Chapter 115 Talking about Heroes
Zhao Kuangyin issued the decree very quickly, or rather, he trusted the immortal who had guaranteed him and allowed him to return to the human world within a limited time but with regrets.
Five years was enough time for him to change the current situation.
Since soft tactics don’t work, he’s good at hard tactics.
The palace gates opened, and the imperial edict-bearing team came out in droves, splitting into two teams. One team went to the market, and the other team went to a place where poor people lived that no one cared about on weekdays.
Bai Choufei and Wang Xiaoshi now live together, saving an imperial edict.
Su Mengzhen was still a little dazed when he heard the news, because the last time he saw the two of them was at the Bitter Water Shop.
So many things happened in the past two days. First, he intercepted a mysterious ghost from Liufenbantang and got his favor, which gave him the possibility of curing his sick body. Then, he was summoned to the palace. He thought he would meet the emperor and have a chance to give him advice, even though it would probably make the emperor angry in the end. But he never expected that the one who summoned him was actually His Majesty the Taizu Gao Emperor!
Then there were the two imperial edicts now summoning the three people to the palace for an audience.
In comparison, the first and last items seem less shocking.
...No, the first one is more shocking.
According to what His Majesty Emperor Taizu Gao said, he was able to return to the human world thanks to the blessing of this unpredictable ghost who was willing to guarantee him.
But Yin and Yang are separated, and life and death are in order. Even if there is an immortal to guarantee, His Majesty the Emperor Taizu Gao can only stay in the world for five years.
Five years...
Su Mengzhen looked at the prosperous scene in the yard and became increasingly absent-minded.
How many years did it take for the Song Dynasty to be in its current precarious state?
It is easy to ruin a family, but very difficult to build it up.
After understanding what kind of person Zhao Ji was, Su Mengzhen found it difficult to feel the slightest respect for such a man. Even if he was an emperor, he was not worthy of being one.
Zhao Kuangyin regarded Su Mengzhen as his most trusted minister in the future, and naturally did not hide these so-called family scandals that could not be made public from him. Loyalty and respect are divided among people, and Zhao Ji, that bastard who deserved to be cut into pieces, did not deserve it.
He had already chosen a suitable candidate for the next emperor and brought him into the palace that day, preparing to teach him.
Five years was enough time for him to train Zhao Kai into a capable and capable ruler.
Among all the children that Zhao Ji had, only this one caught his eye. Several of his other princesses were also pretty good, but they were still a little short of being emperors. However, they could be trained better and perhaps become assistant ministers.
Zhao Kuangyin, who often played chess and chatted with the Great Emperor Wu Zetian in the underworld, also taught the princesses to take the exam. If none of the princes were outstanding, and there was a princess who could take on this important task, he would not mind personally going down and talking about the great principles since ancient times with those history scholars.
The country is about to be destroyed, and you are still talking about the principles of heaven and humanity. You are courting death!
Thanks to Zhao Ji's usual behavior, Zhao Kuangyin, who was in disguise, became more open and scolded several prominent officials in the court.
There was a historian who wanted to hit his head against the pillar to protest against the emperor. Zhao Kuangyin looked at him coldly and said, "Go ahead."
At this moment, all the civil and military officials in the court felt the murderous intent coming from their superiors.
That Yu Shi knelt on the ground, trembling and mumbling, saying that he was willing to die for his remonstrance, but in fact he was terribly afraid of death.
But who was Emperor Taizu Gao?
He is very helpful.
Zhao Kuangyin waved his hand, and the guards outside the palace immediately drew their swords. Four big men grabbed the historian's hands and feet, ignored his loud pleas for mercy, shouted in unison, and rushed forward at the same time.
There was only a muffled thud, and the sound of broken bones could be clearly heard. Steaming hot blood smeared on the pillar, and several ministers who were nearby were also splashed with blood, which then flowed all over the ground.
Zhuge Zhengwo and several other loyal ministers like him who had gained the trust of Taizu watched everything with our eyes and noses and pretended not to see anything.
——This historian who dared to make death-defying remonstrations to Emperor Taizu was Cai Jing's man.
The same was true of the first few Yushi who jumped out after him.
