A Clash of Gods - Chapter 817

[Chapter 808]

At dawn, just after Yin Shi had passed, Qi Ning had already arrived at the eastern suburbs of the imperial mausoleum. At this time, the red sun had risen in the east, and all the ministers had already had breakfast and were gathering together, waiting for the emperor to bring him into the imperial mausoleum.

The radiance

of the rising sun shone on the earth. The ministers seemed to have a good rest last night. They were all in good spirits. They gathered together and whispered. Talk and laugh.

Qi Ning walked quietly through the group of ministers, but he never found the figure of Ximen Wuhen. When the group of officials set off yesterday, there were so many people that Qi Ning never saw Ximen Wuhen, and he still hasn’t seen him today. I wondered if Ximen Wuhen did not come to participate in this sacrificial ceremony.

Suddenly, someone shouted not far away: “Isn’t that the old prince coming over?”

Qi Ning immediately followed the sound and saw that Sima Changshen was pushing a wheelchair not far away, and the township company was driving a wheelchair.

Lan was indeed sitting in a wheelchair.

Qi Ning frowned slightly, but saw that King Huainan had emerged from the crowd to meet him. After looking at it, King Huainan had already smiled and said, “How is the old man’s injury? This king thought that the old man would not be able to come today.

Sima Lan sighed, “Thank you for your concern, my lord, fortunately, the imperial physicians in the Imperial Hospital have rejuvenated their springs. Although it will take some time for the lumbar bones to recover, they are not too serious.” The King of

Huainan

said with a smile, “It’s so good, today is very good. ”

The sacrificial ceremony, it is absolutely impossible to lack the old prince.”

As soon as he finished speaking, he heard the sound of ritual music, the ministers immediately put their hands down and struggled to the side, and then saw the eunuchs and maids surrounded by the little emperor Longtai coming here, The courtiers on both sides bowed down to the ground, and when Longtai passed by, the courtiers got up and followed behind the emperor to the imperial mausoleum.

The imperial mausoleum is unusual. Even the young emperor Longtai cannot enter by car. Everyone has to walk into the imperial mausoleum. However, Sima Lan is in a special situation today. Sima Changshen personally pushes a wheelchair and follows the emperor. Behind.

Fortunately, the road from the eastern suburbs of the imperial mausoleum to the imperial mausoleum is not far, and a road has been built a long time ago.

The team entered the imperial mausoleum, and it was only a few miles away. The front door suddenly opened up. When Qi Ning saw the distance, he couldn’t help but be surprised. The lake, among the lakes, is a small island built with boulders, which looks extremely spectacular.

Two wide roads were built with white marble on the left and right sides of the lake, and around the lake, there was a wide road. The guards had already guarded both sides of the road, and the road went straight to the front. After a few miles, A tall and magnificent circular sacrificial altar appeared.

The sacrificial altar is divided into three layers,

forming three circles, each of which is very open in the middle, and its width is enough to accommodate two or three hundred people, thus forming three white marble guardrails. With a circle of Taoist priests from Longhu Mountain, the whisk was placed on his arm, and words were muttered in his mouth.

On both sides of the steps to the sacrificial altar, there are guards in bright armor with guns, and Chi Fengdian leads the elite soldiers of the Yulin Camp to protect the sacrificial altar.

The sacrificial platform at the highest point is extremely empty, and it can accommodate two or three hundred people. At this moment, three animals and six animals have already been set up on the sacrificial platform to worship ancestors. The monks of Daguang Temple are led by two eminent monks, Jingwu and Jingyuan. , sitting cross-legged on both sides, beating wooden fish, and the sound of chanting sutras spread far and wide.

Daoist Lingxu was standing at the entrance of the sacrificial altar at this time, his robe fluttering, immortal style and dao bones.

Long Tai led the ministers to the sacrificial altar, and when they reached the last floor, the ministers stopped, Long Tai took a few steps forward, and even knelt down, and all the ministers behind him followed, and the headmaster Lingxu sang aloud. With the sound of the voice, Longtai got up and walked slowly onto the stage, while the ministers stayed under the steps.

The King of Huainan glanced at Sima Lan, who was next to him, and then slowly followed him forward. Sima Changshen also pushed Sima Lan and followed closely.

According to the etiquette of the Great Chu Empire, the only officials who can accompany the emperor to the sacrificial platform are the four hereditary candidates of the empire.

At this time, an eunuch walked up to Qi Ning and whispered a few words. Qi Ning nodded slightly. At this time, he saw that Wuxiang Hou Su Zhen had also come out of the crowd and followed Sima Lan to the sacrificial altar. Qi Ning did not hesitate. , also stepped forward and followed behind King Huainan.

Longtai looked solemn, and several ministers who followed him on stage also looked solemn.

The sound of chanting continued, and Headmaster Lingxu led Longtai to walk through it. He walked straight to the incense table. The smoke curled up. Headmaster Lingxu turned around and stood beside the incense table. He flicked the dust and looked up at the sky. Loudly said: “The sacrificial ceremony begins!” Xiang Longtai bowed slightly, and said, “Your Highness, can you read the sacrificial ritual text?”

Longtai nodded slightly, with a solemn expression.

Headmaster Lingxu picked up the sacrificial ritual that had been prepared long ago from the incense table, took a few steps forward, slowly unfolded it, glanced at it, and his face changed greatly.

The ministers also held their breath at this time, and there was silence all around.

After waiting for a while, they didn’t see Headmaster Lingxu reading the rites. Many officials couldn’t help but wonder. Longtai also squinted and frowned when he saw Headmaster Lingxu standing there.

