Chapter 9 Reward Pearl Surname

The Qinghe Hall is located in a remote place in the north of the palace, just a wall away from the cold palace. Originally, it was the place used by Xia to house arrest members of the royal family, but with the gradual take power of Taichang Temple, the Ministry of Criminal Justice and the Metropolitan Inspectorate, the palace has already withdrawn from the political stage, which is no different from the cold palace.

The courtyard is overgrown with weeds, and the walls have turned gray and black due to disrepair. Occasionally, two jackdaws stop in the courtyard and make hoarse calls. Walking in, the room was full of dust, and the air was extremely thick and stale. Everything told Ling Yue that she was not a princess, but a lamb slaughtered by others.

Emperor Xia equipped her with two palace men, two maids of honor and 50 Yulin army who surrounded the whole Qinghe Hall. Although there is no clear intention to restrict Ling Yue's freedom, this action has already demonstrated the attitude of Emperor Xia. It is absolutely impossible for Murong Lingyue to leave the palace.

"Princess, this place has been cleaned. If you have nothing to tell me, go down first."

"Wait, I don't know your names yet."

"My maidservant is Xing'er."

"My maidservant is Yun'er."

"I'm called Laifu."

"The slave is called Xiaoshun."

Ling Yue thought for a moment and turned her head to look at Liu Ye standing beside him: "Lou Ye, what's your last name?"

"Princess, the slave's surname is Liu." Liu Ye replied in a low voice.

"Then what's your last name?" Ling Yue stood up and glanced at the faces of the four people.

"Princess, slave, how dare slaves have any surname?" The palace man named Laifu crooked slightly and smiled, "The princess doesn't know that in this palace, the lowest-level slaves like us don't deserve a surname."

"Isn't that Liuye surnamed Liu?" Ling Yue asked doubtfully.

"Ha ha, that's because Liu Ye's identity is higher than ours. Everything in the palace depends on his identity. When Liu Ye's identity is higher, he can naturally have a surname."

"So that's it. From today on, you will all be surnamed Su." Ling Yue took out four pearls from her waist and handed them to Laifu, "Take it for some silver. That's all I can give you now, but as long as you are loyal to me, the benefits in the future will be indispensable."

"Princess, this..." Laifu looked at the pearl shining in the candlelight and did not immediately reach out to pick it up.

"What? Do you think my princess's reward is too meager? Ling Yue raised her cold eyebrows, and her tone immediately became sharp. "I know that you slaves have been in the palace for a long time, and there will always be some power. I am depressed, so you naturally don't pay attention to it. But I put my words here today. The emperor asked you to take good care of me. If I have anything wrong with your brains The bag is about to move."

The four of them knelt down together: "Princess, spare your life."

"What do I want your life to do? I just want you to receive my reward. All right, get up. Hearing Ling Yue's words, the four stood up from the ground tremblingly, and Fu lowered his head and took the pearl handed to him by Ling Yue with trembling hands.

"Okay, it's okay. You all go down."

"Yes, the slaves left."

"Wait." Ling Yue suddenly stopped the four people who had turned around and were ready to retreat.

"Princess, what else can I do for you?"

"Remember, from today on, your surname is Su."

"The slaves remembered it."

After all four retreated, Ling Yue and Liu Mu were left in the room. Ling Yue asked Liu Ye to sit down and told him that he didn't have to stick to those boring understandings when there was no one in the future, let alone call himself a slave. Liu Ye did not refuse, but naturally sat opposite Ling Yue.

"I heard that you took Li Jingluo in the court today. Li Cheng was so angry that he was speechless. I didn't expect you to have this courage." Liu Ye picked up a pot of tea that had just been brewed on the table, took two cups, and poured a cup for Ling Yue and himself.

"That bastard prime minister wants to put me into the Ministry of Criminal Justice. Although I don't know how terrible the Ministry of Criminal Justice is, it's better to avoid the word "punishment." Ling Yue picked up the teacup poured by Liu Ye, took a slight sip, and put down the teacup.

