The palace was gloomy and gloomy. Xiao Yuansi gave Lin Xiang the highest standard funeral within his power, set up a mourning hall in the palace, and called all the students to come to mourn.

The civil servants who usually have a poetic and bookish spirit lost their backbone. They seemed to be old overnight and followed the mourning ceremony with others in a daze, and then were supported by the palace people. The sobbing sounded one after another, and they were not able to accept it in a short time.This cruel and sad fact.

In the main hall, Xiao Yuansi changed into plain clothes. He usually likes to put a few plates of snacks on hand, but now he only has the last game of chess played that day.

In any case, now that he occupies this body, with everything that this identity brings, he should wear mourning clothes for Lin Xiang and his grandfather, but etiquette does not allow him to do so.

He could wear filial piety for the late emperor and the emperor's grandfather, but he could not wear it for "outsiders" who have no royal blood. Setting the mourning hall in the palace is already an unruly behavior. Now the ceremonial officials are in grief and have no time to take care of these details, etc.They regained their composure, probably trying to scold him in another way.

But it doesn't matter, anyway, he has not been scolded less, he has a thick skin and can resist.

The most important thing now is to find out how the good people are gone.

Although the system has repeatedly assured that it has not done anything secretly, but according to its previous confusing behavior, Xiao Yuansi is dubious about it.

After all, Lin Xiang was second only to him as the emperor in the hearts of the people. His death caused people's voices to boil and mourn everywhere. Many people spontaneously went to mourn outside the Xiang's mansion.

The officials who investigated this matter were all under tremendous pressure, with His Majesty's imperial orders above, and people's doubts below. If they don't find out the results as soon as possible, Wu Shamao will definitely lose his life.

Various versions of the "truth" quickly spread among the people. For example, Xiang Lin was dissatisfied with the seizure of power by the little emperor.The innocent souls who died in the war came to ask for their lives...

Fortunately, before more outrageous rumors spread, the investigation of the officials finally paid off, and they entered the palace non-stop to report to His Majesty.

"Has the cause of Lin Xiang's death been found out?"

Zhu Xiushan said: "Report to Your Majesty, I found out."

"Say it."

Zhu Xiushan took a sneak peek at Xiao Yuansi's face, but hesitated to say what he said, and first handed over a letter: "Mr. Lin didn't die from the fire, but took poison, so...he probably was,suicide."

Xiao Yuansi clenched his fist, his face remained calm.

This result was within his expectations.

He heard that Lin Xiang was not the only one who died in the fire, but there were a few others who had never dealt with him.As for the words, Xiao Yuansi guessed very well.

The so-called removal of obstacles is to drag all those who can hinder him to hell.

Lin Xiang took such decisive and cruel actions to help him.

Why?!

Xiao Yuansi wanted to know why Lin Xiang didn't expose him. Wouldn't he be angry if he occupied his grandson's body and did all kinds of things that violated the ancestor's etiquette?

Thinking of this, he hastily opened the last letter, and there were only a few words on it—"I will eradicate the rebellious party for my husband, and I will trouble you to fix the mountains and rivers."

Ding Shanhe...Xiao Yuansi stared at these three characters for a long time, his strokes were extraordinarily vigorous, as if the person who wrote them blocked a lifetime of painstaking efforts and a false reputation behind him.

But... I came to subjugate the country, not to save the country. You have pinned your hopes on the wrong person.

If he knew the real purpose of this alien comer, would he be so sad and indignant that he would have no face to face the late emperor, and plunge into the underworld to die completely?

Xiao Yuansi sighed, carefully folded the letter as it was and put it in a box for preservation.

He asked Little Six: "Help me prepare, I want to visit the Prime Minister's Mansion."

Xiao Liuzi knew that it was impossible to stop him at this time, so he retreated and prepared to go.

His face is now considered a familiar face in the eyes of the common people. To avoid causing disturbance, he wore a veiled hat and quietly entered through the back door of the prime minister's mansion.

It is said that the fire burned for three days and three nights, and there was nothing left in the Xiangfu, and there was still steam billowing in the black coke.Continuous sobs hung over the gloomy Prime Minister's Mansion.

"Your Majesty?!" Xiao Yuansi was mourning silently for this loyal minister, when a surprised voice suddenly sounded behind him.

Looking back, "Cheng Sheng?!"

