Chapter 423
Zong Zhengqing and Han Chou were very annoyed when the five business leaders sent a pile of accounts the night before. They called the five people in early in the morning and stood in the door. The servants wore official clothes while the guests stood in the cold wind.
"What do you mean? Think I can't do it anymore?" Han Chou's face was serious, but he didn't have the usual amiability.
A businessman replied cautiously: "Mr. Han misunderstood, isn't it going to be New Year's Eve soon, so do we..."
"What's the matter, you can't make it through the years without this money? Is your fox fur worth a thousand taels?"
The businessman was very embarrassed, "Your Excellency should know that in our business, gold and silver always go in and out with the left hand and the right hand. As long as you keep going in and out, you don't care how much money you have, and you are afraid that the money will stop. The one I gave to Empress Dowager Cining a few days ago" The rites are not light, we bought thousands of people's IOUs, most of which are bookkeeping, and now people come to ask us for money, and I can't pay for a few more fox attacks."
Another businessman said: "One layer at a time, other businessmen still owe more money to people, and they are all waiting to settle the bills a year ago. Master Han, you have pity on us, and you can give me a reward."
Han Chou dressed neatly, walked out of the room, and softened his tone a little, "In business, take a long-term view and don't care too much about temporary gains and losses. You think the 'gift' given to the Queen Mother is important, but now the Queen Mother is in power. I'll be there soon. Entering the palace, meeting the queen mother to discuss important matters, waiting for me to gain a firm foothold in the capital, can I treat you badly? I won't say much about other things. The people who support me today, I will let them make money every day in the future, and they will stumble me today. People, don't think about getting a foothold in the capital and Luoyang in the future!"
Han Chou walked back and forth in front of the five people, his tone gradually became severe, and his sentences were loud and loud, and finally stopped in front of one person, "The grace of a drop of water is repaid by the spring, and the revenge of one arrow is returned by ten thousand arrows. This is my rule. It's time, you should know who I am, right?"
The man was stared at his heart, and he was wearing a thick fur coat. He was still shivering, with a smile on his face, "Understand, we all support Lord Han, and we have an obligation, no turning back, righteousness... righteousness is thin."
Han Chou cursed out a dirty word, slapped the businessman fiercely, and slapped the businessman, "What are you? Are you worthy of my righteousness?"
The other four were startled, and at the same time stepped back, not even daring to help their companions.
The businessman who was beaten was horrified, sat on the ground, covered his face and said, "Sir, it's really not my idea to send the bill, it's all about..."
"Shut up!" Han Chou went up and kicked again, "You think I'm a fool? Someone else makes the decision, and you come up with the idea. I've already seen that you're scheming, and you're an unfaithful person. Isn't it? Go shouting, go and sue, and see who dares to touch me? How much money did I make you? It's only been a few days, you can't stand it, I'll make you cry poor, I'll make you cry poor... …”
Han Chou cursed and kicked and kicked.
Until Han Chou was out of breath, the servants on both sides came up to support the adult and persuaded him not to get angry.
Han Chou took the silk handkerchief from the servant and wiped the sweat from his forehead, "You idiot with no eyes, seeing that I was out of the capital, I thought I was finished. Tell you, I'm back!"
"My lord, forgive me, my lord, I'm wrong, I'm shameless, I'm low, please don't remember the villain..." The beaten businessman kept begging for mercy.
Han Chou ignored him, turned and walked in front of the other four businessmen.
However, Han Chou showed a smile, patted them on the shoulders one by one, and said cheerfully: "I'm sorry, it's really deceiving you to see me like this. I know you are being deceived, I don't Blame you, go back and tell your people, just be patient for a few more days, I can guarantee that every effort will pay off, and when the time comes, I will let you celebrate the New Year every day. Haha."
The four of them giggled.
Han Chou suddenly put away his smile, led his servants away, and went out of the house, he said coldly to his cronies, "To deal with these villains, you have to be decisive and cruel, whoever came up with the idea, see who. Clean up whoever is not pleasing to the eye, and ensure that the rest will be honest and suspicious of each other."
"The adults are very clever, how can people like us think of it?"
Han Chou proudly stepped into the sedan chair and began to think about how to deal with the Empress Dowager Ci Ning today. Yuan Jiuding was no longer a problem, and Feng Ju was no longer a threat, but he did make a mistake last time, ignoring the suspiciousness of the Empress Dowager, it should not be so obvious To support the king, now he has no choice but to retreat instead of advancing, and instead recommend the king of Linzi.
During the period when the emperor was trapped in Jincheng, the ministers once wanted to make King Linzi the crown prince. The Queen Mother Cining was quite dissatisfied with this and would never accept that he would be established as the crown prince again. When the time comes, the introduction of the king will naturally come naturally.
Han Chou was very confident. He originally only wanted to stay in Luoyang, but now his ambitions are inflated and he has more ambitious goals.
The sedan chair suddenly stopped, Han Chou thought he was outside the palace gate, and he had to walk from here, so he sat upright and waited for him to lift the sedan curtain and help him get off the sedan chair.
No one came, and none of the dozen or so followers seemed to be missing.