From that day on, no one said anything to the princesses who attended the court to participate in government affairs. The princesses who seemed a little timid at first became more and more confident, and from then on, their confident demeanor and practical abilities were indeed better than those of most princes.
While teaching the princes and princesses, Zhao Kuangyin was also busy. He was used to dividing one hour into three hours.
It is not possible to kill Cai Jing and his cronies all at once, so we should first keep hold of their respective handles and evidences. It will be best to punish them for multiple crimes later or throw some of them out to let them fight each other.
When it comes to investigating and gathering information, we have to mention the spy agencies that have been hiding in the shadows throughout the dynasties.
The Song Dynasty did not have the Jinyiwei of the Ming Dynasty, but it did have the Imperial City Bureau. When Zhao Kuangyin was still alive, the Imperial City Bureau's duty was to investigate the situation in the army and prevent conspiracy and unrest. Its main target of investigation... was the positions above this hall.
Zhao Kuangyin has always been bold in employing people. After learning about Bai Choufei's character and abilities from the immortal, he incorporated Bai Choufei into the Imperial City Division and appointed him as the commander.
Bai Choufei had become successful overnight, so he naturally tried his best to let the Bole who recognized his talent know that he had made the right choice of him. He would not use any schemes that were too sinister, as he still had plenty of other ways.
In less than half a month, piles of evidence were placed on Zhao Kuangyin's dragon case, and there were also many private secrets that he dared not speak aloud.
Zhao Kuangyin was very satisfied and promoted Bai Chou to a higher level.
The other four people who were summoned were equally busy.
Wang Xiaoshi went to the Imperial Guards, and the hearts of the Imperial Guards had already become like Zhao Kuangyin, an iron barrel that no one could get into. He had strength and a good character, and with the emperor's care, he was like a fish in water in the Imperial Guards, and now he has become a lieutenant general.
Su Mengzhen volunteered to go to the Ministry of Revenue.
Cai Jing served as the Minister of Revenue several times. Although he has retired now, the Ministry of Revenue can be said to be Cai Jing's stronghold, and at least half of the officials are his people.
There is a dangerous element in Mr. Su's nature. He likes challenges, and the more difficult the challenge, the more interested he is.
Di Feijing went to the Ministry of Justice, and like Su Mengzhen, he was directly parachuted into the position of Vice Minister, saying that he was assisting the Minister of Justice, but in fact he was just trying to undermine him.
As for Gu Xichao, Zhao Kuangyin first handed him over to Zhuge Zhengwo, and his official position still needed some preparation.
A few days later, Cai You, the former Minister of War, frequented brothels and spent a fortune on courtesans. He accidentally caught seizure while having sex. Although he was rescued, he was already dead.
Cai Jing quickly suppressed the news and only wrote a letter saying that his eldest son suddenly fell ill and could no longer share the emperor's worries for the time being. He also earnestly recommended to the emperor several candidates who were suitable for the position of temporary Minister of War.
Without exception, they are all his people.
Zhao Kuangyin accepted his memorial, pinched his nose and issued a few words of consolation, then joined forces with Zhuge Zhengwo and others to act out a play, portraying a wavering and willful useless emperor to perfection.
Finally, the interim Minister of War fell to Gu Xichao, the new noble in the court and Zhuge Zhengwo's fifth disciple.
Cai Jing's group said no, but Zhao Kuangyin said that Gu Xichao saved his life when he was on a secret visit, and he was a talented person.
Cai Jing's group argued that Cai You was just a newly-minted Jinshi and had no experience. Zhao Kuangyin then said that Cai You was also a newly-minted Jinshi and had been an official for a long time, so he would have experience. Moreover, he had Zhuge Shenhou personally teaching him, so there was no need to worry about him not becoming a talent.
Cai Jing's faction exposed Gu Xichao's life experience. Zhao Kuangyin said that a hero is judged by his origin. Not to mention that Gu Xichao is now a disciple of Zhuge Shenhou, he saved the emperor's life! Isn't such a great achievement enough to outweigh his poor origin?
Cai Jing’s faction…Cai Jing’s faction is silent.
Who dares to say that the emperor's life is not precious? !
Even the most favored Cai Jing did not dare to say so.
The person in question was standing behind the calm and composed Zhuge Shenhou, with his head slightly lowered to hide the smile on his lips.
