Blackening starts from the golden years

Three days later, in the imperial palace.

Looking at Yuan Xudong standing in front of him, the official asked:
"King Qin, where is the picture of the night banquet?"

"Burned."

"Burned?"

The official was delighted, but frowned on the surface and asked:
"what happened?"

"To your majesty, the Night Banquet painting originally belonged to Zhao Pan'er of Qiantang, and was later bought by Yang Zhiyuan, the magistrate of Liangzhe Road. Later, the Yang family was destroyed and burned, and the Night Banquet painting was also burned."

Yuan Xudong replied respectfully.

After listening to him, the official couldn't help but frown and said:
"What about Ouyang Xu? How come he also had a painting of the Night Banquet in his hand, and gave it to Ke Zheng as a birthday gift, and then you sent someone to take it away?"

Hearing this, Yuan Xudong glanced at the official and said:

"Zhao Pan'er loves painting, but she is of humble status after all, so she dared not not sell the Night Banquet in her collection to Yang Zhiyuan. However, she was quite courageous and actually forged a fake and gave it to Yang Zhiyuan. As for the real Night Banquet, it was brought to Tokyo by Ouyang Xu, and later, he gave it to Ke Zheng as a birthday gift. Later, I sent someone to find Ke Zheng to get the Night Banquet back."

Hearing Yuan Xudong mention Zhao Pan'er, the emperor couldn't help but ask:

"Who is this Zhao Pan'er? What is her relationship with Ouyang Xu? How did the real Night Banquet painting end up in Ouyang Xu's hands?"

"Zhao Pan'er is my princess. She was once engaged to Ouyang Xu. The painting of the night banquet belongs to Pan'er. Ouyang Xu said that he would bring it to Tokyo and ask a famous artist to frame it."

Yuan Xudong paused for a moment and continued:

"Later, Ouyang Xu regretted his engagement and remarried, and got engaged to the lady from the Gao family. Pan'er went to Ouyang Xu to ask for the Night Banquet Painting, but Ouyang Xu ran away to Xijing. Later, I learned that Ouyang Xu had given the Night Banquet Painting to Ke Zheng, so I sent someone to find Ke Zheng to get the Night Banquet Painting back, and burned it."

"Wait, wait."

Guan Jia felt his head hurt again. He put his hand on his forehead, looked at Yuan Xudong and asked in surprise:

"Zhao Pan'er is your princess, and she is engaged to Ouyang Xu?"

"Yes."

"But, I remember that Ouyang Xu has never been engaged, right?"

The official's face looked a little ugly, and he probably understood what was going on. As expected, Yuan Xudong said:
"That was Ouyang Xu deceiving the emperor. He wanted to cling to the power of the Gao family, so he lied that he had no engagement."

Then, Yuan Xudong told the emperor how Zhao Pan'er had saved Ouyang Xu's life and sponsored him to study for three years. After hearing this, the emperor was furious and said:

"This bastard, I thought he was a man of integrity, but I didn't expect him to be so ungrateful and shameless. He even said in front of me that he would die to warn me. What a bastard!"

After scolding Ouyang Xu, the official looked at Yuan Xudong and said angrily:

"Why did you tell me these things only now?"

"My Lord, Ouyang Xu is just an insignificant soldier. I am secretly investigating a major case. The Yang family was brutally wiped out. The Qiantang County Court said it was a robbery by pirates. But in fact, according to my investigation, this matter is related to the Qiantang County Court, the Ninghai Army, and even the entire Jiangnan officialdom."

Yuan Xudong told the emperor that the Qiantang County Magistrate Zheng Qingtian had privately lifted the ban on sea smuggling, that the Ninghai Navy was both a soldier and a pirate, and that the entire Jiangnan officialdom was full of officials protecting each other and corruption was rampant. Finally, he looked at the emperor with a heavy face and said:
"Your Majesty, the Yang family was brutally wiped out and burned down by criminals. I have almost finished my investigation. It was done by Zheng Qingtian, the magistrate of Qiantang County, and people from the Ninghai Army. Yang Zhiyuan wanted to report to the court that they had privately lifted the ban on sea smuggling goods from Southeast Asia."

