Linzhi

He Rong's expression was blank for a while, and he finally found his own voice: "Thank you, father, but I don't think it's urgent."

He Tai frowned: "Why are you not in a hurry? Even if you don't want to marry a wife and take a concubine first, you two hurry up, maybe you can get pregnant before you leave."

The corners of He Rong's mouth twitched: "Father, even if I am a concubine, I am still the daughter of an innocent family. My life and death are uncertain, and I may never return. Wouldn't this delay others? Besides, my legs and feet are inconvenient. The children who come down will also suffer from disabilities, which will affect the children for the rest of their lives. Let’s talk about this matter after I come back.”

Man is one of the three talents, the spirit of all things, but in his opinion, he is actually not much tougher than grass and trees. Even the nobles are also involuntary and precarious. Even if you are the emperor, ninety-five supreme, can you really do whatever you want and live forever? up?

If you want to say what these 11 years of exile have taught He Rong, it is that it has enabled him to take things that ordinary people worry about less seriously.

For example, giving birth to offspring, for many people, is the inheritance of blood and blood, but looking at his grandfather and father again, does the tiger father have no dogs?For the rest of his life, there are too many things he wants to do. Compared with them, the inheritance of children is not so important, at least it is not ranked first.

But He Tai obviously disagreed: "It's just a wife and a concubine. Their duty is to take care of the housework and have children for you. Except for your foot disease, everything else is good. It's their luck to marry you." , why delay the grievance, not to blame you for your father, you are usually too thoughtful..."

If He Tai talked about the big truth, it would be endless. He Rong's ears were calloused by him, and he felt that it was not a good thing to be loved by his father. Let him talk there for half an hour.

It wasn't until He Tai said, "Since you have no objection, then it's settled", he was so surprised that he came back to his senses.

He Rong was at a loss: "What did you just say?"

His son was about to go on a long journey, and He Tai finally remembered his usual negligence and dereliction of duty. He was almost full of paternal love for Saburo, and he was not annoyed when he saw this, but kindly said: "I said, just leave this matter alone." , I will ask your concubine to help you find one, and I will definitely pick you one with a good family background and good looks."

He Rong was helpless: "Father, I really don't have the intention of marrying a wife now. Besides, the daughters of the noble family in the capital are all delicate. Even if I marry, I don't have time to coax them. Let's talk about it later."

His impression of the noble woman comes from Li Suian. He has dealt with them several times. Although the major incidents were resolved in the end, if he really married a wife with Li Suian's temper, the inner house would be full of dicks, and there would be no peace. up.

He Tai said: "It doesn't matter, either I will ask His Majesty to give you a good relationship, and he will be happy. After you get married, you can just concentrate on running errands outside and don't worry about it. Look at the father and the first two Wangfei, and even your concubine, Yuan Shi, are all virtuous people, so why do you need to coax them?"

Speaking of his two princesses who passed away early, He Tai couldn't help but sighed, feeling a little melancholy.

Seeing that he couldn't explain it, He Rong couldn't help but feel a headache, so he simply didn't bother to pay attention to it.

The He family became very close because of the fact that He Rong was going to go abroad. Originally, after arriving in the capital, the brothers met new friends and gradually had their own lives. , They seem to have returned to the previous scene in Zhushan. Even He Xiu, who likes to run out all day long, made an appointment with friends to go hunting and racing in the countryside, also rejected the invitation. What's missing.

In the Chongwen Hall, the bachelors who had treated He Rong very favorably had recently looked at He Rong with eyes so soft that they could squeeze out water. Xue Tan's teacher, that Bachelor Meng, specially kept He Rong behind after school. , and gave him a travelogue of the former dynasty. The book was out of print long ago, and it was still a fragmented copy. It could not be bought in the market, but because it contained records of the Western Regions, including the Turks, Xueshi Meng asked He Rong to take it back and study it carefully. .

There is also his nephew He Xin, who came to visit after dinner during this period. It is rare for He Rong to tell him a story. Did he not come back? He asked with tears in his eyes, making He Rong laugh and cry, and had to coax him for a long time.

In contrast, Goro He Zhan, who usually loves to pester He Rong the most, is abnormal. He leaves early and returns late for several days in a row. Not much to say.

Everyone didn't think much about it, they just thought that he was still angry because he was reluctant to let his third brother go away.

In the evening of this day, He Zhan came back late again, with the corners of his mouth sullen, and his brows showing a cold and serious look, which made him look more like a soldier.

He stepped into the yard with half a foot, and when he saw the people sitting in the yard, He Zhan froze for a moment.

"Third brother, why are you here?"

He Rong: "Why can't I come?"

