Hypocrites

Prime Minister's House.

Duan Yanling hugged the iron mask, his armor tinkling, walked through the long corridor, and at the end stood his second brother Duan Yanyou.

Over the past two years, Duan Yanyou has become taller and taller, with broad eyebrows and a skeleton that reveals the temperament of a warrior.He looked Duan Yanling up and down, with an inexplicable smile on his lips.

There seemed to be a sarcastic knife in that gaze, which scraped Duan Yanling's armor so hard that his teeth ached.A burst of disgust suddenly rose in his heart, but instead he nodded towards Duan Yanyou and greeted him.

Duan Yanyou didn't bother to pay attention, and turned his head to reveal Duan behind him.

Duan Boyu was indeed with his youngest son again.

Looking at Duan Yanling's attire, Duan Xiang understood: "Just came back from shift?"

Duan Yanling nodded.

"I told you earlier that there are many disputes near the emperor, so it's not a good place to go." Duan Boyu was obviously very dissatisfied.

Duan Boyu looked at Duan Yanyou, who was taking a good rest, and then at his father, and said bluntly, "Then what are you doing, Prime Minister?"

Duan Yanyou put down his arms that folded his chest, and looked at his elder brother coldly. Duan Yanling tried to keep his eyes on the two as he passed by, but he actually felt a majesty similar to his father from his younger brother.

Duan Yanyou's personal servant ran over and turned a blind eye to the eldest son.Duan Yanling has always hated both his master and his servant, especially the natural scab on the servant's chin, which is very obtrusive, and he wished he could have his hair pulled out.At least Duan Yanyou knew that he pretended to be harmonious on the surface, but the dog in front of him relied on his master to bark and kept looking at people with his chin down.

Fortunately his mother wasn't there, otherwise his temper would explode at the slightest bit, and he would start scolding people again.Originally, the mistress didn't like the escaped child, let alone the husband wanted to protect him. Wouldn't it mean that the more the husband protects, the more the wife scolds?Duan Yanling has never been clean since he was a child, and every time his parents quarreled over this matter, he would have a headache, but Duan Yanyou didn't care, instead he was in high spirits, as if this was his sideshow.

Seeing the family's life being messed up because of him, can it prove his importance?

Because of this, Duan Yanling doesn't like this Bai Jian's younger brother.

Later, he often made friends with friends and foxes outside, and he didn't want to stay at home, because he wanted to keep out of sight.

Duan Yanling had just changed into his regular clothes when his father came looking for him.

"How is the palace doing these days?" Duan Boyu asked straight to the point, regardless of the previous confrontation.

The two of them sat on the tea table, one on the left and one on the right. There were always fresh fruits and pastries on the table, and the sweet mung bean Liuxin cake was still warm.In order to maintain this face-saving expense, the prime minister tried to use various means to increase the account every month.

Duan Yanling sneered in his heart, his father disliked him working beside Liang Heng, but he had no choice but to ask him about the movements of the three eunuchs in the palace and the emperor.

"As usual, Qiu Zhiyuan restrained him, and he always wanted to run outside."

"Did you tell him about the Xie Ling Pavilion?" Duan Xiang asked, "The manager reported to me that the emperor often goes to the pavilion."

Duan Boyu pulled the corner of his lips coldly: "Do I need to tell him? Liang Heng is not stupid. You can't find any news about the three religions and nine streams in Xie Ling Pavilion. You block his eyes and ears and want him to be a puppet in the palace. , can't he figure it out by himself?"

Duan Xiang was puzzled: "What are you doing to your father?"

Duan Yanling didn't speak, just lowered his head obediently.

Duan Xiangdao: "I am afraid that you are young and will not be able to handle things firmly, so I will remind you more. Some things can be said, and some things cannot be said. You think you are being honest with others, but in fact you are talking shallow and deep, which will only provoke Come be afraid."

Duan Yanling was polite and asked his father: "Is this your way of life?"

