I am not a deposed emperor of Han Dynasty

As soon as Si hour passed on the next day, a group of Changyi Langs, led by General Gong Sui, the Changyi Zhonglang general, arrived at the back house of the general.

After Gong Sui showed the emperor's edict to the swordsman outside the door, he quickly walked into Huo's house with his people.

About a quarter of an hour later, Gong Sui returned to the deserted gate of Huo Zhai.

At this time, there was another person beside Gong Sui-Huo Guang.

Huo Guang was in good spirits today, and he looked much more refreshed than last night: his beard and beard had been combed in advance, and he no longer looked like an octogenarian who was about to die.

His seal of great Sima General has long been taken away, but the purple ribbon around his waist still occupies the most conspicuous position on his robe.

In the Changyilang team in front of the gate, there was also a black and red security car parked - the stamp flag on it indicated that it was the security car of "General Huo Guang".

If it was a few months ago, it would have been normal for this An car to appear at the door of Huo's house, but now it is a bit eye-catching.

Because neither this car nor this stamping flag has been seen on the streets of Chang'an City for a long time.

Huo Guang went to bed very early last night just to prepare for the meeting with the Holy Spirit today.

Looking at the vast white field outside, he felt a little dizzy.

"Gong Gong, what day is it today?"

"On the 23rd of the twelfth lunar month, Xiaozhu."

"This year has gone by so fast." Huo Guang sighed.

Gong Sui stood slightly behind Huo Guang, giving Huo Guang respect. He did not answer, but stood silently aside.

This Changyi lieutenant general is over 70 years old, and the weather is not easy for him, but his waist is still very straight, and he is even more hale and hearty than Huo Guang.

"Gonggong, how many years have you stayed in Changyi?"

"I stayed in the Changyi Kingdom while the late king was still here, which totaled almost 30 years." Gong Sui still said respectfully.

"In 30 years, I have not been promoted or reused. Now I am just a lieutenant general of Changyi in Qianshi. It is really a secret investment."

"The general's words are wrong. The Han Dynasty has the "Legal Code of Zuoguan". Officials of the county and state are not allowed to serve in Chang'an. This is the ancestral system." Gong Sui said, neither humble nor arrogant.

"I forgot." Huo Guang was silent for a moment before replying, but he still had no intention of moving forward, and Gong Sui naturally couldn't urge him.

"According to Gong Gong, didn't you grow up watching the county magistrate?"

"Exactly."

"I want to ask you, what kind of person do you think the county magistrate is?"

Huo Guang's words made Gong Sui a little stunned. He felt that the question seemed familiar.

After a moment, he finally remembered.

A few months ago, when Gong Sui, Wang Ji and others entered Weiyang Palace and met Guang Luxun Zhang Anshi for the first time, the other party asked similar questions.

At that time, Gong Sui was as trembling as the county magistrate, walking on thin ice and did not dare to show anything in front of Zhang Anshi.

So I can only say vaguely, "No matter whether the emperor is a wise king or not, he must be a critic."

But today, Gong Sui could finally speak his mind openly and openly.

"The county magistrate is the emperor, and he is an emperor who can become a wise king."

"Has it always been like this?" Huo Guang looked at Gong Sui in disbelief and asked.

"Three years ago, the county magistrate got drunk once. Since then, the county magistrate has been a wise king."

"If the general has the opportunity to go to Changyi State, he can ask the people in Changyi City for their opinions, and they will definitely say the same."

"Not only that, the general can also ask the ordinary people in Chang'an City and he will say that the county magistrate is a wise king."

It turns out that the emperor has been such a person since that time.

I was so careless and arrogant that I was deceived by this little fool.

A wry smile turned into self-deprecation.

In fact, the emperor did not lie to himself

From the first time he met the emperor, the emperor made it clear that he wanted to be a wise king, and he wanted to be a wise king like Emperor Xiaowu.

What kind of wise emperor was Emperor Xiaowu?

Huo Guang knows best.

The emperor sincerely does not deceive me, but I take it as a deception.

"A few months ago, if I could have called Gong Gong to ask this question first, I'm afraid there would be no need for Changyi Lang to send me to the palace today." Huo Guang laughed at himself.

"If the general had asked me this question a few months ago, I would never have truthfully said that the county magistrate has the demeanor of a wise king."

Gong Sui's somewhat tit-for-tat words made Huo Guang unsure of how to respond. After a moment, he understood the deeper meaning.

"The county magistrate is a good city and the country of Changyi has outstanding people." Huo Guang was not only talking about the emperor, but also Gong Sui.

"General, let's get going. The magistrate is waiting for you to have lunch with us."