He Zhan coughed lightly: "I didn't mean that, it's cold outside at night..."

He Rong: "It's already summer, it's not cold. You haven't left food at home these days, I'll come over and see, is there anything wrong in the army?"

He got up and walked in front of his younger brother, and suddenly reached out and poked the bruise on He Zhan's forehead, causing the other party to gasp and dodge.

"Have you been bullied? Or got into a fight?"

He Zhan was dissatisfied: "Third brother, in your mind, I will either be bullied or fight? This is an injury caused by practice!"

He Rong: "The body is also hurt? Take it off and let me have a look."

Facing the meaningful eyes of the third brother, He Zhan's iron and blood tempered outside instantly changed to embarrassment and shyness.

"There are also skin injuries all over my body, I'm really fine!"

He Zhan refused to take off his clothes no matter what. He was already eighteen, and he was no longer the little doll who wanted to be hugged and held high by his third brother every now and then.

In order to divert his brother's attention, He Zhan hurriedly pulled He Rong into the room: "I heard that father wants to marry third brother?"

Speaking of this matter, He Rong felt a little helpless: "I have repeatedly refused, but my father doesn't seem to give up."

It's rare to see the third brother being helpless, He Zhan is happy, a little gloating.

"Maybe you won't say that after the third sister-in-law comes in!"

The corner of He Rong's mouth raised slightly: "Instead of worrying about me, it's better to worry about yourself."

He Zhan was a little disappointed that he didn't see the third brother being embarrassed because of this.

"Third brother, have you ever thought that the journey is far away, if the princess really refuses to see you, or if she is dead, what will you do?"

He Rong: "When we were in Zhushan, did you ever think that we might never return to Beijing?"

He Zhan thought for a while, and said, "I thought about it. At that time, I thought that staying in Zhushan for the rest of my life, apart from being more difficult, the life is peaceful and stable, and there is nothing wrong with it."

Of course, this is also very good now. If he hadn't come to the capital, He Zhan would never have imagined that he would still be able to join the Forbidden Army.

The wider the world he saw, the more naturally he would not want to settle in a small and poor corner, but at that time, he did not have so many ambitions.

He Rong said, "I never thought about it that way."

He Zhan was taken aback.

He Rong: "Father's identity as the eldest son of the emperor is there. Even if he is abolished as a commoner and the new emperor ascends the throne in the future, do you think that father's identity will be used by those who want to use it as a banner? Even if he does nothing Do it without any threat, do you think the new emperor will let him continue to live such a peaceful life?"

He Zhan stared fixedly at the third brother, a chill rose from his back, unconsciously, it permeated his whole body.

He Rong: "Do you still remember that when Le Bi rebelled, he used the slogan of Changle King? Changle King died a long time ago, but after so many years, there are still people who use him to make troubles. A living father can be taken away by people with ulterior motives." How much benefit?"

He Zhan spoke with difficulty: "So we..."

He Rong: "So we, involuntarily, must move forward. Life or death, life is nothing more than these two paths, do you want to die?"

He Zhan shook his head with a difficult expression.

It's not that he hasn't thought about these things, but he knows in his heart that speaking out is two different things.In the past, the two brothers were very close, but they didn't talk about it. Today, maybe He Rong knew that he was going on a long journey, so he came here specially, and said these heart-to-heart words with him.

He Zhan knew that the third brother would never say these words to other brothers.

"...Then, what should we do?"

He Rong said in a warm voice: "When I go, I don't know when I will return, and I don't even know if I will come back. You are too old, and you should have a bottom line in your heart for many things. Your entry into the Forbidden Army is a starting point, and you will join the army in the future. It’s not a bad way, the border is not peaceful, you will not worry about not having a big fight in the future, but before that, you have to keep a low profile and accumulate credit.”

He Zhan's heart was sour and soft, just like the third brother said to him that day, "I can't drag you to the cliff, let you accompany me to overcome thorns and thorns".

His third elder brother treated him so well, planned everything for him, considered him thoroughly, but did not hold his hand to follow suit, but let him fly freely, just like an eagle treats a young eagle.

This metaphor is a bit nondescript, the third brother is only two years older than him, he is not a young eagle, and the third brother is not an eagle, but the feelings are similar.He Zhan felt that even if he got married and had children in the future, he would never meet someone like the third brother again in this life, nor would he have such complicated emotions as he had for the third brother.

Like a brother like a father, sharing weal and woe, deeply rooted in the flesh and blood, and firmly engraved in the soul.

He Rong didn't know what was going on in his heart, so he said to himself: "Brother is the eldest son. When he was in Zhushan, his father was depressed. It was the elder brother who supported the family. He loves his brothers, respects his teachers, and loves his wife and children. He is a perfect person. brother."

