Fan Xiaodao asked curiously: "What's the problem?"

The emperor stood up, walked around the room, and said slowly: "Early this morning, Commander Xue came to see me and sent me a memorial, saying that the two of you captured Qing Hu, one of the leaders of the Northern Zhou spy network, which was another great achievement.

It's just something that happened at Zhao Xing's house last night. Zhao Shangshu came to plead guilty. There is a Northern Zhou spy in the house, so he can't escape the blame. Zhao Xing's merits and demerits are equal to each other. Xiaodao, what reward do you want?"

Fan Xiaodao thought to himself that there were dozens of spies lurking in the capital during the Northern Zhou Dynasty, and almost all major officials had their spies. If they were punished, more than half of the officials in the capital would be blamed. He and Zhao Xing had gone through life and death, and only exchanged for

If the merits and demerits of two people are equal, what kind of thing does it count?

He said: "If you want to reward me together, it's just me, so there's no need."

As soon as these words came out, all the eunuchs looked at each other. Fan Xiaodao was probably the first person to reject the emperor so confidently. The emperor also looked a little unhappy, but after all, he is the king of a country and the city must have it. He said: "I have already exempted

Zhao Huan holds the position of Minister, but at this time of employment, he is the only one to negotiate with the Northern Zhou Dynasty, and he must be punished and make meritorious service. However, I have to tell you two things."

"Your Majesty, please speak."

If it were an ordinary minister, and the emperor had to run an errand, the ministers would already prostrate themselves on the ground, saying they were deeply honored and would not give up even if they died, etc. However, Fan Xiaodao's words were a bit quack-like and seemed to have a bargaining tone.

The emperor asked: "I heard from Commander Xue that when you captured Li Zhixing, you also got a list of names?"

Fan Xiaodao remembered Xue Yingxiong's instructions, nodded, and was about to take it out, but was stopped by the emperor, "You don't have to give it to me. I'll give you one day to bring all the people on the list to justice." He paused and said:

"Use Xue Yingxiong's people, they have more experience in this area."

This matter was Jin Yiwei's job, so it was natural for them to do it. I just didn't understand why Xue Yingxiong gave such a big credit to them. Fan Xiaodao asked again, "What about the second one?"

The emperor said: "You two are full of energy, newborn calves are not afraid of tigers, and you are aggressive. I plan to let you two be Zhao Huan's assistants in the negotiations with the Northern Zhou Dynasty envoy. He is mature and stable. If we can win Phoenix at the minimum cost."

Ridge, I will be richly rewarded when I arrive."

Fan Xiaodao smiled and said: "It doesn't matter whether we are rewarded or not, but can the punishment on us be removed? It doesn't matter if the punishment is not removed, but the half-year salary penalty is really too much for us."

The emperor heard about this for the first time and asked, "How much is your salary?"

Fan Xiaodao said: "Not counting subsidies, the monthly salary is one to two or eight dollars."

He asked an accompanying eunuch, "Li Bao, what's the price of rice in Beijing?"

The eunuch was stunned and knelt on the ground, "Your Majesty, this servant is in the palace all the year round and rarely leaves the capital. Please forgive me." The emperor hummed, "Where is Zhao Quan?" Not long after, the eunuch Zhao Quan Xiao was printed.

He ran in.

“What’s the price of rice in Beijing and China?”

Zhao Quan cleared his throat and said: "Your Majesty, there are 317 rice shops in Beijing. According to the report from Dongchang in the middle of the tenth month, the average price of top-grade rice is about 900 yuan per bucket, and the average price of medium-grade rice is more than 600 yuan.

, the average price of brown rice is around 300 yuan.”

The emperor nodded, "It's really a bit short. Tell the Ministry of Household Affairs and ask them to draw up a charter. The six-door police officer is responsible for the security of the capital. If he doesn't even have the money to live and settle down, how can he work for the court?"

Zhao Quan was about to speak but stopped.