"Okay, let's go to the palace."

Today is Xiaolu, and the New Year atmosphere in Chang'an City is a bit more intense: it is more lively than in previous years.

In the past few months, the "Chang'an Monthly" published many narrative articles on how to celebrate the New Year, and the emperor used this to promote many new customs during the New Year.

Use rice paper to write couplets instead of peach charms and stick them on the door. Portraits of strong men and generals are pasted on the door panels, which are called New Year pictures. People are encouraged to give copper coins to children on New Year's Eve to celebrate the new year. In the first month, people should go around the city to do good deeds...

These new annual customs may seem useless, but they can make people's lives more exciting and festive, and they can be considered a benevolent policy.

Stabilizing the people's hearts is also the key to governing the country.

Along the way, Huo Guang looked at the people on the roadside through the layers of Changyi Lang, and found that they seemed to be looking at him unkindly - they couldn't see Huo Guang, but they recognized this Anche.

This unkind gaze was full of disdain and contempt.

In the past, people might be afraid of Huo Guang and revere him, but they would definitely not hate him.

It seems that although the emperor has not yet convicted the Huo family, the people have already.

Huo Guang lowered the curtain of the car window and began to close his eyes to rest. The resentment in his heart became a little more: I am afraid that all of this is closely related to the emperor's plan.

On the snow-covered carriage road, there are spare horses Xiaoxiao.

Soon, the car stopped under the North Tower of Weiyang Palace.

Huo Guang got out of the car and saw a carriage waiting in the snow for a long time.

After changing the chariot, Huo Guang continued to walk towards the Greenhouse Hall in the core area of ​​Weiyang Palace.

One Tunchang Yilang stayed at the same place, and the other Tunchang Yilang still stayed at the same place.

When Huo Guang rode the chariot between the North and North Towers, he couldn't help but look up at the top of the two towers and thought of many things.

That year, Huo Guang was 15 years old, living a peaceful life in Pingyang County with his father, who was a minor official in the county temple, day after day, without any hope.

Suddenly one day, his brother in military uniform suddenly descended from the sky like a god, took him to Chang'an City, and recommended him to Emperor Xiaowu as a lieutenant.

When he first entered the palace, Huo Guang had seen these twin towers. At that time, he felt that these twin towers were extremely tall and straight, even towering into the clouds.

In the next 40 years, Huo Guang's height did not become taller, but he felt that the pair of ques became smaller and smaller.

It was not until these few months that the pair of bridges began to look tall and straight again in Huo Guang's eyes.

Looking back today, these two towers are almost as tall as they were 40 years ago—or even taller.

They were like two giant Yulin Lang who could not speak, looking down at Huo Guang with compassion from top to bottom.

It seemed that he would raise his foot at any moment and crush Huo Guang and the chariot to pieces.

This made Huo Guang a little scared, and he felt that his breathing was not smooth.But Huo Guang was reluctant to take his eyes back, because he didn't know if he could pass between these two bridges again in the future.

The chariot passed the Shuangque and then entered the Weiyang Palace.

Huo Guang remembers every plant, tree, brick and tile clearly.

It's no wonder, after all, he has probably spent more time here than in Huo Zhai in the past few decades.

About a quarter of an hour later, Huo Guang finally arrived outside the greenhouse hall.

"General, the Greenhouse Palace has arrived." Gong Sui reminded.

"Yeah, I got it."

After Huo Guang said these words, he got down from the chariot with some difficulty.
He moved his numb legs and feet, arranged his robe and ribbon again, and finally walked into the courtyard and towards the Greenhouse Hall.

At this time, in the Greenhouse Hall, the Emperor had been waiting for him for a long time.

……

Under the guidance of the visitor, Huo Guang walked outside the greenhouse door.

He still had the privilege of going up to the palace with swords and shoes to pay homage to the unknown, but now he was standing at the door of the palace, and for a moment he didn't even dare to lift his feet and walk in.

At this time, the young figure of the emperor could already be seen, and the other party seemed to have seen him too.

The two of them stared at each other through the open door.

Although it is daytime, the palace lanterns are still lit in the greenhouse hall.

But the dim yellow light of the palace lantern did not make the palace appear brighter, but instead made it darker.

Under the hazy light, the emperor sitting on the couch could not see clearly.

Sometimes he looks like Emperor Xiaozhao, sometimes he looks like Emperor Xiaowu...

Just when Huo Guang was hesitant, the emperor's ethereal voice floated out from the palace, as if coming from a dry well.

"Father Zhong, come in."

Huo Guang could no longer hesitate. He raised his feet and walked into the greenhouse that he had visited countless times.