"Why are you here?"

Cheng Sheng walked towards him across the coke on the ground, looked around the ruins, and said with some ecstasy and sadness: "I discovered the fire when it first started, but it's a pity that I still haven't had time to rescue people. I'm sorry, Your Majesty."

"It's okay." Xiao Yuansi patted him on the shoulder and comforted him: "You are willing to risk your life to save people, I should thank you."

"But what are you doing here?"

If he remembered well, this area was the residence of the gentry and nobles, and Cheng Sheng hated them. It should be more painful for him to come here than to force him into the frying pan.

There was no trace of repulsion on Cheng Sheng's face, and he explained: "I came here for Your Majesty."

"For me?" Xiao Yuansi was puzzled, but he felt there were many things he didn't know.

Cheng Sheng was not in a hurry to speak, but asked instead: "You promoted female officials, supported the common people to fight for civil rights, and dealt with nobles wantonly. Everything is a matter of losing your head, and you have hardly encountered any difficulties in this process. Even if you haveThe small-scale rebellion was resolved within half a day, do you know who is behind your back to help you?"

A seemingly impossible person appeared in Xiao Yuansi's mind: "Mr. Lin?"

Cheng Sheng acquiesced.

"It was Lin Xiang who persuaded and appeased those nobles one by one. Your Majesty, you may not know that your behavior has already made them hate you. You have organized many assassinations. It was Lin Xiang who informed us to help. He also arranged people in the palace.Zhou Xuan made you escape every time."

Xiao Yuansi touched his chest with lingering fear, his heart almost stopped beating several times.

At the same time, he couldn't believe it, Prime Minister Lin was also a representative of the nobility, how could he be willing to help him against the hundreds of famous families behind him?!

"Why did he do this for me?" Xiao Yuansi murmured.

Cheng Sheng looked into his eyes and said, "Because he is willing to believe in you just like us."

"Trust me in what?"

"You can bring about changes, you can make officials no longer eat vegetarian meals, and make people no longer suffer from hunger. You have the power of peace inside and the courage to resist the enemy outside."

Xiao Yuansi's face was slightly pale, and he felt that he had unknowingly embarked on a road that he could not control, carrying an unbearable weight on his back.

"Maybe I'm not the Mingjun you want, I'm just, just..."

A great liar who is full of lies and misbehaves.

"You are what the people want, so don't underestimate yourself."

Xiao Yuansi didn't want to look into his eyes, every time he saw their bright and hopeful eyes, he would feel guilty for no reason.

He glanced over his head, swallowed his throat, and said sullenly: "Don't believe me."

Cheng Sheng asked: "But if we don't believe His Majesty, who else can we trust?"

"You are the king of a country, our life and death are in your hands, our joys and sorrows are closely related to you, besides following you, who else can we pin our hopes on."

Xiao Yuansi said without hesitation: "Don't you still have a god, you can go and express your desires to it."

Cheng Sheng shook his head and said, "The so-called gods have never shown mercy to us. The only one who gave us hope of living is Your Majesty. Why do you push your own people away?"

Xiao Yuansi was forced to ask questions step by step and couldn't answer, so he made up a reason and hurriedly left this dead place.

He rushed back to the palace in one breath and didn't look back no matter who called him. Once he got back to his bedroom, he closed the door, threw himself on the bed, and buried his head deeply in the pillow.

He breathed heavily for a long time, but his frantically beating chest still didn't seem to stop.

There are so many thoughts in head that can't figure out a clue.

Why would you risk your life to help him?

Why raise him to such a height?

Why can't be ruthless?

He thought clearly from the very beginning that he would never owe favors to anyone here, so no matter what he did, he would not feel guilty or guilty. Anyway, these people are destined to be just passers-by in the long river of history.It will only be a few drops of ink in the history books.

However, he only discovered now that this is impossible. When he changed the fate of others, he also changed his own.

Favor debts have already been owed a lot without knowing it.

How should he tell them—he is actually not a god who saves them from fire and water, but an evil spirit who pushes them into hell.

Did you open this mouth?

Can you continue to do it like before?

The entanglement and pain took root in his mind, biting his flesh and blood, piercing into his weakest nerve, and he let out a suppressed growl in pain.

"Why is this happening!"

"Hey." Seeing his pain and suffering, the system couldn't help sighing: "Host, please don't be too moral."

