Yi Xin as a concubine

Just when everyone breathed a sigh of relief and were about to move on, something unexpected happened again.

Three or five skinny men somehow broke free from the guards, holding sharp knives with bent and rusty blades that they had picked up from somewhere.

While shouting: "Dog Emperor, give me your life!"

While stumbling towards the most magnificent carriage in the front.

His eyes were filled with determination and shocking hatred.

However, they were just ordinary people. With only passion and resentment in their hearts, they were as fragile as newborn babies in front of the fully armed guards and posed no threat at all.

However, their behavior angered the old emperor, who crawled out of the beauty's bed early in the morning.

The result is predictable. The emperor's itinerary will not be cancelled because of this small episode. When the group walked away in a mighty manner, the smell of blood at the city gate was still spreading.

This made the people queuing in and out of the city gate silent, yet also sad, and secretly sighed in their hearts that the world was difficult.

A few talkative old women wanted to complain to the people around them, but when they saw the soldiers with blood-stained collars and the glances they gave them, they immediately shut their mouths. The three-inch golden lotus feet moved faster and faster. They had no other thoughts and just wanted to get away from this place of death as soon as possible.

Several people wearing conical hats in the crowd silently pulled their hat brims down, hiding the mad murderous intent in their eyes, and quickly walked out of the city, chasing after the line of gorgeous carriages.

Mingjue Mountain is more than fifty miles outside the city. It takes more than an hour's journey from the east gate. If you ride a fast horse, it will only take half an hour.

However, after the emperor's motorcade left the city, it did not move as fast as imagined. On the one hand, the carriages were filled with nobles, especially the female members of the family, who were delicate and could not withstand the bumps; on the other hand, for some unknown reason, groups of refugees suddenly appeared in the suburbs of Beijing, which were usually well-decorated.

Although the refugees were scattered, the long-term displacement and hunger had reduced their fear of imperial power, and replaced it with resentment and hatred.

They did nothing but collapsed helplessly on the roadside, without making any noise or even begging pitifully. They just opened their eyes, full of hardships and pain, and looked at the cars and people passing by with empty and hopeless eyes.

For some unknown reason, those nobles were hesitant to lift the curtain. Some of them who were originally looking at the scenery now lowered the curtain out of guilt. The carriage was very quiet for a while.

Perhaps only in the most luxurious car at the front there was still constant laughter, accompanied from time to time by one or two artificial moans from women.

The commander-in-chief of the Imperial Guard, Tu Xiong, and the commander of the city defense army, Wei Cheng, were now sweating profusely.

But they were also somewhat thankful that those goblins caught the emperor's attention, otherwise the two of them would have been in great trouble.

In fact, they knew very well that what happened today was not right. No one would believe that there was no one behind the scenes pushing them. Not to mention that the city defense army patrolled and drove away the enemies every morning and evening, this morning, the advance team of the Imperial Guards also set out half an hour earlier than the team to explore the way ahead and eliminate the dangers.

So where are these people hiding, and how do they appear as silently as ghosts?

Because of the interference from waves of refugees on the road and the need to deal with three or five fearless people from time to time, it still took some time. By the time we reached the foot of the mountain, we were half an hour later than expected.

When the emperor got off the car, his face was still somewhat gloomy. If they had not gone to worship Buddha and pray for blessings today to avoid committing sins of killing, they would have had to wade through a sea of ​​blood along the way.

Mingjue Mountain is neither too high nor too steep. The whole mountain is covered with red maples. In the cool autumn season, you can walk up along the stone steps in the forest, stopping as you go, and reach the top in just two hours.

A group of nobles, usually either busy themselves with business, forming cliques and swearing in sworn brotherhoods, fighting for power and profit, or guarding the inner courtyard, scheming with a group of beautiful women, or crying, or whining. Now walking among the beautiful mountains and rivers, my horizons are broadened, my mind is brighter, I have reached the top of the mountain without realizing it, and I don’t even feel tired.

As for the younger ones, they were rarely allowed to go out to play. It was rare for them to go out in broad daylight, so they jumped up and down with excitement. How could they remember what fatigue was? When they saw the top of the mountain, they felt a little proud.

