Chapter 0128 Shadows

Deep Winter of the 12th Year of Pingjing in Dacai, the Imperial Capital

In Shaolingyuan, the eastern suburb of the imperial capital, the setting sun was quiet. Two riders were galloping on the official road. The leader, who was forty years old and had a rectangular face, looked very refined. It was none other than Yuan Shiwen, the magistrate of Tongda University's Shifu. At this moment, his clothes were stained with dust and he didn't even care, just looking south from afar.

Further south, the Grand Canal is visible with a series of sail shadows.

Ships loaded with various goods and grains, from the long river up and down, and even transported by sea and ocean, sailed into the southern lake of the imperial capital——

This is a national blood transfusion, delivering dates from Anyi, oranges from Jiangling, lacquer from Chenxia, hemp from Qilu, ginger, cinnamon, sorghum, silk and cloth threads, mackerel, turtle, abalone, fermented salt and fermented soybeans, rice, wheat, and miscellaneous grains - all from the waterway to the imperial capital. The lively noise can still be heard from ten miles away.

As the official road on the land moves forward, there are constantly branching paths that converge towards the west. The main road is constantly widening, with a width of a hundred steps, but the road is still crowded with cattle, horses, vehicles, pedestrians, laborers, merchant caravans, officials, and nobles... There are too many people gathering and dispersing here from all over the world.

The flow of people and vehicles was rolling, as black as ants, causing the entire official road to be shrouded in smoke and dust. Yuan Shiwen rode on his horse and coughed repeatedly, but couldn't help but curse.

It's good that the underground formation can withstand rain and pressure, and ensure that the roadbed is not damaged. It doesn't matter whether pedestrians eat dust or not.

A sudden gust of north wind whistled past, the icy cold blowing on the face made people sober, sweeping away the smoke and dust in the sky. Looking at the jade belt appearing on the horizon from afar, I didn't know what kind of feeling it was.

The city walls stretch for hundreds of miles, with walls reaching up to five zhang high. There are three thousand neighborhoods, five hundred thousand households, and a population of 1.7 million.

Up to the Nine Heavens, in the center of the world, at the forefront of the dragon veins, at the heart of the imperial court, the White Jade Capital, the Dragon Court... Too many praises spread throughout the Nine Provinces, attracting countless people with its glorious aura.

And after staying here for a few years, he returned after a six-month separation. The closer he got, the more he felt oppressed, no longer longing for this place as a rural scholar.

There is a joke circulating in the capital that throwing a brick can easily hit a third rank official or a founding prince. This statement is certainly exaggerated, but with thousands of confidential departments gathered here, official ranks are indeed the least valuable, especially with too many middle and lower rank officials in the capital.

Even so, he climbed as a scholar for half of his life and was only an eighth rank prefect.

This is the recommendation I received after ten years of staying in the Tong Mansion. A few years ago, I was promoted to the rank of Grand Secretary with my family head and became a second rank official. Although I was an eighth rank official, I was actually a scholar and a vassal of a university, not a legitimate official appointed by the court.

Yuan Shiwen recalled this experience with a somewhat gloomy gaze.

This time, I was commissioned by the Grand Secretary Tong to handle affairs, but unfortunately, Lan Chongwen was appointed as an eighth grade county magistrate. My classmates are just as talented as I am in terms of literature, but this is the treatment of a legitimate candidate, and there is still room for improvement. I just sigh at my fate

As usual, I will pay a visit to the governor and simply avoid this matter. The third rank frontier official wants to avoid this suspicion, but Ye Qing still dares to regard me as worthless. Only then did he reveal a little bit of meaning and directly refused

Every time he thought of this person's arrogance at that time, Yuan Shiwen felt a wave of disgust: "Although I took the wrong path and restricted the situation back then, I am still an eighth grade prefect and a trusted confidant of a prestigious scholar. If I don't seek some opportunities to repay this person, is it just a joke that I have worked hard to climb this half of my life