He originally wanted to tell the noble man in front of him that the official salary was only a very small part of his income. There were many bad rules in the government, there were ways to get money everywhere, and some police officers even kept a few idlers.

The only people who can help him are young people like Zhao Xing and Fan Xiaodao who don't know how to adapt, so their life is a little tight. How can such trivial things take up the noble man's time and affect his Qingxiu, so he agreed to it.

.

Today, he has heard about the fact that Gao Bin was demoted to Shangbao Prison by His Majesty. This Gao Bin, as the second-ranking official in the inner prison, is young and is deeply favored by His Majesty and several nobles in the palace. He usually treats Zhao

Although Quan was polite, he had long wanted to replace him in private. He had noticed it a long time ago, but he just pretended not to know. With Gao Bin's domineering character, something would happen sooner or later. As expected, Fan Xiaodao was hit hard by this incident.

Yes, Fan Xiaodao has done him a favor. Since His Majesty has spoken, why not be a man of beauty?

The emperor's face looked a little tired, but he did not speak, and the two of them did not dare to say goodbye.

Zhao Quan came to him holding a scarlet box, took out a red pill from the box, and said: "Your Majesty, it's time to take the medicine." Fan Xiaodao looked at the pill, which was somewhat similar to the pill he had taken.

But the color was darker. The emperor took the elixir, took another cup of honey water, and swallowed it.

After a while, his face turned rosy and he seemed to have regained his energy.

The emperor asked: "Have you been taking your medicine?"

Fan Xiaodao was shocked when he heard this. He had suffered from headaches since he was a child and had to take elixirs even if he didn't. Not many people knew about it, but it was a bit strange for the king of a country to ask about this kind of thing. He couldn't help but think of,

The words Li Zhixing said to him before he died raised doubts in his mind. Could it be that the man in front of him was really his biological father? But Fan Xiaodao didn't have any feeling of closeness to the emperor. He always felt that there was a veil between them.

, to say whether it is near or not, and to say whether it is far or not.

As Xue and Li said, Song Jinjiang escaped from the palace with a baby in his arms, and he was the baby. Something must have happened before that he didn't know about, so who was his mother?

He was a little confused and nodded blankly.

The emperor heard the words and said happily: "Then continue to eat, and I will ask Taiping to give you a few pills later." He waved his hand, "You guys go down." The two left, and before leaving, they heard the emperor say: "

When will Zhu Yan return to Beijing?"

Zhao Huan said: "Back to Your Majesty, I received a secret report yesterday that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has arrived in Jinan Mansion a few days ago and will arrive in about three days."

Prince Zhu Yan, the crown prince of the Ming Dynasty, has been staying in Yingtian Mansion to preside over government affairs for three years. Now he has been ordered to return to Beijing to prepare for the emperor's 60th birthday next year and to assign him another important task.

On the way back to Beijing.

The two of them left Xiyuan and breathed a deep sigh of relief.

Lin Datong had been waiting at the door for a long time. He said, "You two have been very kind. His Majesty gave you an order to meet ordinary ministers. It only lasted two or three quarters of an hour. You two stayed in Xiyuan for more than an hour. It shows that His Majesty treats you very much."

People are favored more than others."

The two of them gave in repeatedly, and Lin Datong said to Zhao Xing: "Last night, after Qiaoer went back, he kept telling you that I just made some good wine. If you are free, why don't you come and sit in my house and let's have a good chat."

Zhao Xing felt dizzy when he heard this.

Lin Qiao didn't know what connections he had used to go to Six Gates. Thinking about dealing with such a woman in the future, he couldn't help but have a headache. But in front of Lin Datong, he did not dare to show any emotion. After all, the other party was the commander of the Forbidden Army. Although he was the fourth

He was a high-ranking military general, but his status in the capital was equal to that of Zhao Huan, the Minister of Rites.

After bidding farewell to Lin Datong, Zhao Quan followed him out again and called out to the two of them.