The Minister of War, he couldn't even imagine it when he was at his most proud.
If you treat me like a national hero, I will repay you as a national hero!
Zhao Kuangyin heard his inner voice:...
Forget it, just report it to Zhao Kai. That bastard Zhao Ji is not worthy of it!
Or maybe Zhao Ji is absurd enough, so that whatever absurd things he does seem very reasonable.
While Zhao Kuangyin let the gang go, he covered his heart and cursed Zhao Ji in his heart for insulting the bloodline of his Zhao family. One thing he had to do every day after court was to go to the Taoist temple that Zhao Ji had built in the palace and beat up the evil beast.
Don’t you want to be a Taoist priest?
Then do it to me until you die!
This Taoist temple is Zhao Ji’s tomb!
…
Tarona enjoyed the show.
During the day, she either stayed in the Golden Wind and Rain Tower or in the Shenhou Mansion. At night, she moved into the hunting space of the Grand Duchess Rose and had a good sleep.
If she wanted to go shopping, she would be accompanied by either Feng Jiang or Wu Qing, and most of the time, both of them would be there.
Su Mengzhen felt much better and felt full of energy. He had endless energy and would feel uncomfortable unless he fought with that group of people in the Ministry of Revenue all day.
Di Fei seemed to be living in the Ministry of Justice, and he hadn't been back to the Liufenban Hall for many days. I heard that he was too busy, so he recommended his chief hall master and Lei Chun, the eldest daughter of the Lei family, to Zhao Kuangyin.
Zhao Kuangyin also sent someone to ask for Tarona's opinion. These two were not on the immortal's recommendation list, which shows that the immortal may not have a good opinion of the father and daughter. But Di Feijing is a rare talent, and he is also a person who cherishes talents. If Lei Shu and Lei Chun can be used, he doesn't mind fulfilling Di Feijing's wish.
At that time, Tarona was catching Leng Xue all over the yard and making him drink medicine. After listening to the words of the eunuch, she looked through the internal forum. Putting aside the positions of Fu Zongshu and Liufenbantang, both the father and daughter were talented.