He Zhan calmed down his chaotic thoughts and listened carefully. He knew that the third brother must have something to say, so he didn't interrupt.

Sure enough, "However, now that King Qi and King Wei have established their power, father wants to compete with them, but he can't compete, and it is easy to make mistakes and fall into traps. The elder brother is more than calm, but he is easy to stagnate, and he is soft and should be decisive." I am afraid that he will sometimes lead my father astray. The second brother looks bold and brave, but in fact he is rough and subtle. If the father and the eldest brother are willing to listen to him, sometimes it will be better. I can't predict The future of the family, but you should have your own calculations in mind, don't follow the crowd, remember, in the Imperial Army, you must be loyal to His Majesty and be down-to-earth, as long as you have this ability, you will not be afraid of not having a bright future."

He Zhan heard that there was something in the third brother's words, and that they vaguely pointed to more sensitive topics, and his heart tightened.

The emperor now has only three princes. It is impossible to say that he does not have any expectations for his father, but he is not as clear as the third brother, and he is only vague about his future.

He Rong's words were like a hand, pushing away the fog in front of him.

"Third brother, I understand, you...you take care of yourself along the way." He Zhan didn't know what else he could say.

He Rong suddenly reached out to him.

He Zhan was at a loss.

He Rong: "Big Brother, Second Brother Jia Niang and the others, even my nephew, all gave me gifts, where are your gifts?"

He Zhan didn't know whether to laugh or cry: "How can anyone ask for it so actively?"

He Rong tapped him on the head: "I have taught you so much, hurry up and spend all your private money to buy gifts!"

He Zhan: "Third brother, you are too ruthless, I have been saving for several years!"

He Rong: "I'm asking you for this one time, maybe I won't receive it in the future."

He Zhan hurriedly pooh-poohed: "Children's words are free, children's speeches are free!"

He Rong smiled.

……

When the emperor spoke, He Rong's coronation ceremony was quickly prepared, and it was extremely grand, even He Zhen, the son of King Qi, did not have such an honor.If He Rong is the eldest son of He Tai, or if he is not about to travel far away, some people may have to think too much, but now, everyone knows that the emperor is showing favor.

He Tai did not give up the idea of ​​marrying He Rong, he had already found a marriage, and the other party was the daughter of Yu Shizhong Chenglin's family.

Although Censor Zhongcheng's rank is not high, the Lin family's family style is clean and good. It is said that this marriage was introduced by Prime Minister Zhou Ying. The emperor gave He Rong a marriage.

Not to mention that He Rong was not happy at all, and the mother of the girl from the Lin family was even more reluctant. Who would marry their daughter to a man who is about to travel far away and probably won't come back?Even if this man is the grandson of the emperor, the daughter is likely to be a widow just after getting married, not to mention that He Rong has a disability. , he is not a good son-in-law.

But Lin's daughter's father, that is, Yushi Zhongcheng, didn't think so.

He had seen He Rong with his own eyes. The other party had a keen mind and a good manner of speaking. His legs and feet were sick, but that didn't affect his daily life. If He Rong returned from his mission, then the Lin family would not be able to climb high. Now, the icing on the cake is worse than sending charcoal in the snow.

So when the emperor asked Lin Zhongcheng for his opinion, he agreed, and expressed the hope that he could wait for He Rong to come back before getting married. Because the time was short and it was too late to choose a good date, marrying off his daughter in a hurry would be ridiculed. Now that she is fourteen years old, as parents, they also hope to keep her for a little longer.

In fact, Lin Zhongcheng left a way out for his daughter. In case He Rong does not come back, the two families will only be engaged rather than married, so the daughter does not have to bear the reputation of being a widow or remarried daughter.

As soon as the emperor heard that it made sense, he agreed.

So before He Rong had time to object, the emperor, He Tai and others had already finalized the marriage, and He Rong had an extra fiancée inexplicably.

However, this matter is only a small trouble for He Rong. Now he needs to consider more things, such as the route from Chang'an to West Turkic, how to bypass Xiao Yu and the forces of Eastern Turkic, and reach Western Turkic safely. Whether to persuade Princess Zhending, whether to save the lives of his party first, etc., are far more important than having an extra fiancée.

The days passed quickly, and two days before leaving, He Tai asked the chef to prepare dishes, and called the whole family together, even Yuan Shi, He Jia and other female relatives were present.

All together, with both sons and daughters, he had the illusion of returning to Zhushan in a trance.

After drinking for three rounds, the female relatives left first, and it was easier for He Tai and the He family brothers to talk.