It is not quite the summit, as Mingjue Mountain is divided into front and back mountains. Mingjue Temple is on the front mountain, built against the cliff. Behind the Main Hall there is a particularly large platform called the Observation Deck.

Standing on the observation deck and looking into the distance, one can see streaks of white blades hanging down from the cliffs on the back mountain, stretching for more than ten feet. The vigorous and powerful water was blocked for a moment by the protruding rocks on the mountain wall, and immediately splashed with sharp light in anger, then continued to accumulate strength and struck straight down, majestically falling into an abyss of who knows how many feet deep.

Led by Master Zhiyuan, the abbot of Mingjue Temple, the group completed the entire process of sacrificial worship and blessing in front of the main hall.

It was already past lunch time. Many people had to get up early, travel quickly, and climb mountains. They were already starving, but without the order from the one at the pinnacle of power, no one dared to act on their own. They could only stand in front of the hall with their heads bowed and wait.

About two quarters of an hour later, the emperor walked out of the main hall with an unhappy look on his face. Without even looking at anyone, he allowed the little monk to lead him to the meditation room prepared for guests in the temple.

The personal eunuch Qiu He was serving nearby. When they reached the first turning, he winked at the young eunuch beside him. The young eunuch looked at him, answered yes smartly, and trotted off to convey the order.

The young monks arranged all the distinguished guests and distributed lunch, and the noise in the temple gradually died down.

Today's trip finally came to an end. After the initial excitement, all the nobles became exhausted, with fatigue sweeping over their bodies. They no longer had the interest to travel and huddled in their respective rooms, either chatting or sleeping.

On September 9th, the moon is half-crescent. Perhaps because we are standing high, the starry sky is particularly bright. The nobles who have had enough rest come out for a walk and to socialize after dinner.

There were especially many people on the platform behind the Main Hall, because they would watch the sunrise there early the next morning, so some tables and chairs were placed here early for the nobles to rest and drink tea.

From afar, under the moonlight, the dimly lit platform was bustling with people.

"Hmph, a bunch of beasts in human clothing, they don't deserve to live." A violent and angry voice suddenly sounded from behind the water curtain, and the long knife in his hand cut open a water curtain, and water splashed everywhere.

Then, as if some incredible switch was turned on, a series of curses rang out one after another, and there was a sudden noise behind the water curtain.

The man lazily leaned against a flat and dry rock wall. His handsome face was calm. His squinting eyes looked through the layers of water curtains, as if he could see through the rot hidden under the brilliance. There was deep disgust and disdain in his eyes.

After a long while, the man casually knocked on the rock wall with his scabbard. The sound was not loud, but it silenced the noisy crowd in an instant.

"Check the tools again and take a good rest. I'll be waiting for you on the other side when the emperor gets up."

"Remember, it's not time for Emperor Ning to die yet, so you have to be careful."

Without waiting for the other party to reply, the man flew through the mist and disappeared instantly. A few breaths later, he appeared on a protruding platform on the opposite cliff. If there was anyone nearby, they would find that the man's clothes were not wet at all.

Because they had to get up early the next day to watch the sunrise, everyone on the observation deck quickly returned to their rooms.

The sun rises in the east, and its path is bright.

Sunrise is the beginning of hope, but it is also the time when Emperor Ning breaks into the city, so the old emperor shamelessly regards the sunrise as a good omen for himself. Every year on the second day after climbing the mountain on Double Ninth Festival, Emperor Ning would bring all the officials and their families to watch and worship the sunrise.

He wanted everyone to remember his glory in those days. He rode his horse and whipped his whip, and with his unrivalled manner, he planted the Ning flag on every gate and street in Shengjing City.

He was only in his forties that year, in the prime of his life, and his face was filled with glory when he was worshipped by everyone.

Every time he watched the red sun rise, he would feel a surge of lofty sentiments, as if he could hear the three shouts of "Long live the Emperor Ning, may he live as long as the heavens, and may he live forever!" when all the officials knelt and bowed on the day of his ascension to the throne.

Only that old bald monk was ignorant and insisted that he was old. He would not kill him. He wanted the old monk to watch carefully and see how his royal family of Ning family lived forever.