"You two are walking very slowly. If you were any later, I might have chased you into the Yamen."

Fan Xiaodao asked curiously, "I wonder if Eunuch Zhao has any advice?"

Zhao Quan took a decree and said: "His Majesty has decreed that the people of the six sects will be given additional salaries. Now you have achieved six sects with just one sentence." Zhao Xing took a look and couldn't help but praise: "

Good words!”

Zhao Quan was originally a scholar. After he failed to pass the examination, life forced him to become a prisoner in the palace. He started as a eunuch who accompanied him on errands, and gradually became the number one eunuch in the palace. In addition to being good at behaving and doing things, he also did not fall behind in his own spiritual practice. It is said that his articles, Master

Wang Jiefu, who retired from the Han Dynasty, was quite old-fashioned in the Tang and Song Dynasties, and there were occasional poems such as "Where do beautiful articles come from? I only hate useless people in my life" which was widely circulated.

Fan Xiaodao said: "Would it be too abrupt for us to mention these things to His Majesty?"

Zhao Quan smiled and said: "That's not true. His Majesty said that you two are in love." He took out a banknote from his arms and said: "Back then, I was also in poverty in Beijing, but I was unwilling to bend my waist for a fight of rice. I was deeply moved.

You know the taste of money, so you should use these silver coins first. If you don't have enough, just ask for it." He added, "I am a prisoner and an official. I have no money, but I am not short of money."

Fan Xiaodao thought for a while and politely declined, "We haven't gotten to the point where we can't afford to eat, so I appreciate your kindness."

Zhao Quan's status is respected, but the two of them, especially Fan Xiaodao, are indeed different from ordinary people. Their words and actions make people feel like spring breeze. This kind of self-cultivation can be achieved by a person like Gao Bin who has been practicing for ten years.

Not available.

Zhao Quan did not refuse, took back the banknote, and left.

After leaving the palace, the two came to Fusi, Jinyiwei North Town. Murong saw the two of them and said, "Your Excellency, you have been waiting for a long time!" The two went in with Murong and found that among the four generals, except Shangguan Erya, the others

Now, thinking of the conversation between Xue and Li Zhixing two days ago, I have already guessed that Shangguan Erya is most likely a spy of the Northern Zhou Dynasty, and I am afraid that he has already been executed by now.

Xue Yingxiong was wearing a military uniform. When he saw Fan and Zhao, he said: "The 3,300 Jinyi Guards in the capital are all ready. We are just waiting for Fan and Zhao to give orders."

Obviously, Xue Yingxiong had already received the notice from the palace, even earlier than the two of them knew about it.

Fan Xiaodao said: "Everything follows Master Xue's command."

After all, catching spies is the duty of the Imperial Guards. Even if they have the emperor's orders, Fan and Zhao can't just take over. What's more, Xue Yingxiong's attitude towards the two of them is pretty good. Fan Xiaodao took out the list, handed it to Xue Yingxiong, and said: "Your Majesty has a purpose

, to complete the task of eradicating evil, we will catch everyone in one fell swoop within today."

Xue Yingxiong casually handed the list to Murong and said: "Master Xiao Fan, Master Xiao Zhao, please go to the inner hall to have tea."

Fan Xiaodao was stunned, "You don't need us to arrest them?"

Xue Yingxiong laughed and said, "You can't kill a chicken with a sledgehammer. The Jin Yiwei has already locked down the whereabouts of these people. We only need to wait for the two of you to ask for orders before we can take action. What's more, there are two people sitting here on the Diaoyutai, so if anything happens, they can be dealt with in time."

"

Fan Xiaodao said: "Then take action."

Murong took the order and left.

The three of them came to the Jinyiwei lobby, and someone offered them tea.

Fan Xiaodao asked: "Master Xue, I have always had a question."

"What question?"

"Does that directory belong to Li Zhixing or Master Xue?"

"What's the difference?"
Chapter completed!