After the morning meeting, all the officials on Tianjie Street left the palace. Yun Dashan was unhappy and walked to Beichengmen alone. He and Yuan Chengfan, the Minister of Rites, had always been at odds with each other. One of them was upright and the other was a flatterer. Therefore, they looked down upon each other many times.

There was an argument in the court. Today, the Lone Star matter was clearly his own, but Yuan Chengfan repeatedly argued with him and pushed the shit basin over his head. This tone was completely difficult to swallow.

Someone called from behind. Yun Dashan turned around and saw his friend Tu Ruofu, the supervisory censor, rushing up. Yun Dashan asked: "Brother Tu, what do you want to do?"

Tu Ruofu was slightly out of breath and pointed to the sky: "It's almost noon. Let's go and ask Brother Yun to have a drink to relieve his boredom."

Yun Dashan was slightly angry: "Brother Tu, do you think I'm embarrassed?"

Tu Ruofu asked back: "Is Tu the person who added insult to injury?"

Yun Dashan was so happy that they left the palace side by side.

Tu Ruofu led Yundashan through the streets and alleys, and soon arrived at the West Market. From far away, he could hear the roar of people and the whinnying of cars and horses. It was at the entrance of the city, and the passing cars raised a thin layer of dust.

The long street makes it impossible to see the end.

The east end of the West Market is full of large shops. Guys are busy coming in and out speaking various slangs. The roadside is full of large trucks loading and unloading goods, and the mules and horses are smelling. A camel team has ringing bells, and there are packs on both sides of the hump.

The bulging cloth bags were obviously about to enter the capital, and the leaders were all blond and blue-eyed people, wearing strange clothes and complicated decorations.

Both sides of the city's roads are densely covered with small two- and three-story storefronts. The main guests here are the palace and government officials, and local officials who come to Beijing. They all go straight for the luxury utensils. The other customers are mainly ordinary people who come and go.

I went shopping for some rare things from outside Beijing and abroad, and there were many girls in red and green going back and forth, all chasing the cosmetics and spices from the Western Regions.

The west end of the city is mostly filled with restaurants and inns, with vermilion plaques hanging high outside and the aroma of tea and wine flowing. As meal time approaches, there are more and more diners, and small businessmen are already walking by the roadside carrying burdens and baskets. Many alleys branch off along the main street.

, which is full of specialty snacks from various places. Although the appearance is simple, the taste is pure, attracting tourists from home and abroad.

Normally, the two of them would just find a tavern in the north of the city to drink. Why did Tu Ruofu take himself to the West Market for a drink today? Yun Dashan was a little puzzled. He asked several times why, but Tu Ruofu always smiled and said nothing.

He just pulled Yun Dashan forward.

The two came to a restaurant. Yun Dashan looked up and saw the building with blue bricks and black tiles and high columns and walls. Looking inside, he saw elegant decoration, spacious layout, and gold letters "Huixian Building" hanging on the door.

Ink-backed plaque. Yun Dashan said in surprise: "You have become rich, so you brought me to Huixian Tower for a drink?"

"I don't want you to treat me. I'm afraid the wine is poisonous? Please treat me inside!"

Yun Dashan wanted to see what kind of medicine he was selling in his gourd, so he took a step forward and followed Tu Ruo into the building.

Huixianlou is one of the best restaurants in the capital. Its wines and dishes are always famous for their exquisiteness and uniqueness, and the prices are naturally not cheap. As soon as you approach the gate, you are immediately separated from the hustle and bustle of the street. The lobby is elegantly decorated, with mahogany furniture and a full set of fine celadon.

The decoration, the light agarwood hides the greasy smell of ordinary hotels, making it look extraordinarily clean.

The waiter came up to wait on him. Tu Ruofu preached about "Jiuxianju", and he respectfully invited the two of them to go up to the third floor. There are more than 20 private rooms on the third floor, and their names all have the word "Xian", two-thirds of them.