Especially Lei Chun, he is smart and can be more ruthless than anyone else when it comes to being ruthless, he can accomplish great things.
于是仙人道:“可用。”
趙匡胤放心下旨，将雷損和雷純并入了刑部，暫為狄飛驚的助手。
這事也給了趙匡胤另外的思路，人才手下或身邊的人不說全都是人才，能用肯定是能用的。
都是大宋子民，那就都能給他* 幹活。
又過了幾天，塔羅納明顯感覺到身邊的人少了。
首當其沖的，就是每天都要在她眼邊晃蕩幾圈的楊無邪不見了。
這人到如今也是十分怕她的，但感念她治好了蘇夢枕，這等大恩無以為報，他就把自己當成一個普通的管家，随叫随到，不叫也到。
但凡大魔女想要點兒什麽，他都能從各個地方跳出來把活兒攬過去。
可以說，只要塔羅納在金風細雨樓，伺候在她身邊的人必然就是楊無邪，那态度比對待蘇夢枕都要殷切貼心。
今天忽然沒瞧見人，還有些不習慣。
無情見她四處看了看，面露不解，立刻就明白了她在找誰:“楊無邪被官家召去了，說是讓他去幫蘇樓主。”
這一個多月裏發生的事情比幾年的都多，饒是無情都有些反應不過來。
他一開始還實在看不懂官家想要做些什麽，為什麽忽然就開始冷落蔡京一黨了，畢竟官家究竟是一個怎樣的人，他們這些還算是天子近臣的人又怎麽可能不知道？
直到世叔告訴他，坐在紫宸殿上的那位不是趙佶，而是重返人間的太祖高皇帝陛下。
無情:……
大捕頭生平第一次露出了全然茫然和懵懂的表情。
而旁聽的冷血已經傻了。
塔羅納覺得可愛，瞬移過來揉了揉他們兩個的腦袋，一人投喂一顆奶糖。
一聽楊無邪原來被趙匡胤征召去了，大魔女點點頭，并不感覺意外。
他缺人都缺瘋了。
那張要殺人的名單上通篇血紅，黑筆寫下的名字是頂替這些人的，偏偏到現在還沒有寫滿，也難怪他會把目光放到其他人身上。
不過有句話塔羅納很認可，大宋子民，哪有不能給他幹活的。
無情和冷血還在這裏，沒有像蘇夢枕他們那樣忙得團團轉，原因也很簡單。
四大名捕有他們自己的職責在，調動不方便，也不适合調動，趙匡胤只能滿臉遺憾地抛開他們。
再一個，就是無情行走不方便，且還在養身體。
趙匡胤不好向俨然一副無情臨時監護人模樣的仙人開這個口，就算開了，也一定不會被同意，索性就略過了。
反正人身體養好了，還是要繼續為大宋效力的，不差這一時半會兒。
聽到他在打什麽主意的塔羅納:……五年還是太久了。
其實還有一個漏網之魚，那就是風降。
他是真的漏過去了，一株才能化形的草懂什麽朝堂政事，趙匡胤召他進宮一看，只一眼就看透了他眼中清澈的愚蠢和大寫的懵懂。
于是擺擺手放他回府，再派大太監走了一趟神侯府，得來這人原來是練功出了點岔子，過些時日就會好的回複。
塔羅納将風降放在身邊帶着，時刻關注着他的治愈情況，算着時間準備好只要他傷一好，就立馬帶着人滿世界找異常。
風降還樂呵呵地整日獻殷勤，在心裏盤算着怎麽樣才能讓這位仙人再發慈悲，送他回到他原本的世界去。
一旁的無情看了看他，又看了看本打算悠哉釣魚，但河裏的魚還沒等她靠近就被吓跑，于是放下魚竿，拿起了魚叉的猩紅美人，半晌，他暗暗嘆了一口氣。
這幅模樣的方應看果真如赫娘子所言，是練功出了岔子，不然他怎麽會看不出來赫娘子贈他仙藥其實是另有目的？
雖然這另有的目的大概率不會害他性命，但……不好受是一定的。
一個多月的朝夕相處，無情已經看透了這位氣勢恐怖威赫，外表完美得窮極了人的想象的赫娘子，她實際上是有些惡趣味，平時就很喜歡和他們開一些無傷大雅的玩笑，而真正憤怒的時候是沒有的。
他無法想象赫娘子憤怒的模樣，非要說的話，那必然是毀天滅地的，畢竟赫娘子無所不能，至今還沒有遇到一件能夠難住她的事情。
塔羅納憐愛地看向兀自沉思的無情，這孩子真實誠，哪裏會有人是完美的，誰又真的無所不能呢？
都是表相，【薔薇女大公】的外表實在唬人。
不過目前确實有了一件難住她的事情，這件事還頗為棘手。
【薔薇女大公】是SSR，但她不是神明，也不是鬼，她是奇幻物種，所以——她是需要進食的。
衆所周知，血族的食物是血。
吸血鬼哪有不喝血的？不喝不真實。
女大公在這一方面很挑剔，不是最甘美的鮮血她不喝，不是活的血她不喝，獻上鮮血的人她看不上，同樣不喝。
條件如此苛刻，一番篩選後，名單上有哪些人可想而知。
塔羅納鄧布利多搖頭:【我怎麽能吃自己的孩子呢？不行，不要，不可能！】
拒絕三連！
忒休斯冷靜發言:【短期內不進食是可控，長期不進食就不行了，饑餓的狀态會影響理智。【薔薇女大公】雖然不是神明，可她一旦餓瘋了暴走，說不定世界意識都來不及阻攔。】
塔羅納:……
她一魚叉幹穿了河底的鎮石。
砰的一聲悶響，驚得風降一抖，無情也跟着看了過來。
頭一次，是猩紅美人避開他的目光。
無情愣了愣，微微皺起眉來，直覺告訴他，這很不同尋常。
從來只有他們躲閃的時候，以長輩自居的赫娘子什麽時候會避開他們？
是……出什麽事了嗎？
塔羅納勾勾手指，将魚叉從地底撿了回來。
她眉頭微蹙:【吃飯是可以吃飯的，我不挑，但要我對無情他們下嘴……】
大魔女想了想那個畫面，很是抵觸:【臣妾做不到！】
母親怎麽能吃自己孩子呢？
忒休斯道:【只是喝血，又不是讓你把他整個吞了。無情下不去嘴，還有蘇夢枕啊，蘇夢枕不行，那就狄飛驚。一點血而已，他們不至于那麽小氣。】
