Shanglin Night Snow

"Three down, five down, two down... six up, one down, five... five..." His fingertips paused, and the person in front of the case frowned, trying his best to recall the mantra that took half a day to memorize.

"Six up, one up, five up and one down!" The clear voice behind him reminded me in time.

"Jinyi!" Guo Kai clapped the case happily: "That's right, Jinyi!" His eyes drooped back, but clouds gathered on his face in an instant: Those little beads that took half a day to fiddle with are all messed up at this moment - messed up !It took him a whole quarter of an hour, just that one palm, it was all gone!Immediately, he was furious and turned to the instigator: "Who taught you to talk too much? Do you have nowhere to go, and you are going to disturb me here?"

"General, you taught me to settle accounts with you here, otherwise I would have gone to pick flowers in the back garden for the second shopkeeper." The little boy who stood by looked aggrieved.

"Even if that's the case, it's not enough to teach you to talk too much!" Guo Kai turned back depressed, and lowered his voice two inches: "Also, have you forgotten what you explained earlier? Don't call him 'general' from now on."

The little boy hesitated: "Then..."

"Let's call the shopkeeper, Da Lang (1) is also fine." Guo Kai fiddled with the abacus a few more times, but he was impatient and couldn't continue, so he simply abandoned it, picked up the account book and flipped through it randomly.

It is said that ever since he was appointed as an official, his old mother, Mrs. He, has made a rule: no matter at home or away, the servants must call him "General" when they see him. , the fate is still suspended, and the official career is more like fog and water, and the picture is not real.

Roughly speaking, it has been almost a month since he was released, but he has not heard any news from the court. It seems that Jinshang and Shao Jingheng have forgotten him as a real infantry commander.Fortunately, after going through all these difficulties, my old mother finally saw it, and she no longer demanded much food from the hairpin tassels.Since this is the case, Guo Kai also appointed himself, and within half a month, he was at home with peace of mind to make plans-the son inherits his father's career, after all, there is a way out.

He groaned for a moment, then turned to the little boy: "Has the Xun been here in the past two days?"

The little boy nodded: "Come on, you came again last night. I told you that you were going out. He was skeptical and seemed unwilling. When I came back from buying dried meat for you, I saw him still wandering around the door, and he pulled Sei by force. Give me a bag of dried apricots, and tell him that if you come back, send him a message."

Want to bribe this naughty little boy with a pack of dried apricots?Guo Kai sneered: It's just a dream!Feeling relieved, he dropped the ledger and yawned, pointing to the cabinet opposite.

The little boy knew how to open the cabinet door and took out the cash box, "What do you want to buy today?" Scratching his head, he turned around and asked.

Guo Kai thought about it: "You can do whatever you want, but it's not just mutton and fish. You can take one or two with you, and if you have more, you can save it and buy something you love."

The little boy agreed, took out two pieces of money from the box, and was about to go out when he heard a voice behind him: "Have you ever thought about how to deal with the person who has sex with you again?"

The little boy was confident: "Don't worry, Dalang, I have my own plans. If I meet again, I will say that you are in a bad mood these days, and you have traveled to Beijing to relax. I am afraid that you will not return within three to five months."

Guo Kai nodded, with a smug expression on the corner of his mouth, he waved him away.

Frankly speaking, to buy people's hearts, one must first understand the person's temperament, and then prescribe the right medicine, in order to get twice the result with half the effort.

Guessing that it would take half an hour for the boy to return, Guo Kai decided to go to the court to practice swords first, so as to refresh himself.Unexpectedly, when he went out, he saw his old mother, Mrs. He, leading the servant girl.

The eldest lady is in good spirits today, and the two old maidservants with her also have spring breeze on their faces and happy eyebrows, which looks unusual.I just don't know why, in Guo Kai's eyes, it seems ominous...

"Son, mother is here today because of that long-pending matter." Before she could sit down, He Shi had already opened her mouth.