Han Chou coughed twice and stomped his feet. Still no one lifted the curtain for him. He was puzzled, so he had to lift the curtain himself.
There were two people standing in front of the sedan chair, with their backs to him, dressed in armor, but they didn't look like the old guards guarding the palace.
Han Chou lowered the car curtain, waited for a while, and opened it again, hoping that everything just now was an illusion.
Still in the icy armor, Han Chou's heart sank, and a groan came out of his mouth.
A soldier turned around, holding a long spear, and looked down at Lord Zong Zhengqing.
"You are……"
The soldier smiled slightly, "The road ahead is closed, the adults wait a moment."
"Oh." Han Chou wanted to take the opportunity to look around, but the soldier grabbed the car curtain and closed it for him.
Han Chou sat blankly in the sedan chair, analyzed who was going out, and could stop Zong Zhengqing's sedan chair. Mainly, obviously the soldiers of the Northern Army.
Han Chou was trembling all over. Everyone knew that the Northern Army was directly under the emperor and without the emperor's will, even the Empress Dowager Cining could not mobilize it.
How could Han Chou not be surprised when the soldiers of the Northern Army who were supposed to be stationed outside the city actually appeared in front of the palace gate? Sitting in the sedan chair, he shivered, but he didn't know what to say. After all, he couldn't find peace in his heart. He carefully opened the sedan curtain again and saw two long spears crossed in front of him. Muran.
The sedan chair got up again and moved forward in a jerky manner. It should have entered the palace a long time ago, but the sedan chair did not stop. Han Chou didn't dare to ask, and he didn't even dare to open the curtain again, for fear of seeing a scene that would make his heart skip a beat.
The curtain opened by himself, and Han Chou was so frightened that his heartbeat almost stopped. When he could see the face of his follower, his anger did not burst out. He lowered his voice and asked, "What's going on?"
As he walked and talked, he was out of breath, "I don't know, I was suddenly stopped by a group of officers and soldiers, and I just said that I would turn around."
"Where?"
"It seems to be heading south, probably going to the main gate of the palace, officers and soldiers lead the way..." The face of his personal follower disappeared, it should have been pulled away by someone.
Guanghua Pavilion is in the north, and the main entrance is in the south. If you enter the palace through the south gate, you usually go to either the Qinzheng Hall or the Tongxuan Hall. These two places are indeed Han Chou's future goals, but now they are his dangerous places.
The sedan chair stopped again, this time someone lifted the curtain for him, and a soldier said with a smile, "Here, sir, please get off the sedan chair."
Han Chou tried his best to put on a dignified expression, and waited for a while before getting out of the sedan chair.
Sure enough, it was the south gate. The sedan chairs were parked outside, and the main gate was not open. Many ministers were entering the palace through the side gate. Everyone had a confused look on their faces, and it was obvious that they had been called temporarily.
He was not the only minister who was accidentally summoned. Han Chou felt a little relieved, thinking that this might be a weird idea that Empress Dowager Cining came up with.
However, it was unusual for the soldiers of the Northern Army to enter the city. Han Chou took a few steps and looked back. He found that the soldiers of the Northern Army had not followed.
More than 30 ministers were summoned in the early morning, most of them were high-ranking officials above the third rank. Some came from their homes, and some arrived directly from the official office.
"It's His Majesty's imperial decree, but Your Majesty... Could it be..."
Han Chou was the favorite minister of the Empress Dowager Cining, so he would naturally be asked. He shook his head solemnly, expressing that he didn't know anything, and prayed silently in his heart, hoping to hear the news of the emperor's death.
The guard soldiers in the palace also became the Northern Army, and there were officers who guided the ministers to Tongxuan Hall.
Tongxuan Hall is the main hall, and it is only used when the official court meeting is held. Thirty or so ministers walked in, but it still looked empty.
Han Chou saw Prime Minister Shen Mingzhi at a glance, and without avoiding suspicion, he hurried up to meet him. Just as he was about to speak, Shen Mingzhi cast a stern and vigilant look.
Han Chou hurriedly stopped and returned to his position. At this time, he must not be impatient, but be patient.
The group of ministers had been arranged, but there was no one sitting on the throne for a long time, and the ministers whispered and discussed again.
Han Chou quietly observed that Yuan Jiuding, Minister of Rites, and Feng Ju, Minister of Personnel, were also here. They were as confused as others, which made him feel at ease again, and felt that this accident might not be a bad thing.
A eunuch walked in and announced loudly, "Your Majesty is here."
Han Chou's eyes darkened.
As soon as these four words came out, all the ministers were surprised, but the rules still had to be obeyed, and they all knelt down to pick up the car.
The emperor came, walking very lightly and slowly, as if he was still not used to the ground here.
Han Chou gathered up all his courage and looked up.
It was indeed the emperor himself, with a pale face and sluggish feet, but his eyes were bright and he was definitely not delirious.
Han Chou finally couldn't hold it anymore, his body tilted, and he fell to the ground. It was impossible to get up on his knees again.
Shen Mingzhi was equally terrified, but he was still able to maintain his composure. At the expense of Han Chou, he was still the prime minister.
Han Ruzi walked down the steps, glanced at the throne above, didn't go up, turned around and said, "All the ministers are flat."