The next day, the snow on the road from the palace to Guangyuan Temple was cleared overnight and covered with yellow mats. The streets were clean and tidy, with armored guards stationed every five steps and every ten steps.
The Wucheng Bingmasi even worked overnight to clear out the refugees and beggars who had sneaked into the city, catching them one by one and putting them all in jail.
It seemed that they had calculated that this was a good day, the sky would clear up after the snow.
When the sunlight shone on the palace gate, it slowly opened.
A team of sharp warriors came out first, armed with sharp weapons and leading the way.
Behind it was a forest of ceremonial processions, with large umbrellas like a canopy and flags like willows, stretching for half a mile before the phoenix chariot slowly drove out.
The phoenix chariot was glittering with jewels and precious stones, and had a silk robe, and the belts and door curtains were all embroidered with clouds and phoenixes. There was a golden phoenix on the top, and the walls were carved with tortoise patterns and golden phoenix wings, which was extremely luxurious.
The six white horses were flawless, like elves from the snowy mountains, and their movements were almost uniform, neither fast nor slow.
On the phoenix chariot, there was a woman with red lips like blood, skin as white and smooth as a young girl, a figure exquisite, willow-shaped eyebrows and charming eyes. If you ignore the phoenix crown and bridal robe she is wearing, at first glance you would mistake her for the most popular courtesan in some brothel.
This person is the wet nurse of the current emperor.
Ke Shi was already over 100 years old, but she looked like a young girl.
Although she was not given the title of Empress Dowager, she was granted the same imperial carriage as the Empress Dowager and was called "Lady of the Ninth Thousand Years Old".
The carriage was spacious with stoves placed around it. Ke Shi took a nap with her head rubbed, and four palace maids served her closely.
On both sides of the chariot stood four men, all with fair faces and no beards.
Three of them are eunuchs. They look very old, but if you open your third eye, you can see that these three people are protected by golden light, their energy is like a dragon, and their footsteps are almost inaudible. They are obviously accomplished masters of the inner court.
The fourth person is a handsome man with fair skin, sword-like eyebrows and a dashing appearance in white clothes. He is only slightly inferior to the readers who have followed the book to this point.
The man had a smile on his face and looked around at people with a gleam in his eyes.
The carriage slowly drove into the city.
The common people knelt down to avoid the scene, and many officials who heard the news knelt down to pay their respects, shouting words like "Hello, godmother" and "Good luck to the guest lady".
The flattering look is disgusting.
However, Keshi opened her eyes with great interest and said with a smile, "Reward!"
The palace maid responded and opened the wooden box. There was a golden glow inside, and it was full of golden beans.
A handful of golden beans were scattered, and the officials cheered and all bent down to scramble for the golden beans.
The golden beans bestowed by the Holy Lady are more than just gold.
This is called "promotion beans". With these golden beans paving the way, the silver can be sent to Madam Fengsheng. Once the silver is in place, you can get a promotion.
This is a shortcut that is faster than any other route.
However, there were not many beans after all, and the officials pulled each other's robes and hats, and huddled together like thugs fighting. Many people even had their robes torn.
Seeing this, Ke Shi laughed out loud.
After shaking off the officials, the carriage drove into the street.
At this moment, shouts suddenly broke out in the street, and dozens of refugees appeared from nowhere, broke through the obstruction and blocked the carriage.
The guards quickly surrounded these people and drew their swords to kill them.
"I am an official appointed by the imperial court!"
A loud shout from the crowd of refugees stopped the guard's blade from falling.
The phoenix chariot stopped abruptly. Ke Shi paused slightly, almost shaking off her phoenix crown. She looked forward again, and the smile on her face froze.
The whole place was in dead silence, and many of the old Beijingers on the street turned pale with fear.
Even the bladed guards showed fear on their faces. If they failed to provide adequate protection, once Madam Fengsheng blamed them, they would be exiled to the nine frontiers at the very least, or sent to Feiyuwei Zhaoyu Prison at the worst, where they would suffer a life worse than death.
Amidst the crowd of refugees, a tall, thin man, holding a token, walked to the front, knelt down, and declared loudly, "I am Li Zhongyang, the Chief Clerk of Gu County, Yanzhou. Gu County is suffering from famine, and the people are trading their children for food. I have disturbed Madam Fengsheng's carriage and deserve death. However, the people of Gu County are suffering greatly. I beg Madam Fengsheng to open the granaries and provide relief, giving the people a chance to survive."
After he finished speaking, he kowtowed repeatedly, using all his strength each time. Soon his forehead turned bright red, and dozens of refugees behind him also kowtowed.
Ke Shi glanced at the crowds of people on the street, straightened herself, and said nonchalantly, "Li Zhubu is pleading for the people. His loyalty is commendable. Stand up and speak."
The tall, thin man quickly wiped the blood from his forehead and knelt upright. He took out a letter from his bosom and raised it above his head along with the token. "Thank you, Madam Fengsheng, for your grace. I am so frightened that I dare not stand. I have a signed letter confirming the disaster in Gu County. It can prove the extent of the disaster."
"Present it." Ke Shi said.
A eunuch hurried forward to take the token and document, carefully checked them, and made sure they were correct before walking to the carriage and unfolding them.
There were dense bloody handprints on it, and it turned out to be a letter written in blood.
Ke Shi glanced at him and said slowly, "Li Zhubu, I am just a woman and don't understand political affairs. Matters of this magnitude should be handled by the ministers in the court. I will deliver your blood letter on your behalf."
After she finished speaking, she glanced at the handsome man beside the car. The handsome man nodded imperceptibly with the corners of his mouth slightly raised.
"Thank you, Madam Fengsheng, for your grace. One hundred thousand people in Gu County have finally been saved. Thank you, Madam Fengsheng, for your grace!" Li Zhongyang kowtowed again, his face filled with emotion. The carriage slowly started, and Li Zhongyang led the refugees to the side of the road, continuing to kowtow until the carriage drove away.
"Li Zhubu, right?"
A voice sounded, and Li Zhongyang only then noticed the handsome man.
"I am the attendant of Madam Fengsheng. I was not able to speak much in front of others just now. I would like to ask Li Zhubu to tell me in detail about the disaster in Gu County. Please follow me." The handsome man smiled, and his voice seemed to have some kind of magic.
Li Zhongyang suddenly felt at ease, nodded blankly, and left with a group of people following the handsome man. They turned left and right and came to a remote place where soldiers had already guarded the surroundings.
Li Zhongyang looked around and bowed with a puzzled look on his face: "Sir, what is this place?"
The handsome man smiled slightly and said, "It doesn't matter where it is. What's important is that I want to borrow something from you all."
"Borrow something? What is it?" Li Zhongyang was even more confused.
"Lend me your face."
A sinister sneer appeared on the handsome man's face. As soon as he finished speaking, he flicked his sleeves, and dozens of handkerchiefs with fanged ghost heads painted on them covered the faces of Li Zhongyang and his group.
The next moment, screams were heard, but soon it returned to silence.
Soon the handkerchief flew back, and dozens of faceless corpses fell to the ground, their eyes wide open.
"Humph."
The handsome man snorted coldly and turned away.
The remaining sound came back: "Hurry and deal with it."
"Yes!" The soldiers responded, and no one was surprised.
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