別說放血了，他的搭檔治好了他們的身體，讓他們割肉也不會有二話。
塔羅納掂了掂手裏的魚叉，瞄準一條游竄的魚，咻的一下投射出去。
正中靶心。
這麽說的話，也不是不可以。
【忒休斯，幫我問問技術部門，【薔薇女大公】一次進食需要多少血？進食一次能管多久？】
【好的，請稍等，正在聯系中。】
塔羅納将叉中的魚隔空撈起來放魚簍裏，魚叉已經卷邊了，索性不要了。
她提起裝得滿滿的魚簍，走向安靜等待的無情:“走吧，我們回去了。”
無情點點頭，朝另一邊看去:“不叫上小侯爺嗎？”
塔羅納朝那邊看去，風降正靠在一棵柳樹上，閉着眼睛同它分享這片大地的記憶。
他有點社恐，待在人多的地方會很不自在，平日裏能聊得上來的人也就冷血一個。
他曾私下裏偷偷和她說，他覺得無情和蘇夢枕他們心眼子好多，和他們聊天有一種随時都會被賣掉的感覺。
對此，大魔女很難不贊同。
塔羅納用空着的那只手摸了摸無情的頭，道:“不用管他，讓他在這兒待着吧，他挺自在的。”
無情眨眨眼，已經免疫猩紅美人随時随地的摸摸頭了。
左右他也躲不過去，說不要這樣，還會被赫娘子大笑着掐掐臉頰，接着被更重地摸頭。
時間久了，他都快不認識羞這個字了。
……還不如就讓她摸頭呢。
更何況……赫娘子是能聽見他們心裏在想什麽的，只是絕大多數情況下不會點明而已。
大捕頭幽幽嘆息，這樣完完全全的坦誠，他實在習慣不來。
但也只能嘗試着讓自己習慣。
赫娘子看起來再如何像人，再如何表現得和人相差無幾，她實際上也不是人，非人的思想和人終究是不一樣的。
故而，他還是想不通，為何赫娘子會視他、冷血和蘇樓主如自己的孩子？
難道他們和赫娘子的孩子很相似嗎？
還是說……赫娘子曾經見過他們，再更早的時候？
無情隐隐覺得自己猜中了一些，但靜下心來仔細去想，又感覺前方迷霧重重，破不開也散不去，重要的線索和最終的答案被一并藏在了迷霧之後。
他也嘗試過旁敲側擊，試圖從赫娘子本人口中得知這些問題的答案。
可赫娘子只是笑着看他，那柄巧奪天工的貝母刻金扇遮住了猩紅而爆滿的唇，眼尾綻放的血色薔薇似在輕輕搖曳，連吹拂過來的清風中都浸滿了荼靡的冷香。
那雙比鮮血更紅、更濃稠的眼睛溫柔地看着自己，好一會兒，他才聽到她輕聲道:“好孩子，我對你們好，是因為你的都是好孩子……就只是想對你們好而已。”
大捕頭驀地紅了臉頰。
自此，在沒有問過。
……
過了東水門，技術部門那邊有了回應。
[The designer of the Grand Duchess of Rose said that only 80 milliliters of it should be consumed symbolically, and one consumption should last for a month.] Theseus read the reply from the technical department, opened his notebook, and wrote down the two numbers so that he could remind his partner at any time.
Tarona was a little helpless for a moment.
80 ml, one tube for one month, what is the necessity of this setting?
I was a little nervous before, but it was all in vain.
Theseus said: [In order to deal with the truth. ]
There are indeed vampires who can do it, but it is in the universe, and the prototype that the technical department borrowed from should be this.
Okay.
Tarona put this complaint behind him and started thinking about who to ask for the 80 milliliters of water.
She definitely couldn't be ruthless. She and him had the deepest mother-son relationship and she couldn't bring herself to do that.
If she is cold-blooded, the child will now play hide-and-seek when he sees her. She has to climb up to the roof to catch him when she wants to feed him medicine, but he still can't get it back.
Only Su Mengzhen and Di Feijing were left.
Great, who will be the lucky unlucky one?