There was a guest. The waiter took the two of them to a private room facing the street and knocked lightly. A young man inside opened the door. Yun Dashan recognized Miao Cheng and felt unhappy in his heart. He secretly thought about this Tu Ruo

When had Fu surrendered to Prince Ying, and actually used his friendship with Prince Ying to meet Prince Ying privately, he would be embarrassed for a while.

Miao Cheng invited the two people in and ordered the waiter to bring the food. When Yun Dashan entered, he saw that the house was spacious and gorgeous, and all the utensils were of the highest quality. The window facing the street was half open, and there was a round table in the middle, with four-color snacks and a pot of tea.

As expected, King Ying was sitting at the main seat, and next to him was a middle-aged man dressed as a Taoist priest.

King Ying stood up to greet him, and Yun Dashan and Tu Ruofu hurriedly saluted. The middle-aged Taoist priests on the side had also stood up, and King Ying introduced each other, "Yun Yushi, Tu Yushi, this is Taoist Master Jie Zhu Shanda Zhenguan Zhiwei. Taoist Priest

, This is Sitian Supervisor Cheng Yun Dashan, and this is Supervisory Yushi Tu Ruofu." After the three of them saluted, King Ying asked Yun Tu to take a seat, and Miao Cheng accompanied him.

Tu Ruofu smiled and said: "Your Majesty, your horse is so fast. I have had three courses of tea with the Taoist Master here." Tu Ruofu was well versed in the tea ceremony, and when he saw the tea set in front of him, he knew that Prince Ying had been waiting here for a long time.

Taoist Zhiwei stood with one palm and said, "King Ying was afraid that Pindao would have to wait for a long time, so he rushed over immediately after the court was dismissed, which made Pindao feel flattered."

King Ying said: "Today's court meeting will be long, otherwise I could have invited you all to have tea earlier."

The waiter brought new tea and everyone drank it. Then Tu Ruofu asked in a low voice: "Your Majesty, is it convenient to talk here?"

Miao Cheng replied: "Don't worry, Mr. Tu, the surrounding boxes are all filled with our own people."

Prince Ying smiled and said, "Even if someone is following me, they only know that he is here to have a private meeting with the two censors. I'm afraid he won't be lucky enough to eavesdrop."

Hearing this, Yun Dashan felt even more unhappy and couldn't help but ask: "I wonder why the prince invites this official to come here?"

The dispute between the crown prince and Prince Ying was well known throughout the court. The crown prince had the support of Prince Gui and the harem, while Prince Ying had many cronies in the army. The emperor had a bowl of water, and he did not want Prince Ying to become a big threat to the crown prince.

However, the two sons were not easy-going, and their mutual criticism became fierce. In desperation, for the sake of the country, the emperor took advantage of the prince's false accusation of filthy palace to deprive King Ying of his military power.

, so the courtiers lined up one after another, and most of them moved closer to the prince, and King Ying was gradually at a disadvantage. There were other powerful factions who were waiting and watching, and were not eager to join any party. The prime minister Yi Meigu in the civil servant group was dedicated to flattering the Huanglong Emperor, even if he was noble.

As the prince, he did not take a high look at him. Although the inferior prime minister Zheng Cong did not expressly submit to him, his eldest daughter Zheng Xuan married King Ying, so his position was self-evident.

Dare to take sides in Mingli. One of the most powerful military generals is Fang Shanggong Shi Lixu, who guards northern Xinjiang. He holds the elite Ning army to guard the north. He has been attracted by both sides, but has not expressed his position so far. Other neutral powerful factions are also targets of the two sides.

.Yun Dashan's Si Tianjian is in charge of observing the sky and predicting fortune, but has no real power. The emperor never takes him into consideration. King Ying took the opportunity to invite Yun Dashan several times, but he declined. Yun Dashan did not know that King Ying

Why do you treat him, a seventh-grade supervisor, Corporal Li Xian, repeatedly, who has no real power?