Guo Kai's heart sank, and he lowered his eyes and remained silent.

Or she didn't notice her son's thoughts (or she knew it well, but she didn't want to take care of it), so the eldest lady continued: "Since you returned to Beijing, mother has been looking for a woman from a good family for you, so that you can grow up as soon as possible. Take care, According to the status of my Guo family, I should become a noble relative with you..."

Guo Kai was startled, and immediately blurted out: "That's unnecessary, the second brother is already a son-in-law, this is enough to make my Guo family..."

However, before the words were finished, the eldest lady was already slamming the case: "Don't mention your useless second brother! When my mother sees him dressed up like a butterfly flying around in front of her every day, she becomes angry and has a headache! Besides, the eldest princess of the state of Jin (2), the dowry was so thin when she entered my Guo family (3), it was even worse than ordinary people! I didn’t say a word about this, but she was not satisfied, and I don’t know where my Guo family treated me so harshly She has only been in the house for three months, but she insisted on leaving home and living abroad, and now she lives in the bustling city where people come and go. Going to a makeup shop, showing up in public every day, really shameless and shameless!"

"This..." Guo Kai scratched his face, "You...you can't say that. After all, the princess has to move away. There are mostly men in this family. The princess is embarrassed, so..."

"Sophistry!" The eldest lady became more and more annoyed, and almost knocked off the tea bowl on the table with her palm, "Although there are not many maidservants in the house, when did my mother treat her poorly? I am afraid that there is no one around her, so I sent her away." Yangliu and Cuiye went to serve her in her room, Cheng Riyi stretched out his hands to eat and opened his mouth, Mo Yan washed and dressed, and even took a bath with two people to serve her, what else?"

Stealing a glance at the two old women with strong waists and backs as strong as iron towers behind his old mother, Guo Kai suddenly shuddered: he recalled teaching Yangliu and Cuiye when he was young (now he only calls Yang Po and Cui Po, if you want to come to everyone The original intention of the name is always good) grabbing the scene of freshening up and bathing, walking around with two pairs of four hands, as if rubbing the skin of withered tree bark. Duck, no wonder the way cooks sprinkle wine and salt on it looks so familiar!It caused him to grow up to more than ten years old, but he still trembled when he heard the word "bath".In this way, it is really difficult for the princess's sister-in-law who looks like a weak willow...

"In fact, in the past few years, my mother has always been puzzled. Even if I don't mention the civil and military and young talents of the Manchu Dynasty, I will say that the princess of her dignified empress dowager, who is a family of bells and tripods everywhere in Yanjing, is married to Jian Jian. Such a commoner?" He Shi snorted, and stroked his chin with his white and round orchid finger, "In my opinion, there must be something strange in this!"

"Mother is right." Guo Kai nodded, with a look of regret on his face: "The princess must have angered the Queen Mother and Jinshang because of something, so she suffered this humiliation!"

He frowned, put away the orchid and coughed lightly: "Let's get down to business. You were away in official business, and you went home only four or five times in a few years. Every time your mother wanted to arrange marriages for you, she was afraid that it would not suit you, so she had to do it once. After procrastinating and procrastinating, it's finally time to make up your mind when you've settled down now. My mother is not a judgmental person, and she also knows that a marriage is not just a marriage. Let me tell you in detail, so you can make your own selection." After speaking, the old maid took a few pieces of red paper from her hand, took a sip of her clear tea, Guo Kai couldn't help but argue, and began to say:

"The first one is your father's old friend, the second daughter of the shopkeeper Lin of Wenbao Society. She is seventeen years old, with a middle-aged appearance, good morals and talents, and her horoscope is very suitable for you; the second one is my mother's distant niece. Fang Shiliu has a beautiful appearance, a gentle heart, and a fair character; as for the third person, she is the granddaughter of Qian Yuanwai in the east of the city. It's a bit frivolous." After saying that, he looked at the dazed person opposite, "You have to think about it, who do you like?"