After listening to Yuan Xudong's words, the emperor was stunned and his hands and feet were shaking. He did not expect that those scholars and officials would be so bold to open the maritime ban privately, smuggle goods from Southeast Asia, and wipe out the entire family of the imperial officials. Aren't they afraid of implicated all their clans?

Looking at the dazed official, Yuan Xudong said:

"Your Majesty, I request your permission to go to Jiangnan to investigate this case. I hope your Majesty will grant my permission."

"Okay, you must find out. I will not kill scholars and officials, but they have gone too far!"

"Yes."

After taking a look at the angry official, Yuan Xudong said:
"Then I will leave first."

"it is good."

Looking at Yuan Xudong, the official finally asked:
"Why did you ask Ke Zheng to return the Night Banquet?"

"Because I want to protect Zhao Pan'er."

After saying that, Yuan Xudong left the hall. Suddenly, Guan Jia was the only one left in the hall. He pondered for a long time and did not completely believe what Yuan Xudong said.

……

Two days later, also in the palace hall, the commander of the Imperial City Department, Lei Jing, looked at the official sitting on the high seat and said respectfully:
"Although the people who went to Jiangnan to investigate have not returned yet, there are many Qiantang people doing business in Tokyo. I have repeatedly asked them, and they all said that Yang Yunpan did often go to Zhao Niangzi's place to drink tea and buy paintings. In addition, Wu Ming, the governor of Runzhou who is waiting for the imperial palace in Beijing, also said that he had seen the night banquet painting at Yang's house."

"Really seen it?"

"Yes."

Looking at Lei Jing, the official frowned and asked:
"The King of Qin said that the extermination of the Yang family was caused by the Qiantang County Magistrate Zheng Qingtian and the Ninghai Army's men. Why didn't the Imperial City Bureau report it to me?"

"This……"

Lei Jing also received the silver from Zheng Qingtian. He looked at the official and said:
"Because of the previous prophecy case, I once sent Gu Qianfan, the commander of the Imperial City Division, to Jiangnan to secretly investigate the magistrate of Renhe. But later, Gu Qianfan and the local people of the Imperial City Division in Qiantang all died in Yang's house. I sent more people to Qiantang to secretly investigate the matter, but encountered great resistance. The officials in the entire Jiangnan officialdom are like one body. Even the people of the Imperial City Division find it difficult to find out the truth at once. However, I have already got some clues. Please wait for two days until the people who went to Jiangnan to secretly investigate come back, and everything will be clear."

"Ah."

The official nodded. He did not completely trust Yuan Xudong. He felt relieved only after he asked the people from the Imperial City Bureau to investigate secretly. However, he did not know that the Imperial City Bureau no longer belonged to him.

Looking at the information in his hand, the official murmured:

"Zhao Pan'er, you are Zhao Qian's daughter. You are from a military family, but you lost your status as a prostitute at such a young age. I am so sorry to Zhao Qian."

Looking at Zhao Qian's name in the information, the emperor couldn't help but fall into deep thought. At that time, the imperial court wanted to negotiate peace with the enemy country, but during the negotiation, the enemy's army was still burning, killing and looting on the border of the Song Dynasty. The people were suffering and slaughtered. The imperial court strictly prohibited border soldiers from going to the battlefield to avoid the failure of the peace talks. However, Zhao Qian could not bear to see the people on the border of the Song Dynasty being slaughtered by the enemy, so he disobeyed the order and went to the battlefield. He saved the people, but caused the failure of the peace talks of the Song Dynasty.

Finally, the censor Xiao Qinyan made a suggestion, which was approved by the emperor. Zhao Qian was sentenced to immediate execution and his entire family to slavery, which greatly satisfied the envoys of the enemy country. Finally, the Song Dynasty ceded land, paid compensation, and paid annual tribute, and the peace talks were finally successful. The people of the Song Dynasty finally ushered in peace.

At that time, the emperor and ministers represented by Xiao Qinyan wanted to sacrifice a small number of people for the sake of the overall situation, but Zhao Qian was a person who did not consider the overall situation, so he deserved to die. Not only would he die, but his entire family would be reduced to slavery.