Duan Xiang looked at his son, smiled and said nothing, Duan Yanling knew that he was a little angry.Duan Xiang's temper, if you don't get along with him day and night, you can't understand it easily.Sometimes he acted sternly, but it was insignificant in reality, and sometimes he said it lightly, but in fact, if he didn't get a satisfactory answer, the prime minister would punish him.

"Remember, son," he suddenly remembered what happened before he left this morning, "Liang Heng found a master craftsman and ordered him to make a waist card. It is the same pattern as mine, with a phoenix platform engraved on it. But Didn't say who it was for."

In front of the Golden Luan Hall of Zhangyi Palace, there is Zuo Tianlu and right Fengque. The guards of Tianlu Pavilion are led by Duan Yanling, who is named Zuoduhou, while the guards of Fengquetai have no captain. The position of Youduhou has been vacant since its establishment.

Originally, there were a few of the officials' children who had a good relationship with Liang Heng, but they couldn't bear the heavy responsibility. They had to be supervised by Duan Yanling in normal training, so how could they be asked to supervise others?That's not as good as the whole team's official salary.In addition, Lian Zhen has always been confused and confused since then, so he can't be counted on.

Both the Pavilion Guard and the Tai Guard were managed by Duan Yanling with the help of Duan Yanling. According to Duan's intention, it is reasonable to entrust both sides to him.Duan Xiang said that this was because Liang Heng had reservations about him, so he wanted to keep the Taiwan guard as a check and balance.

So now, in Liang Heng's mind, has someone who can check and balance Duan Yanling appeared?

"Have you noticed who is close to him?" Duan Xiang asked.

Duan Yanling remained expressionless: "That crippled and dumb eunuch?"

Duan Xiang was dumbfounded.

I also want to know, besides Qiu Zhiyuan, Niu Shida, and Tong Fang's eagle dog, who else is beside Liang Heng.

"It might be Zou Fang," Duan Yanling guessed, "The two of them had a good time in the past, and Zou Fang was arranged by Liang Heng at the Taiwei."

Duan Xiang remembered: "Zou Qing's orphan?"

Since Taifu Zou was frightened to death by a single order, the Zou family has disappeared from the court and the public, and almost no one mentions it again.Unexpectedly, his son Zou Fang is now the emperor's guard.

"Anyway, be more careful," Duan Xiang got up, and before leaving, he told his son, "Don't keep getting in trouble with your brother, we are all one family, it's hard to look good."

Duan Yanling smiled coldly.

A few days later, Tianlu Pavilion.

Qiu Zhiyuan used it to perfunctory Liang Heng's official selection list, and instead asked Liang Heng to find a way to find out the origins of each of them.Its name is to choose from "Character Items", but in fact, the officials recommending talents from all over the country are more or less related to the Sanhuan. Ruyang.

It must have something to do with the meaning of Shanguan.Although Shan Guan has long retired, he was also the senior who single-handedly promoted the three eunuchs back then, and the local power should not be underestimated, so the three eunuchs also have to rely on him.Sending one of your own people to take office is convenient for blending with the single official, and the two take advantage of the situation.

Liang Heng knew it well, with a swipe of a pen, he rejected all the candidates and sent them back to the prime minister's mansion, so that the prime minister's senior officials can discuss the candidates again.

In a short time, no one came to trouble him.The general craftsman who received the task the day before yesterday came and presented the engraved waist badge to Liang Heng.

The shape of Tianlu Pavilion is regular, it is a simple hexagonal pavilion with double eaves, and the inscription on the waist plate is not obvious.Fengque Terrace has flying eaves and corners, and a big bracket. A bronze phoenix stands on the ridge, with a pearl in its mouth and spreads its wings.Liang Heng liked it very much.

"Go and call Zou Fang," Liang Heng told Xinzhou.

Zou Fang is in the palace and will arrive soon.