"All your pain now comes from your soft heart and your moral sense."

"Didn't I choose you at the beginning because you were a shameless prodigal son? Take out your previous virtue of prodigal family and trouble, don't care about anyone, continue to be selfish, finish the task, hello, hello, hello everyone.”

"Don't be here..."

"Shut up!" Xiao Yuansi yelled, he was already annoyed, but what the system said made him even more depressed.

"Either you do it yourself, or shut up immediately!"

"Okay, don't take your anger out on Tong, Tong is innocent." After the system finished speaking, it obediently shut up.

"Go!"

Xiao Yuansi smashed the quilt heavily as if venting his anger, but unfortunately the quilt was soft and did not have any effect.

————

After Lin Xiang left, the civil servants were visibly sluggish when they went to court, and they always satirized Xiao Yuansi with words hidden in the cotton, but after the court meeting these days, they obediently walked away with their parentsAs honest as a little doll.

Today was another quiet and outrageous court meeting, Xiao Yuansi felt like he was sitting on pins and needles when he sat on it, he didn't want to see the faces of the civil servants underneath who looked like mourning.

Just as Xiao Liuzi was about to announce his retirement from the court, Wen Youting, who had always been taciturn, suddenly came out.

"Your Majesty, I have something to announce."

Xiao Yuansi just got up and had to sit back, he said helplessly: "Let's talk."

"I want to strengthen the construction of coastal defense and purchase a batch of Western equipment to replace the arrows and crossbows commonly used by officers and soldiers."

Before Xiao Yuansi could speak, the Minister of the Ministry of War hurried out and denied it: "It's absolutely impossible, Your Majesty!"

"How can we use Western barbarian things, the strong country bows to the weak country, it is really embarrassing to the ancestors!"

Wen Youting said coldly: "I am not alone in thinking about this matter. I have asked all the soldiers about their wishes and they all agreed to use it. Don't worry about it, Lord Shangshu. We are not bowing to the Westerners, but we just want to equip better weapons to protect our family.It’s all about defending the country, our ancestors will not be ashamed for us.”

"You are confused!" The Minister of the Ministry of War pointed at her nose and scolded: "Could it be that you can't defend your home and country with bows, arrows and swords?! Qin's territory was shot out by the ancestors with arrows and arrows, and cut with knives.Yes! Didn’t you use Western weapons when you drove out the barbarians in the north? Now you want to abandon your ancestors and ask those Westerners who have evil intentions to protect the country. It’s like a rabbit asking a fox to protect it.wishful thinking!"

Wen Youting knew he couldn't beat him, so he closed his eyes and pretended he didn't hear it.

"enough!"

Minister of the Ministry of War was so frightened by the scolding that he swallowed his words back.

Xiao Yuansi's brain hurt even more after being quarreled by them, he closed his eyes and rubbed them for a long time before slowly opening them again.

"According to General Wen's wishes."

Minister of the Ministry of War shouted: "Your Majesty!"

Xiao Yuansi waved his hand to signal him to turn off his loud voice, and said: "It's alright, alright, stop arguing, listen to me."

"The northern barbarians are good at melee combat because of their size advantage, so we use bows and arrows and catapults that can attack from a long distance to suppress their advantage, but this trick is useless when encountering Westerners.The distance is far beyond ordinary bows and arrows, and it is light and easy to carry.”

"The soldiers have all seen its power and are willing to accept it. They are the ones who really want to fight on the battlefield. They know the situation of the enemy and ourselves best. Do you think I listen to them, or do you just listen to your ancestors here?"

"If the land is lost because of the bottom of the well, it will really shame the ancestors!"

"We are humbly learning from others, neither stealing nor robbing, open and honest, how can we be sorry for our ancestors?!"

The civil servants who were originally filled with righteous indignation after some reasonable words were dumbfounded, and the Minister of the Ministry of War had no choice but to retreat in embarrassment.

Xiao Yuansi didn't realize what was wrong when he said this, and he didn't realize what a stupid thing he had done until the system caught up with him and sent him a series of lion roars.

"How can you let them have access to Western weapons! Do you still want to complete the task!"

"That's right." Xiao Yuansi seemed to have just remembered this matter.

system:"……"

"You, won't you soften your heart again?"

"No."

"Then why did you help them?"

Speaking of which, why did he help them?