More than ten years passed, and the emperor's thoughts gradually changed. He began to regret what he had done. However, he was the emperor, and thunder, rain and dew were all grace from heaven. Zhao Qian was a minister, and he would die if he died. Even if his whole family died, it was a small matter. He was the emperor, and the emperor was not wrong.

Although the emperor was called a benevolent monarch, he was, after all, an emperor under the feudal system. He regarded the country as his private property and the people of the world as cattle and horses. Under such a premise, how could he be a benevolent monarch?
When the people can eat bran and drink porridge, that is a prosperous era.

……

On the other side, in Ouyang’s house.

Ouyang Xu had a bandage wrapped around his head. He had been idle at home for a few days. He originally thought that the emperor would soon summon him, a loyal minister who risked his life for his advice. However, the reality was that no news came out of the palace. After staying at home for a few days, he began to get anxious. He paced back and forth in the hall, muttering to himself anxiously:
"It's been a few days, why is there no news from the palace?"

As he spoke, he looked at Uncle De next to him and asked anxiously:

"By the way, has the imperial physician not arrived yet?"

"I'm also surprised. It should have arrived an hour ago."

Uncle De replied. Upon hearing this, Ouyang Xu's face suddenly changed and he said in surprise:

"Oh no, something unexpected happened in the palace."

After saying this, he consoled himself by talking to himself:

"No, no, even if it's the emperor, he won't tolerate being cuckolded, but deposing the queen is a big deal, that's for sure."

Seeing Ouyang Xu becoming a little nervous, Uncle De said with a worried look on his face:
"Sir, you should rest early."

"it is good."

Ouyang Xu nodded, and Uncle De helped him limp towards the bedroom.

……

After a few more days, there was still no news from the palace. Ouyang Xu suddenly became anxious. With no other options, he thought of Gao Hui again and went to Gao's house to see her.

Ouyang Xu shamelessly shouted at the door of Gao's house that he wanted to see Gao Hui, and Gao Hui agreed to meet him.

Seeing Gao Hui in the courtyard of Gao's house, Ouyang Xu said straight to the point:
"Ouyang Xu feels that he is immoral and unworthy of Roudi, so he is willing to cancel the engagement."

"Haven't we already called off our engagement?"

Looking at Ouyang Xu, Gao Hui said:
"I have the letter of withdrawal of engagement you wrote in Xijing."

Hearing this, Ouyang Xu snorted coldly. He looked at Gao Hui and said:
"In that case, let's not beat around the bush. If you agree to one condition, I can promise you that I will never bother you again."

"You still dare to negotiate terms with me?"

Looking at Ouyang Xu, Gao Hui said coldly:
"You are just a small official, do you really think my Gao family can't deal with you?"

“Those who are barefoot are not afraid of those who wear shoes.”

Facing Gao Hui's gaze, Ouyang Xu smiled and said:
"If you are willing to help me this time, we will have nothing to do with each other. Otherwise, the government will not kill the censors, and I will be exiled at most, but not killed. If one day you get married, and I tell your husband that you and I had physical contact, what do you think he will think?"

"you……"

Looking at the despicable Ouyang Xu, Gao Hui said angrily:

"When have I ever had physical contact with you?"

"You said no, but I said yes. What do you think your husband would think?"

Looking at Gao Hui, Ouyang Xu smiled and said:

"If you don't agree to me, I will haunt you for the rest of my life, unless you kill me now. I am an official appointed by the court, do you dare to kill me?"

"you……"

Looking at the crazy Ouyang Xu, Gao Hui had no choice but to compromise:

"what do you want?"

"Please ask Concubine Gao in the palace to help me see the emperor and plead for forgiveness."

After looking at Ouyang Xu, Gao Hui said coldly:
"I don't believe you'll keep your promise."

"I can write a letter of pledge. As long as I can see the emperor, I will no longer embarrass you and the Gao family."

Ouyang Xu said hurriedly.

"it is good."

Gao Hui agreed. She looked at Ouyang Xu and said coldly:

"This is just the first time. If you dare to threaten me again, I promise you will die miserably!"

"Okay, if you break your promise, I'll pay with my life!"

Ouyang Xu said seriously, and after writing the letter of pledge, he left Gao's house.