Liang Heng handed him the waist badge and a page of official yellow silk—after the golden seal of the country was stolen, the emperor simply didn’t seal it—"You go to Deng's house in Nanlu, and give it to the people inside."

Zou Fang recognized the Fengque Terrace on the waist card, and was very solemn, took the waist card and stepped back.

Xinzhou's eyes were regular and did not glance around, but his expression was vaguely worried.Liang Heng smiled and said to him: "When you see him, you will know that I am not crazy."

Shinshu remained silent, his brows furrowed vaguely.

However, no outsiders entered Zhangyi Palace that day.

Neither did the next day.

Four days later, still no one came.Liang Heng's Jingui waist card really beat the dog.He even noticed that Shinshu looked at him full of sympathy and sadness—sympathy for him, a lunatic caught in his own imagination, and sadness for the master who had grown up watching him fall into this miserable situation.

Liang Heng: "..."

Liang Heng thought to himself, be sensible, don't force me to invite you with eight palanquins myself!

Deng family.

The winter is fine, the thick curtains of the verandas are rolled up, and the time is like gold.Weeds sprouted at the bottom of the steps, Shen Yuqu sat in front of the steps with one leg, the horizontal sword was on his knees, Er Xie pulled out a section, and the cold light swept across his brows.He put on a blanket, wiped the blade of the sword with a handkerchief, and placed a bronze medal within a finger's reach.

Deng Yang paced slowly from the other end, looked at what he was doing, and his eyes fell on the bronze medal.

"I don't understand very well," Deng Yang asked sincerely, "He was afraid that you would be lonely and helpless, and you would be trampled on the stage. Why did he call you to go now?"

Bathed in the sun, Shen Yu's complexion improved a lot, and he said casually: "Since the third eunuch has already noticed something, it would be wise to act preemptively, and then blindly back down?"

"Do you really think it was a eunuch who poisoned you?"

Shen Yu didn't answer.

Deng Yang shrugged and started to have another dream without much entanglement.

"Hey, Shen Yu, as the saying goes, you never forget the kindness of a meal, so I should be considered your friend in need, right? You also know that my family has been ordinary people for dozens of generations. How many years have you been looking forward to seeing me? Deng Yang grinned, "If you want to be an official, why don't you bring a brother?"

Shen Yu cast a sideways glance, and wondered, "What do you want to be an official? Are you worried all day long?"

Deng Yang choked.Never mind, this is really the case.Even Shen Yu didn't look like he wanted to enter the palace, the yellow silk that made him an official was handed out, and after many days he was still calm and rested here to wipe his sword.

But Deng Yang was still itchy. When he was young and energetic, who had never imagined that he would be all-powerful and guide the country?Although the current situation is much more difficult than expected, he is still confident that talented people are in his pocket. As long as he is given the opportunity to show off, he must be the son of destiny who will turn the tide and help the building to collapse !

Shen Yu was too lazy to look at the bronze medal, but Deng Yang had coveted it for a long time.

Yunge ascends Confucianism and worships Fuyi, and the Phoenix comes to park the Phoenix Branch.The carving of the golden wings and phoenix feathers is so fine that it is almost a tiny hair, which symbolizes the best craftsmen of Nanqi that only the royal family can call.This is a waist card bestowed by the emperor. Although it does not seem to have much deterrent power at the moment, the power and dignity accumulated by generations of emperors in the country are all in it.

Deng Yang swallowed, and said in his heart that you are not rare, some people are rare!Stretching out his hand, Thief Xixi touched the bronze medal, and said in his mouth: "Brother, if you don't want to go, I have a duty to do it—"

Erxie's scabbard hit the bronze medal like lightning, and nailed it with a snap.Deng Yang couldn't hold it anymore.

"I'm sorry," Shen Yu said, "This is mine."

The polished scabbard shone brightly, reflecting on the phoenix feathers on the waist card, like a layer of vivid splendor.