King Ying knew that Yun Dashan was outspoken and did not want to get involved in the fight for the heir, so he did not feel dissatisfied with his slightly rude question, "To be honest, I invited Yun Yushi to ask about Lone Star.

"

Yun Dashan was slightly surprised. He thought that Prince Ying was trying to get him to join the gang again, and was thinking about how to refuse. Unexpectedly, he asked about Lone Star's invasion. He asked, "Why is the prince interested in this matter?"

King Ying said: "I am also reading history in my spare time. There are also people among the guests who are familiar with celestial phenomena. Therefore, I know that the collision of the lone star is an ominous sign. I specially invited Yun Yushi to ask."

"Then what does the prince want to know?"

"I don't know about this at all," Prince Ying raised his hand and pointed at Taoist Zhiwei. "The Taoist Master observed the lone star the day before yesterday and speculated that there might be a change in the world. So he came to the capital to tell me and teach me what to do in advance.

guard."

After hearing this, Yun Dashan carefully looked at Taoist Zhiwei, and saw that he had thick eyebrows and narrow eyes, a broad face and a slight beard, broad shoulders and a thick back. He didn't have a trace of immortality. If he put on civilian clothes, he would look like a peasant. But as the saying goes, "

"People cannot be judged by their appearance." This man could actually identify the lone star and even made a special trip to Beijing to warn him. This shows that he is a man of both talent and virtue. Thinking of this, Yun Dashan became respectful and gave Taoist Zhiwei a fist in his arms: "The Taoist priest is the one who knows

Yun is sincerely impressed by Guangbo and his compassion for heaven and earth, but I don't know what the omen of this lone star is. Is there any record in Taoist history?"

Taoist Zhiwei leaned forward and returned the greeting, and said seriously: "Master Yun, you are so complimentary. I also observed the sky in my spare time. Recently, I noticed something strange about "Liu Wang Yu", and then a lone star came fiercely to attack the stars in the southern sky.

I have little talent and little knowledge, and I have never seen such a situation in the historical records I have read, but one thing is certain, that is - the world is in chaos with monsters!"

At this time, Miao Cheng raised his hand to signal everyone to silence, and everyone stopped talking. After a while, the waiter knocked on the door to serve food, and King Ying greeted everyone to eat.

Huixianlou really deserves its reputation. The dishes of ten colors are stir-fried, deep-fried, fried, grilled, steamed and smoked, which means they are perfect. The dishes are bright in color, rich in aroma, with the ultimate taste and endless aftertaste. After three rounds of wine and five dishes, Miao Cheng

He told the waiter not to disturb him, and then continued the conversation behind closed doors.

"I wonder if any of you have heard about it, but the traces of monsters have been discovered in several places in the world." Taoist Zhiwei leaned forward and looked around at the crowd. Everyone shook their heads, and he counted on his fingers.

"First, a fishing boat in Jizhou in the southeast was attacked. Five people on the boat were missing. Only a young man drifted back to the shore with the boat. At that time, the man was in a trance. According to him, the attackers were several sharks. Sharks

Five people were dragged into the sea, but he survived because he climbed onto the mast."

"Secondly, the Yi people in Mangshan Mountain have a legend that a monster with a face and a scorpion body appears in the dense forest. Skeletons of giant beasts are often seen in the forest. The locals speculate that this monster is attacking."

"Thirdly, a snake-tailed monster was found in the forest of Bing County in the northwest. Several people have been attacked and killed. Most of the victims were local hunters. The government has recruited surrounding hunters to arrest, but there is no further news. This is the poor man.

Get the news.”

Everyone was shocked when they heard this, and Yun Dashan asked King Ying, Tu Ruofu: "Isn't this person with a human body and a snake tail the 'Fuxi' that Chao Shangchai said?"

King Ying looked serious and nodded slightly. Tu Ruofu asked: "Is the news from the Taoist Master true?"