……

The next morning, Ouyang Xu entered the palace. He waited by the roadside. When he saw the emperor coming, he immediately knelt on the ground and said respectfully:

"I've met the officials."

When he saw Ouyang Xu, the emperor's face was immediately filled with displeasure. He had already investigated Ouyang Xu's affairs through the Imperial City Bureau, including the fact that he broke off his engagement and married another woman, deceived the emperor and his superiors, and when he was in Xijing, in order to please Baoyi, he actually became a guest of his nephew and visited Qi Mu's home. All these things made the emperor very disgusted with Ouyang Xu.

"Tell me, what's the matter?"

The official said impatiently.

"Your Majesty, I am guilty of a thousand deaths for falsely accusing the Empress, but I was also victimized by a traitor and believed the slander. If you don't believe me, Your Majesty can..."

"You disappoint me so much."

Before Ouyang Xu could finish his words, the emperor interrupted him and walked away from him. The noble ladies and other servants also walked away from Ouyang Xu. Ouyang Xu collapsed to the ground. He felt that he was finished and his path to success was over.

……

The queen's bedroom.

Looking at the noble lady, the queen smiled and asked:

"Did Ouyang Xu meet the emperor?"

"seen."

Looking at the queen, the noble lady smiled and said:

"If it weren't for the Saint's secret help this time, Ouyang Xu would never have been able to meet the Emperor. But, I don't understand why you want to..."

"Repay evil with kindness?"

"I dare not." After looking at the noble lady, the queen smiled and said:

"I just want the puppies and old dogs to bite harder."

Hearing this, the nobleman smiled and praised:
"The saint is wise."

"By the way, how did the government deal with Ouyang Xu?"

"The emperor is merciful and allowed Ouyang Xu to serve as the magistrate of Xinzhou in Lingnan."

The middle nobleman laughed.

"Lingnan?"

The Queen smiled and said:

"I hope he doesn't die on the way."

……

In Ouyang's house.

"So many things, and you only sold them for 400 coins?"

In order to stay in Tokyo to work, Ouyang Xu sold all his property and tried to use connections, but the servant only brought back 400 strings of cash, which was far from enough.

Ouyang Xu was like a madman, whipping the servant with a whip to vent his anger. The servant knelt on the ground, trembling, with a bruised face and nose, and said fearfully:

"It was Uncle De. Uncle De wouldn't let me sell it. He said it was the ancestral home of the Ouyang family and couldn't be sold. It could only be pawned."

At this time, Uncle De walked in from outside. He first glanced at the servant kneeling on the ground and being whipped, then looked at the furious Ouyang Xu and advised:
"Sir, you can't sell it. This is the ancestral home of the Ouyang family. If the old owner was still alive, he would definitely not let you sell it. You can redeem it if you pawn it, but if you sell it, the Ouyang family will have nothing!"

"I just want to sell it. Do you know what New South Wales is?"

Staring at Uncle De, Ouyang Xu said frantically:
"That is Lingnan, a hot, humid, and barbaric place. Asking me to transfer from my important position in the government to work there is undoubtedly asking me to die!"

"But, sir."

Uncle De advised:

"Even if he is the runner-up in this year's exam, he will be appointed as the magistrate of a state."

"I don't care. I just don't want to be sent out again. I don't want to suffer in Xijing anymore. I want to stay in this splendid and prosperous Tokyo. I want to stay here. So, before I am transferred, I have to seize these last ten days to find connections. I need money. I need a lot of money. As long as I can stay in Tokyo, I can sell my ancestral home, not to mention my life."

Looking at the already crazy Ouyang Xu, Uncle De knelt on the ground and kowtowed, begging:
"Sir, you can't sell it. You can't sell it. This is the root of the Ouyang family."

"Uncle De, hand over the pawn ticket."

Ouyang Xu looked at Uncle De who was kneeling in front of him, stretched out his hand to him and smiled.

"I won't hand it over. My old master asked me to take good care of the Ouyang family. I won't hand it over even if I risk my life."

Uncle De cried.

"well."