Ignorant rural people, you really deserve to be a second grade scholar and recruited by the sixth prince. Is it so easy to refuse? You have to leave with nothing to eat

If it weren't for the instructions sent to me to take a look at the industry while I'm down, I would have returned to the capital long ago and had someone show a miraculous effect

Yuan Shiwen sneered in his heart, without showing any unusual expression, and asked the people behind him to confirm, "Your Highness Liu, has there been no news yet

The person immediately took out the message tray in their arms, which was a simplified version. The distance was not only short, but it could only be received in one direction, and it was only effective near Kyoto. "I have it, please ask Mr. Yuan to go to Beizhuang to meet him

Are you going to see that woman again in the outer village north of the city? "Yuan Shiwen frowned and thought, riding his horse over the continuous stream of pedestrians and merchants, out of this rolling smoke and dust, and turning into a relatively secluded branch road in an instant.

Mr. Yuan, wait a minute, "the person behind called out, quickly whipping their whip to speed up, trying to catch up with his good horse, and following around Guo towards the north.

As night falls, the stars brighten up and silence stretches across the sky.

There were fewer and fewer pedestrians on the road, and by this time there were no more. As we passed through a forest, mist rose with a faint red light, obscuring the starlight. The figure of the rider ahead was also blurry, and the sound of hooves suddenly widened the distance.

A scream of 'ah' pierced through the night forest, and the person was shocked: 'Mr. Yuan!'

After catching up for a moment, I saw that I had fallen in the fog and was sitting on the ground in shock. I quickly got off my horse and helped myself up, saying, "Mr. Yuan, are you okay? Do you want to go see a doctor

It's okay... "Yuan Shiwen snapped out of his senses, but inexplicably became angry." This is a summons from the Sixth Prince, how dare you delay it? Seeking death is not the way to do it

A clever follower watched him get on the horse and leave in a daze. From afar, he saw the fog dissipate and shuddered before quickly following him again.

As soon as the woods passed, the view suddenly opened up, revealing a large lake that was as smooth as a mirror reflecting the starry sky. In the center of the lake, there were small islands with continuous attic buildings and bright lights.

From a distance, I can only see several corridors leading to the middle. The White Marble railing stone bridge twists and turns, and the sound of sheng, xiao, qin and zither comes faintly.

A steward came up and saw the two of them covered in dust. He then looked at Yuan Shiwen's seal and said, "Is it Mr. Yuan from the Tong Mansion? Your Highness has been waiting for you for a long time. Come with me quickly

Yuan Shiwen got closer and saw that this was a large estate, half on the island and half on the water, exquisitely decorated and far-reaching. Yuan Shiwen had just returned from another province and felt luxurious when he saw it... and this was just a biased manor.

I am fortunate to have visited the Prince Zhengfeng's Mansion of the Sixth Prince, which has seven main halls, five rear halls, five double layered sleeping rooms each, a gable corner, heavy eaves and arches, painted coffered ceilings, red doors and windows, and countless wing rooms.

This is the standard for a prince to be granted the title of king, limited to their respective power and financial resources, with different levels of investment

After three hundred years of peace, wealth, heroes, and beauties all gathered in the imperial capital. In such a place of great prosperity, the accumulated foundation is not a joke.

Along the way, the corridors and railings were jade white, the water waves rippled underfoot, and in the bamboo forests, pavilions, and rockeries, beautiful maidservants occasionally appeared. Moreover, because they couldn't feel the cold north wind on winter nights, they were all as cool as summer nights, dressed in thin skirts and gauze, with a faint hint of spring colors.

Yuan Shiwen thought to himself that this must be covered by a grand formation, but he dared not say much.

As they approached the main hall, they saw soldiers standing upright at ten steps each, with strict guards and solemn demeanor. At this moment, a duty guard came up to inspect them, and the attendants were taken to the courtyard of the servants to rest and could not enter any further.