The charcoal fire made the entire greenhouse palace as warm as spring. Huo Guang, who had walked in the ice and snow for a long time, felt numb all over and felt a little dizzy.

He walked anxiously in front of the emperor, who was only ten feet away, and solemnly bowed: "Old minister Huo Guang wishes the emperor well."

"Father Zhong, I haven't seen you for a long time. You haven't seen Qing Jian yet. Please be patient."

"promise."

"Father Zhong, please take a seat. I will eat with you."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

As soon as Huo Guang took his seat, Fan Ke, who had been waiting outside the hall, started to pass the food around.

In addition to one meal and one porridge, there was only one piece of chopped venison, a small bowl of egg custard, a piece of fried fish and a small bowl of squid.

Of course, there is also a pot of warm and slightly steaming Xuan wine.

Not only are the ingredients meager, but the cooking methods are also very common.

Huo Guang watched the palace maid put the food on the table and had to sigh that the emperor was so frugal that he could not compare to Emperor Xiaowen.

No, even more frugal than Emperor Xiaowen.

"Father Zhong, let's have a meal."

"promise."

The monarch and his ministers started eating without saying anything else.

The sound of the two chewing different ingredients gradually sounded in the hall. It was neither unpleasant nor pleasant.

Huo Guang was still observing the emperor's expression, but when he found that the latter was indeed concentrating on his meal, he calmed down.

Once your mind calms down, your appetite will improve.

Huo Guang, who had only drank wine and not eaten food for several days, suddenly felt like he had a huge appetite.

Especially the small plate with a mixture of different vegetables, spicy, sour and sweet, Huo Guang couldn't stop picking it up.

For some reason, he felt that today's meal was better than last night's meal.

About a quarter of an hour later, the emperor and his minister put down their chopsticks almost at the same time.

Huo Guang felt a slight shiver in his heart when he saw the emperor twisting up a grain of rice that had fallen on the table, putting it into his mouth and chewing it slowly.

"Father Zhong, why don't you drink alcohol today?" Liu He finally asked slowly.

"The food your Majesty gave you was delicious. I forgot for a while that there was still wine." Huo Guang did not lie. The pot of wine on the table was not as tempting as usual.

"Come, let me drink to Father Zhong."

After Liu He said this, he immediately poured himself a glass of wine, raised his glass to Huo Guang and drank it all in one gulp.

Huo Guang poured a glass of wine with some fear, saluted the emperor, and drank it all in one gulp.

This glass of wine seemed to be particularly spicy, so spicy that tears kept rolling in Huo Guang's eyes.

"Father Zhong, the meal has been eaten and the wine has been drunk. If you have anything to say, just say it."

After hearing this, Huo Guang quickly put down the wine glass in his hand, stood in front of the emperor in a panic, and bowed deeply once again.

"Father Zhong, why do you do this great gift?" the emperor asked coldly.

"I, I want to apologize to Your Majesty," Huo Guang said.

"Father Zhong is old and the ground is too hard. It is not suitable to kneel for a long time. Sit down and answer."

Huo Guang straightened up, but did not stand up and sit on the couch. Instead, he remained kneeling upright.

"Then tell me, Father Zhong, what crimes have you committed?"

Huo Guang's vicissitudes of face suddenly darkened. He opened and closed his mouth several times before finally speaking.

"One of the crimes is the crime of breach of etiquette in front of the palace. The court meeting on that day should not be late."

"The second crime is the crime of gross disrespect. You should not rely on your old age to offend His Majesty."

"The third crime is the crime of killing without permission. Deng Polu should not be executed without trial."

"The fourth crime is the crime of arbitrariness and abuse of power. Your Majesty should be allowed to take charge as soon as possible."

"The fifth crime is to conspire against each other and fail to recognize the ambitions of Huo Yu and Fan Mingyou."

"The sixth crime is the crime of forming cliques for personal gain. You should not be nepotistic and disrespectful of your peers."

"The seventh crime is corruption. The criminal Huo Xian should not be allowed to amass money wantonly."

Huo Guang kept talking and listed his seven deadly sins in one breath.

Every time he mentioned a crime, Huo Guang's back would become a little stooped, and he would become shorter in front of Liu He.

After Huo Guang told all the seven deadly sins, he could no longer look like an important minister in the court, and he was even worse than the most ordinary old man.

His hair and beard were gray, his belly was heavy, and his face and eyes were an abnormal dark red due to excessive drinking.

A few months ago, when Liu He saw such a waning old man, even if he was just an ordinary farmer, he would have felt some pity.

But at this moment, Liu He didn't show any pity, but still looked at Huo Guang with the cold eyes unique to the emperor. (End of chapter)