Ouyang Xu's face became colder and colder. He stood up, turned around and took the inkstone on the desk, then suddenly turned around and smashed Uncle De's head, knocking Uncle De to the ground. He smashed Uncle De's head again and again, blood splattered all over him, and his face was also covered with Uncle De's blood. He smashed it frantically, and said with a ferocious face:
"In this house, are you the master or am I the master?"

Seeing Ouyang Xu smashing Uncle De to death, the servant was frightened and stunned. When Ouyang Xu looked at him, he was so scared that he crawled away from Ouyang's house.

……

Half a month later, in the backyard of the palace, Pan Garden.

Zhao Pan'er was sitting under the pavilion in the garden, counting the abacus beads with one hand and flipping through the account book with the other. She was checking the expenses of the palace this month.

At this time, Yuan Xudong walked over, stopped in front of Zhao Pan'er, and extended his right hand towards her.

"What are you doing?"

Zhao Paner looked up at Yuan Xudong and asked with a smile.

"give me money."

After glaring at Zhao Pan'er, Yuan Xudong pretended to be wronged and said:
"Only 500 strings of cash a month, how can that be enough for me to spend?"

"No."

After rolling her eyes at Yuan Xudong, Zhao Paner smiled and said:

"Now I am in charge of the money in the palace. Five hundred strings of cash a month is not enough for you to spend. Why are you such a spendthrift?"

"I'm still a loser?"

Sitting down next to Zhao Pan'er, Yuan Xudong held her in his arms and said with a smile:
"If you don't want to give me money, forget it. I'll ask Hui for it later. She's a wealthy woman. Don't regret it then."

"Huh, what do I regret?"

Zhao Pan'er said coquettishly. Looking at her, Yuan Xudong smiled and then said seriously:
"Let me tell you something. Wasn't Ouyang Xu transferred to Xinzhou as the magistrate? He left Beijing yesterday, but was attacked by bandits on the boat at night and died."

"what?"

Looking at Yuan Xudong, Zhao Paner said in surprise:

"Did you kill him?"

"Ok?"

Looking at Zhao Pan'er, Yuan Xudong said speechlessly:

"Everyone on the entire ship died. Do you think I'm that cruel?"

"Who did it?"

"How would I know that?"

As he spoke, Yuan Xudong picked up Zhao Pan'er and walked into the house, saying with a smile:

"I will punish you severely for daring to think of your husband like that."

"Don't~~Hehe~~"

……

A month later, Guan Jia and Sheng Wang went on a boat trip. On the way, the boat suddenly took on water and sank. Guan Jia and Sheng Wang fell into the water. After being rescued to the shore, the young Sheng Wang caught a cold and died after being bedridden for seven days.

As a result of this blow, the emperor's headache became more severe and he was eventually bedridden. All the imperial doctors in the palace were helpless, and a month later, the emperor passed away.

The country cannot be without a ruler for a day, and under the strong request of Qingliu scholars such as Ke Zheng and Qi Mu, Yuan Xudong reluctantly sat on the throne.

After Yuan Xudong ascended the throne, a major corruption case was uncovered in Jiangnan. The main culprit, Zheng Qingtian, the magistrate of Qiantang County, committed suicide out of fear of punishment, leaving behind a list of bribes.

When Yuan Xudong, the new emperor, ascended the throne, he issued a general amnesty, so only the corrupt officials themselves were punished and their properties were confiscated, but their families were not implicated. The entire Jiangnan officialdom was purged, and people from all over the country celebrated, saying that the new emperor was a good emperor.

A month later, Chief Censor Qi Mu accidentally fell into the water and drowned, the commander of the Imperial City Division Lei Jing fell off his horse and died, and a noble lady in the palace hanged herself, leaving behind a suicide note.

……

at night.

The Imperial Palace, formerly the Queen's bedroom.

Yuan Xudong walked into the palace wearing a dragon robe. The former queen Liu E was sitting on a phoenix chair, still wearing the queen's clothes.

Seeing Yuan Xudong coming in, she smiled slightly and said:

"Is it finally my turn? How do you want me to die? Drown, fall off a horse, or hang myself?"

Hearing this, Yuan Xudong smiled. He walked to the other side of Liu E and sat down. He looked at her and smiled:
"What do you mean Queen? Why would I want you dead?"

"Humph."