Qi Ning was not far behind the emperor at this time, and saw Headmaster Lingxu staring at Liwen in a daze, knowing that something was wrong, but at this time he heard King Huainan cough and asked, “Headmaster Lingxu, why? Don’t you read the rites?”

Headmaster Lingxu hesitated for a moment, but King Huainan had already walked over, everyone was a little surprised when they saw it, King Huainan walked in front of Headmaster Lingxu, stretched out his hand, Headmaster Lingxu bowed slightly, He presented the ritual with both hands. After King Huainan took it, he glanced at it, smiled faintly, walked to Longtai, took a few steps away, knelt down, and presented the ritual to Longtai with both hands.

Seeing this scene, everyone was even more astonished. They thought that since the founding of the state of Chu, whether it was worshipping the sky or the ancestors, the Taoist headmaster read the rites, and it never changed. Today’s scene is really too strange. The rites were presented to the emperor.

Longtai’s face was a little dignified, he stretched out his hand, took the ritual, and glanced at it, his face was even more ugly, and suddenly said in a deep voice: “Where is the old master Yuan?”

Yuan Lao Shangshu of the Ministry of Rites heard the voice and went over immediately. The last step was not high, and the ministers standing in front could understand everything that happened above. Although Yuan Lao Shangshu was very old, what happened on the sacrifice platform. He could see everything very clearly. Hearing the emperor’s call, he immediately climbed the steps and was about to kneel down beside Delongtai. Longtai had already asked, “Is the sacrificial ritual prepared by the old Shangshu?

” Said: “Reporting to the sage, the sacrificial ritual was written by the old minister himself!”

Long Tai handed over the ritual and said, “Look, this is the ritual you prepared?”

Yuan Lao Shang Shu respectfully took it with both hands, glanced at it After a sudden change, he lost his voice: “Your Majesty, this…this is not a rite prepared by the old minister, this is…this is a confession!”

Qi Ning heard it from behind, his brows tightened, and he felt greatly. Accident.

“It’s interesting that the sacrificial ritual text has become a confession.” Longtai said lightly: “This confession is signed by Hu Bowen, and the old Shangshu naturally knows who Hu Bowen is.”

When Qi Ning heard the word “Hu Bowen”, his heart froze. He was extremely familiar.

The previous time, he took the embassy on a mission to Dongqi, and made him the official ambassador of the embassy, and the deputy ambassador of the embassy was Hu Bowen, the left servant of the Ministry of Rites.

Hu Bowen and Liang Xiong were in trouble. The two colluded with assassins, trying to destroy all the gifts of the mission and prevent the Chu mission from going to Dongqi. Qi Ning noticed Hu Bowen’s treachery, and he did everything he could, and finally exposed the conspiracy of the two. , and detained both of them.

When he went to Dongqi, Qi Ning put the two men under the custody of the Qinhuai Army. When he returned, he handed them over to the King of Huainan to escort them into the capital. Later, Qi Ning heard that Hu Bowen had been imprisoned in the prison of the Ministry of Punishment. , what the result is, he has no intention to care.

Qi Ning was naturally surprised when he heard that the sacrificial rituals had become Hu Bowen’s confession.

Although Yuan Lao Shangshu was surprised, he was still an old minister after all, and after seeing many storms, he kept calm and said: “Reporting to the Holy Master, Hu Bowen was originally the servant of the Ministry of Rites, but he was convicted and imprisoned in the prison of the Ministry of Justice. The Ministry of Justice has been interrogating this case. .”

“The confession from the Ministry of Punishment’s interrogation appeared here.” Longtai’s face was stern: “Where is Qian Raoshun?”

Soon he saw an official stepping up to the stage, kneeling on the ground: “Chen Raoshun, Minister of the Ministry of Punishment, I see you Your

Majesty!”

“Qian Raoshun, in the case of Hu Bowen, you are interrogating him?” Longtai glanced at Qian Raoshun, took the gift from Yuan Laoshangshu and threw it in front of Qian Raoshun: “See for yourself, is this the case? Hu Bowen’s confession?”

Qian Raoshun glanced at it and said respectfully, “Reporting to the sage, this is indeed the confession signed and signed by Hu Bowen. The minister was about to present it to the emperor, but he appeared here for some unknown reason.”

Longtai said coldly .

“You really don’t know?”

King Huainan stepped forward and cupped his hands: “Your Majesty, the confession appeared on the sacrificial altar, maybe it was a last resort.”

“A last resort?” Longtai frowned and said, “Uncle Wang, you What do you mean?”

“Your Majesty, although there are many memorials in the court to report to you, not all of them can be seen by you.” The King of Huainan sighed: “Just like this confession, if it hadn’t appeared On the sacrificial altar, perhaps the emperor never had a chance to see it.”

“Uncle Wang, I don’t quite understand what I said.” Long Tai said, “If a case like Hu Bowen’s case is closed, how can I not see it? Arrived

?”

King Huainan glanced at Sima Lan, Sima Lan was sitting in a wheelchair, expressionless, looking unusually calm, King Huainan stepped forward and cupped his hands: “Your Majesty, there are treacherous officials in the court who are blocking the Holy Spirit’s hearing and deceiving the Holy Lord. , cover the sky with one hand, many important documents have not been sent to the imperial study, they have been blocked from the door, many truths, the emperor naturally does not know.”

As soon as the king of Huainan said this, everyone who heard it was heartbroken. With a sigh, Qi Ning also had a cold expression on his face.