King Yong, how should the world be handled?"

He stared straight at Geng Qing, and Geng Qing didn't evade, "If your younger generation has someone who can take on the burden, the Tang Dynasty will continue, and you can't afford it. I have already found other emperors for my teacher."

"That's why the teacher dares to say that the teacher is not afraid of this palace." Li Siyuan closed his eyes and laughed, "This palace, this Luoyang, this city where Tang flags are planted, from top to bottom, are all connections of King Yong. Haha Actually, I just work for King Yong, right?"

Geng Qing nodded and did not speak.

"King Yong, let's go, I can help you for a few more days."

Seeing that Geng Qing was still sitting on the edge of the bed and did not move, Li Siyuan pushed with some strength from somewhere, and threw himself on the quilt, yelling loudly: "Let's go. I'm just doing work!!"

Geng Qing pursed his lips and looked at the disheveled student, feeling uncomfortable. He used to be selfish, but when he found out that he wanted his family to withdraw safely, he had to do so, otherwise his family would suffer.

After a moment of silence, Geng Qing backed away slowly, and when he turned around and walked towards the palace gate, there was a bang behind him, and Li Siyuan fell down from the bed, crawled on the ground, and got up with difficulty.

"Teacher and student"

Li Siyuan raised his hand tremblingly, his pale face and lips trembled, "Students are paying respects to their benefactor, this farewell may separate heaven and man forever, and it will be difficult to see each other again!"

"Siyuan, take care"

Geng Qing's eyes were wet, and he slowly bowed down. In the empty bedroom, the two silently bowed to each other.

(End of this chapter)