"Taichang Temple, the Supervision Institute and the Ministry of Criminal Justice, these three places should not be related to any of them. As the name implies, this supervisory institute is a supervisory, and the Ministry of Criminal Justice uses punishment to make the place for prisoners to confess. Taichang Temple is slightly better, but it is full of royal nobles imprisoned forever.

"Then in whose hands is the military power?" Under the candlelight, Lingyue's eyes flashed, which was a hopeful light. But many years later, Liu Ye realized that it was not the light of hope, but ambition.

Military power? Why do you ask this?"

"I just want to know what not only military power, but also the officials in charge of taxation and finance are. You can tell me in detail."

"It is preliminarily estimated that the strength of the State of Xia is about 2.4 million, of which 500,000 is in the hands of Ke Wu, the Marquis of Ning. His daughter Ke Ruyan is the crown princess, and his son is Ke Chengyang, the left capital of the Metropolitan of the People's Procative Yuan. Another 500,000 soldiers are in the hands of the emperor, that is, the Yulin army. General Duguba of Zhenguo has 300,000 military power, the third prince has 100,000 military power, the empress dowager has 100,000 military power, and the seventh prince has 100,000 military power. The remaining one million military power is controlled by the four Dukes of Xia, about 250,000 each.

"Four Dukes?"

"The four princes are the hereditary titles of Xia, namely Dongfang, Beitang, Nangong and Ximen. They never participate in the government, and they have territories in the four directions of the State of Xia, but one thing they have in common is that they are only loyal to the emperor.

Ling Yue nodded and thought to herself that the emperor was not stupid: "It seems that this emperor is suspicious and did not give the prince military power. I'm afraid that the prince will raise troops to rebel."

"You're right. The prince is smooth and good at attracting others. It is said that most of the court are his followers. Naturally, Emperor Xia will no longer give him military power, but gave his undisputed brother 100,000 military power."

"Then who holds the financial power?" Ling Yue continued to ask.

"This is in charge of the finance department, which is in charge of the world's household registration and land registers, and managing the expenditure of all funds, as well as the annual tax and the finance seized by the family. In addition, the Ministry of Internal Affairs is in charge of the treasury, which is responsible for the daily expenses of the royal family.

"Liu Ye, I found that you are really not simple to know so many things." Ling Yue lay on the table and said sleepily, "Hey, tell me honestly, who the hell are you?"

"I'm your brother."

"I like to listen to this. Well, it doesn't matter who you are. I'm going to bed. You can also take a rest."

"Wait, I have a question for you."

Ling Yue stretched out and yawned, "What's the problem?"

"Why do you want their surname Su?"

"Because they are my slaves, I will be responsible for protecting them and controlling their life and death at the same time."

"The power of life and death." Liu Ye repeated in a low voice, and then looked at Ling Yue with deep eyes, "So what about your own life and death power?"

Ling Yue tilted her head slightly, stretched out her right hand and slowly approached the oil lamp that was about to burn out on the table. When she was about to touch the wick, she slowly took her hand away, looked at the bright and dark flame with an almost obsessed look, and said lightly, "Of course, my power of life and death is up to me."

"What if you can't grasp it?"

Can't master it? That's impossible. Liu Ye, you don't know me, just like I don't know you. But I know that you are my brother, and I want to protect you. So, no matter what I do from now on, you just need to watch it again.

"Good." Liu Ye responded to the sound, and then left.

Out of the door, the cold wind came to my face and walked along the corridor into my own room not far away. As soon as I opened the door, I smelled a strong smell of tobacco. Liu Ye listened carefully and didn't notice any living creatures in the dark. He took out the fire fold and lit the oil lamp on the table. Suddenly, he looked at the table as if he was scared.

There sits a famous gray-dressed, gray-haired, nearly 70-year-old man. The old man held an old cigarette stick in his hand and looked at Liu Ye with a smile. Is it true that he has always been here? But why didn't you notice it when you entered the door? There is only one explanation, that is, the old man in front of him, has extremely high martial arts skills and can even be said to have entered the realm of a master.

"Who are you?" Liu Ye brushed the dust on the chair, sat down and looked at the old man.