amaotonovel Chapter 1508 The Last Reunion
Chapter 1508 The Last Reunion
Chapter 1508 The Last Reunion
The Internal Guard is the emperor’s last trump card.
Over the years, Shen Yi has held countless powers in his hands. At his peak, ten years ago, he even had military forces capable of competing with the imperial court. However, from beginning to end, he never controlled the internal guards.
At most, the deputy commander of the Inner Guard, Du Yong, was under his command. With the help of Du Yong, Shen Yi could control the Inner Guard north of the Huai River.
And now, the emperor has also handed over the internal guards to Shen Yi.
Although it is only "coordination" and not restraint, it means that most of the time, the internal guards have to obey Shen Yi's arrangements.
Unless Shen Yi issued a disorderly order, such as asking the inner guards to attack the emperor, the inner guards might disobey orders.
Although he does not have full control over the internal guards, Lu Sheng still has some autonomy, but even so, it is enough to explain many problems.
Mr. Shen walked out of the door, looked in the direction of the imperial city, and sighed silently.
He and the emperor had known each other since the sixth year of Hongde, and it had been twenty-five years since then.
After more than 20 years, Shen Yi still knows his old friend and leader very well.
Given Emperor Hongde's temperament, if he could still control the situation, he would not hand over the Internal Guards like this. But now, the Internal Guards have been entrusted to Shen Yi's hands, which can only mean one thing.
Emperor Hongde's health has reached the point where he is no longer able to control the situation.
It is even hard to say whether he can stay awake.
Shen Yi was silent for a long time, then turned to look at Lu Sheng and said, "Master Lu, what about Eunuch Xiao..."
Lu Sheng said softly, "My Lord, you may not know much about the affairs of the inner guards. When Eunuch Gao was here, our inner guards were indeed under the control of Eunuch Gao, but after Eunuch Gao..."
"The Internal Guards are no longer under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Internal Affairs."
"Later, I went directly to meet you."
Shen Yi nodded silently.
After a moment, he said, "Marshal Lu, let's discuss the city's affairs. You must pay more attention to the palace's affairs, especially the safety of His Majesty."
"Don't be careless."
Lu Sheng lowered his head and responded.
Mr. Shen was silent for a while, then asked, "Should we invite Eunuch Gao to come to Beijing?"
Lu Sheng lowered his head and said, "I have already invited you."
He looked up at Shen Yi with a complicated expression: "In a few days, Eunuch Gao should be able to arrive in Yanjing."
Shen Yi nodded again and continued, "Then Marshal Lu should pay more attention to the affairs in the palace, and also give a heads up to Eunuch Xiao, especially the palace maids."
"They are all under observation."
"I'm going to leave the city tomorrow and go to Miyun."
Lu Sheng looked up at Shen Yi, then nodded and said, "Yes, I obey your command."
He hesitated for a while and asked, "My Lord, would you like to meet the generals of the Imperial Guard?"
Shen Yi was silent, then shook his head and said, "No need, I want to see if they have the courage."
There are about 100,000 imperial guards outside Yanjing City, and they are some distance away from Yanjing City.
Moreover, most of the generals who are in charge of the Imperial Guards now are his old subordinates who followed him in the Northern Expedition and are the residents of Shen Yizhen.
Even if it can't be suppressed.
Miyun Lingsu's troops can also control the situation.
Lu Sheng bowed his head deeply: "Thank you for your concern, my Lord."
Shen Yi looked at the head of the inner guards and said in a deep voice: "General Lu, it is really inconvenient for me to handle the affairs of the palace. You must take good care of His Majesty's safety."
"Otherwise, I will also make a note of Wei Shuai here."
Lu Sheng knelt on the ground, lowered his head and shed tears: "If your majesty makes any mistake, I will bring my head to Lord Shen!"
His address startled Shen Yi.
Then, he didn't say anything more.
When he was young, the two words "Mr. Shen" were the exclusive name for him within the Huai'an Army. Now that he is middle-aged and his prestige is enough, it is reasonable for anyone to call him Mr. Shen.
…………
The next day, Shen Yi left Yanjing for a while and went to Miyun to meet Ling Su and arrange relevant matters.
Because he didn't have to go to the government office to work or attend court, not many people noticed that he left Yanjing.
And on the fourth day after Shen Yi left Yanjing City, an old man with white hair and beard got off the carriage at the gate of the imperial city.
The chief eunuch Xiao Huai came over to greet him personally and bowed respectfully.
"Godfather."
The old man looked up at Eunuch Xiao but said nothing.