Miao Cheng replied: "Don't worry, Mr. Tu. My uncle is the superintendent of Jie Zhushan's outer courtyard. There are many Taoist and secular disciples under the mountain traveling everywhere, and the news among the people is the best."

Although Yun Dashan is a court master, he has also heard the name "Nanjiang Beishan" in the Jianghu. "Nanjiang" refers to the five gangs and twelve factions on the Jiangnan waterway, and "Beishan" is Zhushan. Unexpectedly, King Ying's personal

The guard was actually a disciple of Jie Zhushan. It seemed that the political forces in the north had surrendered to King Ying.

Tu Ruofu suddenly sneered: "What a strange beast offering a gift, what a well-made story!"

An unknown fire burst out of Yun Dashan, he stood up and said: "Since the prince is involved, I'd better resign."

Before King Ying could say anything, Tu Ruofu said anxiously: "You Yun Dashan, has King Ying failed you, or has the Crown Prince bribed you so much? King Ying is a man of great talent and has the power to stabilize the world. He has honored you several times.

It's better for you to lower your rank and make friends, why are you so stubborn?"

Yun Dashan's energy surged upwards, and he sneered: "Yun is just a seventh-grade official. He is humble and soft-spoken. He dare not compare with Tu Yushi, who has direct access to heaven. King Ying has many talented people under his command, and there are so many talented people. Yun

I only know how to look at God, and I have nothing else to offer. I don’t have the skills to be loyal to the emperor, and I don’t dare to eat the emperor’s salary. So Yun said goodbye!” After saying this, he turned to leave.

Tu Ruofu was also going to have an attack. King Ying pressed his palm and said to Yun Dashan: "Yun Yushi doesn't care about recruiting Ying to the court?"

At today's court meeting, Duke Xuande's court preached that this heroic move was a beast with the face of a man and a horse. It was just then that I realized that the three monsters mentioned by the Wei Taoist were all hybrids of humans and animals. I am afraid that this heroic move is actually a monster rather than an auspicious beast. It is a bad luck.

It was unclear, and it was really not appropriate for Emperor Huang Long to receive him in person. Yun Dashan was curious and loyal to his emperor early, but firstly, Tu Ruofu deceived him to attend the banquet, and he felt unhappy. Secondly, Tu Ruofu questioned him face to face about his surrender, and even asked "

To stimulate him, Yun Dashan was so stubborn that he wanted to leave the table without giving King Ying face. Now that King Ying gave him a step, Yun Dashan also felt deeply embarrassed, so he turned around and apologized to King Ying.

He sat down again.

King Ying said: "Yun Yushi has a clean and upright character. I have always admired Yun Yushi. Everyone has his own ambitions. I don't force Yun Yushi to do anything. It's just that the sky is like a sign. Misfortune and fortune are unpredictable. Yun Yushi is the Prime Minister of Si Tianjian.

Naturally, we must do our best to seek advantages and avoid disadvantages. Regarding the recruitment of Ying to the court, the Holy One has already decided to receive him at the Xingyue Altar. All we need to do is make adequate preparations for his protection. However, the omen of this evildoer's appearance are unknown, and there must be something hidden.

Before it is sent out, I would like to ask Yun Yushi for a small favor."

Yun Dashan asked curiously: "Why does the prince want to help you?"

King Ying said: "It's simple to say, Taoist Master Zhiwei wants to check the ancient book on Guantian in Yingtian Cave."

Yun Dashan was slightly surprised. If it was to investigate the matter of Lone Star, he had already been to Yingtian Cave, but he did not find any clues. Could it be that this Zhiwei Taoist was more familiar with the Yingtian Cave Collection than he, Si Tianjian Jiancheng,

?But if you have other plans, then Yingtian Cave is located in the back mountain of Huangshi Mountain. Except for the classics in one cave, there are only five old officials responsible for keeping and caring for them. There is nothing else. What kind of sutra can this Taoist priest recite?
To be continued...