The side door of the main hall opened wide, and the lights shone out. A group of palace girls aged fifteen or sixteen rushed out, with thin gauze, slender waist skirts, and flowing water flowing past them.

Looking up close under the light, they were all beautiful colors with different postures. Some wore delicate dance costumes, some wore light makeup while holding a fan, some matched with instruments and swords, and there were also a few bold girls. The autumn waves flowed, and the beautiful colors were in a captivating state, tempting to the bone, leaving several men stunned. Only then did they laugh and run away under the scolding of the leading female official

The fragrance wafted far away, and Yuan Shiwen stared blankly. The steward looked at his back with a sense of melancholy, withdrew his gaze, pulled a hand, and said, "Don't look, just wait for the idle maid. Your meritorious service will be rewarded by Your Highness, so it doesn't matter if you pay attention

These newly arrived guests at the banquet hall are all trained by the royal family, with heavy investment in training. As the head of Xiangling and Yunxiu, they are also talented individuals with official titles. In name, they are still my mistress. Even if they are not for the personal use of His Highness, they are given to distinguished guests. We cannot afford either of them

Yuan Shiwen was listening intently when a basin of cold water poured down, and his heart became hot and cold. He smiled wryly and replied, "As someone like me, how dare I expect such beauty

Just understand your duty, "the steward nodded, but did not enter the hall. He turned to the side hall and showed the token to the guard, then went around to report from behind.

The door of this side hall opened a gap, and many people were waiting to pay their respects. Although they did not receive the treatment of the main hall, there was still a small banquet, fully seated.

Is it full? "The steward glanced, not very surprised, thought for a moment and apologized," I'm really sorry, Mr. Yuan, please wait outside for a moment. I'll go in and inform you

Okay... "Yuan Shiwen smiled and before he could finish speaking, the steward nodded, not very concerned about entering, and the door closed tightly again.

Under the vast night sky, Yuan Shiwen stood alone outside the side hall, looking at the tightly closed Zhu Gate and Jia Shi in front of him. Listening to the sound of elegant strings and clinking glasses behind the door, he couldn't help but look back at the distant beauty and feel a sense of suffocation in his heart, saying, "My duty

After waiting for an hour, Yuan Shiwen smelled the mellow aroma of Qiong wine behind the door and felt hungry before the banquet in the main hall dispersed.

The steward escorted a guest out and informed Yuan Shiwen, "Your Highness will summon you later. Please follow me in and wait

Yuan Shiwen couldn't even muster the energy to complain anymore. He quickly followed in, smelling the aroma of wine and meat, and saw the exquisite coffered ceiling. The hall below was filled with five or six remaining banquets.

Yuan Shiwen sat down in the only vacant seat, looking around with an official aura. He knew that the Sixth Prince would not summon him immediately, shook his head and didn't think much. He hadn't eaten anything for most of the day and was really hungry. He quickly ate some leftovers to fill his stomach.

Ignoring the strange looks, after eating and drinking, he noticed the direction of everyone's gaze and saw a small hall with two guards on either side, looking solemn and serious.

There are also four guards guarding a wooden frame, holding a dragon flag with a large "Ling" character on it. Yuan Shiwen has seen it and knows that it is called the "Wang Ming Flag".

It is a certificate specially granted by the emperor to the prince, which allows him to act with ease by first executing and then reporting. He is specialized in recruitment and killing, and below the fifth rank, he can be punished on the spot with a commanding aura of killing.

Yuan Shiwen dared not look too much. He saw that the golden carved wooden door would open from time to time, and one or two would come out every now and then, with expressions of joy or frustration, indicating that the reception results were different. However, regardless of the outcome, he tried to restrain his expression as much as possible, nodded at the newcomers who passed by, and went straight out.

Under such an atmosphere around him, Yuan Shiwen suddenly became nervous - although the Sixth Prince was known as a wise king, to be honest, he had messed up his own job!