He was quickly invited into the palace and brought to the entrance of Ganlu Palace. The old man squinted his eyes, looked up at the Ganlu Palace in front of him, then looked at Xiao Huai, and said in a hoarse voice: "Eunuch Xiao, please take me to take a bath and change clothes."
"Yes Yes."
Eunuch Xiao bowed his head and said, "Godfather, you are embarrassing your son by saying such things..."
The person who could become Eunuch Xiao's godfather was naturally Gao Ming, the eunuch who came all the way from Nanjing and was once a powerful eunuch in the court.
Gao Ming shook his head slightly: "What godfather and godson? Those were just some jokes when we were in the palace. Don't mention it anymore."
"Yes."
Eunuch Xiao wiped the tears from his eyes and whispered, "I'll take you to bathe and change clothes."
About half an hour later, Gao Ming changed into a purple eunuch's uniform. He gently broke away from Xiao Huai who was supporting him and walked into the Ganlu Palace alone.
In the Ganlu Palace, His Majesty the Emperor was lying on a soft couch, with several extremely important documents beside him.
The documents had been opened and it was obvious that the emperor had read them.
At this moment, the emperor was wrapped in a quilt and seemed to have fallen asleep.
Eunuch Gao looked at the haggard emperor and couldn't help crying. He walked forward slowly, knelt on the ground, and kowtowed: "Your servant Gao Ming, kowtows to Your Majesty..."
There was silence in the Ganlu Palace.
After a long while, the emperor finally opened his eyes. He looked at the old man kneeling in front of him and sighed, "It's a pity that you can come here."
"Get up quickly and find a place to sit."
Eunuch Gao climbed up, wiped his tears, came to the side of the couch, still kneeling, and said tearfully: "Your Majesty, you have only been in the north for a few years, how come you have become like this..."
"Is it because it's too cold in the north? Are you freezing..."
While wiping his tears, he said in a trembling voice: "I will accompany you back to Nanjing right now. You can recover after a few years of recuperation in Nanjing..."
The emperor looked at him and spoke after a while.
"water…"
Eunuch Gao quickly stood up, poured a cup of hot water, and waited for the emperor to drink it. The emperor seemed to feel better and said slowly: "It took me several years of hard work to accomplish the relocation of the capital. If I go back now, all my efforts will be in vain."
"Besides, my health was not bad in the north."
"That's because the servants in the palace didn't take good care of you!"
Eunuch Gao gnashed his teeth, his eyes red with anger: "I will issue an order right now to kill all of Xiao Huaisun Jin and his men!"
"Break the bones and spread the ashes!"
The emperor looked at the angry old man and suddenly smiled: "Since I can remember, this is the first time I've seen you lose your composure like this."
Gao Ming is not an ordinary eunuch.
He was Emperor Hongde's companion since he was in the Eastern Palace, and was the personal eunuch who took care of Emperor Hongde since he was a child.
He watched Emperor Hongde grow up little by little and become Emperor Hongde the Great little by little.
Now, the young man back then has become so haggard that he can't help but be sad.
Eunuch Gao slumped in his chair, tears streaming down his face.
The emperor listened to him crying for a long time before asking, "I have been away from Jiankang for more than two years. Has Xu Fu treated you well?"
Eunuch Gao lowered his head and cried, "Thanks to your Majesty's great blessing, he still treats me like my own uncle."
The emperor nodded gently: "This way, you will have a good ending in old age, and I can rest assured."
Eunuch Gao knelt on the ground, weeping, "Your Majesty, I will not return to Nanjing. I will serve Your Majesty in Beijing. If there is any...if there is any chance..."
"I will go with you!"
The emperor smiled and said, "Why, do you still want to be buried with me?"
"You have served me for most of my life. It's time for you to take a good rest and stop worrying about me."
"but…"
The emperor looked at Gao Ming, thought for a moment, and said, "But I have been feeling low lately. Since you are here, the Ministry of Internal Affairs..."
"Just keep an eye on it for me."
He asked, "Do you still have the energy?"
"Yes, yes!"
Eunuch Gao knelt on the ground, shedding tears, and said, "Your Majesty, I already regret it."
"What do you regret?"
The emperor smiled and asked, "Do you regret entering the palace?"
"I regret leaving the palace to protect myself."
He slapped himself hard, and said with tears in his eyes, "If I had stayed in the palace, I could have helped His Majesty more, and His Majesty wouldn't be so exhausted now..."
Emperor Hong De closed his eyes and sighed.
"I let you out of the palace because I don't want one day, you..."
"Died in my hands."
The white-haired eunuch Gao sat on the ground and burst into tears.
"I am just a weakling, and even if I died in the palace, what does it matter..."
"So what..."
(End of this chapter)