"Is...is it going to be decided at this moment?" Guo Kai was taken aback, then raised his eyes and glanced at the stack of red paper in his mother's hand, "Only... three people?"

The eldest lady stroked her temples with her bare hands: "These three people were selected for you by the mother according to the horoscope, but... there is one more, you can listen to it." After speaking, he took out the bottom piece of paper, "This girl is Fangling Nineteen, calm and prudent, the horoscope is prosperous."

Guo Kai hesitated: "The appearance..."

The eldest lady picked up the teacup and glanced at the old maid Cui Ye.The latter understood, and took over the conversation: "This girl is very graceful, very much like her mother."

Guo Kai was at a loss: "But how do I know what his mother looks like?"

The old maid covered her mouth and smiled, and raised her orchid fingers to caress her thick and colorful face: "It looks exactly like me."

Where the nails scratched on the face, a layer of powder dust fell down, which reminded people of the scene of the water overflowing the mountains and the mud and stones crossing the border.Guo Kai took two steps back in panic, Nuonuo didn't dare to look directly.

"This is Cui Ye's niece." He put down the teacup, smiled and said softly, "Although it doesn't match your horoscope, but if mother wants to come, she may be a favor." She took a sip of tea, "Mother listens to Jian The son said, you promised a friend surnamed Xun to connect him. He has no relatives in his family, and he has no house or property in this capital, but his character is good, because you might as well give me his horoscope. We agreed, so I asked Jian'er to tell him. Sister Cuiye runs a restaurant at home, which is considered a small fortune. If he is willing to marry, then life will be worry-free in the future, and my mother and son will also be considered a good match."

"This..." Guo Kai's mind jumped out of that thin figure that looked like a bamboo, and his eyes glanced at the woman who looked like a black tower on the opposite side. He shuddered and blurted out: "I can't see it!"

"Why?" He's face darkened.

"Because..." The two are not a good match!However, these words were not uttered after all.

"Da Lang, there are people from the army, and they are waiting in the front hall at this moment." At this moment, a sound came from behind, and it happened to help him out.It's an old servant at home.

"A man from the army?" Startled, He stood up to greet him: "What can you say?"

The old servant replied: "Daoling Dalang immediately went back to the Yasi to listen to the order, and didn't say anything."

Hearing this, the eldest lady frowned and walked a few steps, as if saying to herself: "It was the same way last time. I was ordered to return to the camp for no reason, and then..." Gritting her teeth, she turned around and said, "I see , or this time, you will be called sick!"

Guo Kai shook his head: "A military order is like a mountain, how can we disobey it?" He smiled calmly and said, "Mother, don't worry, if Shangguo wanted to commit a crime, I wouldn't be able to leave the front gate of the palace! We'll just go back to the Yamen to regroup and regroup."

"However..." He Shi was obviously not relieved by his words, but as wise as she was, she knew that what her son said was very true, if it really was a disaster, it would definitely not be avoided by claiming to be sick all at once!After thinking about it for a while, he restrained his sad face and nodded: "Yes, this is my mother's fault. Since the military order must not be violated, you should go early, and if there is nothing wrong, come back earlier to make my mother feel at ease."

"Obey my son!" Guo Kai bowed to his mother, "This time, I must go early and return early!" After saying that, he strode out.

After a long absence, the Infantry Division has changed.Guo Kai did not expect that what was waiting for him here was not a military order, but an imperial decree.

The imperial edict said: I only rule the world with literature, and put an end to chaos with military force.Commander Guo Kai stayed in Wei Zhongzheng and went to Yijing West Road to rebel against the chaos. He was ordered to go out to fight against him.Keep your body upright, don't follow the filth, the chaos of cold food, get rid of treacherous criminals, and see loyalty.I feel that you sincerely set up a festival, and you have no emptiness in your heart, so Xu moved to Yuhou, the capital of the infantry, and has the right to lead the infantry guards from now on.