Liu E snorted coldly and lamented silently in her heart. She originally thought that she still had some means and even wanted to rule the country from behind the scenes and become the Empress Wu Zetian of the Song Dynasty. However, reality slapped her hard in the face. It turned out that without the protection of the government, she was nothing. In front of Yuan Xudong, she was just an ordinary woman who was weak and could be bullied.

"The king's uncle will be executed tomorrow, along with your nephews from your mother's side."

Yuan Xudong suddenly said. Hearing this, Liu E's body couldn't help but tremble. She looked at Yuan Xudong, gritted her teeth, and said softly:

"Can you spare their lives?"

"Oh?"

Looking at Liu E, Yuan Xudong smiled and said:

"The uncle of the emperor embezzled 200,000 strings of cash. How can you ask me to forgive him?"

Looking at Yuan Xudong, Liu E suddenly asked:

"Did you kill Guan Jia and King Sheng?"

"No, Qi Mu killed him."

Looking at Liu E, Yuan Xudong said:
"I know, I just didn't stop it."

After saying this, without waiting for Liu E to speak, he smiled and said:

"Speaking of which, you are also responsible for this matter. You had someone kill Ouyang Xu and wanted to frame Qi Mu. As a result, Qi Mu was desperate and directly harmed the Guan family and King Sheng. He wanted me to take the throne. I had someone kill Qi Mu, which can be regarded as helping the Guan family and King Sheng to avenge themselves."

Looking at the hypocritical Yuan Xudong, Liu E said coldly:
"Even if you didn't kill him yourself, Guan Jia and King Sheng died because of you!"

"Just say so."

Looking at Liu E, Yuan Xudong sneered:
"You framed Qi Mu for killing Ouyang Xu, but you killed a whole boatload of innocent people, not even sparing the children. Compared to you, I should be considered kind, right?"

When Liu E heard what Yuan Xudong said, her expression did not change. Having been the queen for so long, how could she care about the lives of ordinary people? However, perhaps because she was infertile, she attached great importance to her family, especially her nephews.

With a soft sigh, Liu E looked at Yuan Xudong beside her and said:
"What do you want in exchange for letting my family go?"

"Let me think about it."

Yuan Xudong smiled.

Just then, there was a sudden thunder outside, with flashing lightning and rumbling thunder. Liu E was so frightened that she shivered and screamed. It turned out that she was afraid of thunder.

Yuan Xudong smiled, and suddenly he reached out and grabbed Liu E's wrist, and with a slight tug he pulled her into his arms. Liu E couldn't help but screamed in surprise, and amid the rumbling thunder, Yuan Xudong pressed her under him.

"No~~I am the queen~~"

……

Another year later, Zhao Pan'er became the queen, and Song Yinzhang's daughters became concubines.

That day, after court session, Yuan Xudong came to Gao Hui's bedroom, where she was sitting embroidering with her aunt.

"May the government be safe and sound."

"No courtesy, stay on your own."

Looking at Gao Hui and her aunt's embroidery, Yuan Xudong smiled and asked:

"What is this you embroidered?"

Hearing this, Gao Hui and her aunt blushed and looked up at him. Gao Hui lowered her head and said shyly:

"can not tell you."

"Can't you tell me?"

Yuan Xudong was a little surprised. He took another look at the embroidery. One had the word "Hui" embroidered on it, and the other had the word "Niang" embroidered on it. Yuan Xudong suddenly thought, wasn't there a word "Hui" embroidered on Gao Hui's bellyband?

At night, Yuan Xudong stayed in Gao Hui's bedroom. He couldn't let go of the white bellyband embroidered with the word "Hui".

Three nights later, Yuan Xudong went to Liu E to discuss important life events. Unfortunately, he was accidentally seen by Gao Hui's aunt. He had no choice but to ask the former noble concubine Gao to discuss important life events with him, and he got a white bellyband embroidered with the word "mother".

Spring goes and autumn comes, and a hundred years of life is but a blink of an eye. After decades of diligent governance, the Song Dynasty became unprecedentedly powerful and prosperous, and all nations came to pay tribute.

When Yuan Xudong opened his eyes again, he had come to a new world.

...(End of chapter)