Guo Kai heard the words in his ears, but he didn't know if it was a dream or it was true. He was in a trance for a long time, and suddenly he felt that the surroundings were quiet, and he knew that the imperial decree had been announced.

"General Guo, congratulations!" The middle official put the imperial decree with both hands, and said with a smile: "There is an order, the general is ordered to enter the palace tomorrow morning, and the general will remember it!" Guo Kai accepted the order and thanked him.

All outsiders go.Wandering alone in the hall, Guo Kai felt dazed for a while, as if in a dream.

I thought it was an accident to become a prisoner in half a day, but I didn't expect that today's promotion was also rushed and caught people off guard.It must be known that an hour ago, he had no interest in sitting at home, fiddling with the abacus beads that might become his food and clothing in the future, while thinking about what wine to buy for lunch, but at present, he has become an official of the fifth-rank infantry. Marquis of Duyu, ordered to command the entire infantry division!If it is not a dream, then it is—could it be that the emperor, who is full of food and ignorant all day long, has a demon again, and has a whim?However, that day he was shocked by his recklessness and decisiveness. For this crime, he was lucky to be able to save his life, but he dared to expect to be promoted?

Guo Kai tasted the rumors that today's life is not only indulgent, but also not very broad-minded.It is clear evidence that the princess of the state of Jin married the Guo family.Because he hated the empress dowager for taking political power, he took his anger out on the eldest princess of the state of Jin, who was born by the empress dowager, and married the princess to the common people's Guo family.When they got married, the princess's dowry was not as thin as that of the rich folks, and after the surrender (4), except for the New Year's Day, there was no Xuanjin, let alone rewards.Looking at it this way, if you can't even tolerate your own sisters today, how can you treat a mere foreign minister lightly and retaliate with virtue?

"It doesn't make sense..." Shaking his head and sighing, Guo Kai unfolded the yellow scroll in his hand, walked back to the table and sat down, pondering every word.

"... Commander Guo Kai stays in Wei Zhongzheng... Get rid of the culprits, and see Zhongyi...Xu Qian moved to Yuhou, the capital of the infantry, and will be in charge from now on...Quantion (5)——Here, Guo Kai Suddenly it seemed clear.

On top of Marquis Duyu, there are "Deputy Commander of the Capital" and "Commander of the Capital". Only because the two are vacant, he, the fifth-rank Marquis of Duyu, takes the post of chief. Taking the opportunity to cleanse the Infantry Division, the ambition to collect it is obvious to all!Even though the Son of Heaven is confused, he also knows the consequences of losing military power, so how can he easily fulfill his wish?Therefore, "meritorious generals" like Guo Kai, who are harmless to humans and animals and have some relatives with the royal family, were taught to use them to make up for emergencies, so as to stop the Shao party's ambition to further absorb military power.In other words, he, Guo Kai, is now an important chess piece used to check and balance the Shao party.

What a stopgap!

Guo Kai held his forehead and smiled wryly: I am just a mediocre person, but at the critical moment, I am favored by the eyes of the emperor and praised by the sages in the court. Nai Sansheng is lucky.

Turning his eyes to look around the hall, he had mixed feelings: If you want to talk about high position and weight, there are indeed advantages of high position and weight.Not to mention the awe-inspiring majesty when sitting upright and giving orders, let's say that the chair under the buttocks at this moment is covered with brocade and forged, spacious and soft, it is really incomparable with other places.It's no wonder that the generation of powerful generals in Hou Chaozhong, after spending only two or three years in this position, has lost all his heroic spirit and showed his decadent appearance.

In this way... Guo Kai frowned: In order to avoid repeating the same mistakes, he had to change this chair today, and find another ordinary one—no!It is best to have a rough appearance, uneven legs, or even dilapidated ones, so that every time you sit on it, you can remind yourself: the current situation is like living on these uneven legs, and the situation is like riding a tiger. Ah!