He Tai raised his wine glass: "Sanlang, you go here, mountains and rivers are far away, and the date of return is uncertain. Today, as a father and your brothers and sisters, I will practice it for you first. I hope you will cherish the journey and return safely."

"Thank you, father." He Rong raised his glass and drank it all in one gulp. "You are doing well in the Ministry of Industry now, and my son is here to wish you a prosperous future."

He Tai was not happy when he heard the words, but showed a trace of worry: "You don't know something, the affairs of the Ministry of Industry are trivial, and His Majesty is a man who can't rub his eyes. I am trembling, and I dare not make mistakes, for fear of being blamed by Your Majesty." , can’t eat and walk around.”

After drinking, he became a little more drunk, and he couldn't help revealing his depression: "King Qi and King Wei have been in the capital for so many years, and managed the Ministry of Punishment and the Ministry of Rites. no."

He Rong is also about to take this opportunity to warn: "Your Majesty has been in power for more than twenty years. He is not a fatuous lord who is soft-hearted and easy to listen to slander. He is an old man who sees his ministers' errands. Whether they are doing well or not is second. The most important thing is whether they work hard or not." .As long as you put your heart and mind into learning, even if you don’t do well, if you know your mistakes, you can correct them, and His Majesty will forgive you.”

He Mu also said: "Third brother is right. Last time father gave the wrong birthday gift. Instead of blaming him, His Majesty thinks that father is filial and commendable. By conferring on father, we have a happy life today."

He Tai rubbed his forehead: "Actually, after thinking about what happened that day, I thought it might have been plotted against by others. Do you think it has something to do with King Qi?"

He Rong and his eldest brother He Mu looked at each other. They thought their father was in the dark, but they didn't expect him to think about it. But the matter has passed. The emperor made his father the Duke of Lu. There's no point in bringing up old stories.

"Father, there is no evidence for this matter."

He Tai nodded: "I know, I just want to talk to you."

He Rong: "I have something to say, I don't know if I should say it or not, please forgive me for being rude and presumptuous."

"Father and son are very close, so there's nothing else we can't say." He Tai waved his hand, saying that the fragrance from far away is smelly from near, and that his son, who was usually indifferent, is about to leave. Recently, he has become very pleasing to the eyes of He Rong.

He Rong: "Father, you only need to remember two words to do things, and you can go unimpeded and win the emperor's heart."

"Which two words?" He Tai's curiosity was aroused.

He Rong: "Justice. Do things justly, be impartial and selfless. At any time, don't be selfish and don't worry too much. Your Majesty is the only one who can keep us in this world. We don't need to look at anyone's face, as long as we follow His Majesty, everything will be fine. worry."

He Tai was thoughtful: "Is this all right?"

He Rong nodded slightly: "That's fine."

……

Two days passed in the blink of an eye, and finally it was the day of departure. Xue Tan went to the Duke of Lu's mansion to pick up his immediate boss.

There was no trace of parting sorrow on his face, but he was cheerful, as if he was full of anticipation for the future journey.

He Rong glanced at him: "Yu Shen is in a good mood, have you been thinking about going to Turkic for a long time?"

Xue Tan was delighted: "To each other, He Shaoqing is also very energetic, and even replaced the bamboo stick with a new one."

He knew that He Rong didn't care about legs and feet, so he spoke freely.

He Rong: "My fifth younger brother made a new one, does it look good?"

Xue Tan chuckled: "You're clearly asking me to praise you, so can I say it's not good-looking?"

He Rong: "That is impossible."

The two got into the carriage and drove all the way to the city gate.

The manpower sent by the emperor was waiting there early, a hundred forbidden troops, all of them young and strong.

He Rong knew that most of these people were from good families and were selected from the Beiya—those from high-ranking families were mostly unwilling to do this kind of drudgery that might never return. Of course, there were Song Yun who wanted to, But the family wouldn't allow it.

A man from the forbidden army came over and saluted He Rong.

"Chen Qian, the humble centurion of the Habayashi guards, met He Shaoqing."

He Rong had heard of him before. He was originally a soldier of Zhang Tao, Marquis of Wuwei. He had old wounds on his body.

"President Chen, there is no need to be polite. From now on, we will be colleagues who share life and death. Will the imperial guards on this trip be led by Chief Chen?"

Chen Qian said: "No, the humble position is only the deputy commander, and the commander has someone else. He was detained by General Ji for a while, and he should be here soon."

While speaking, a gallop came from the direction of the imperial city.

He Rong followed the prestige and was stunned.

The author has something to say:

The plot of marrying a wife here follows normal logic. It is impossible that no one will not mention this matter when the third brother is old, but the follow-up development will not be a gimmick, just watch it patiently, although I think it is unnecessary to say, However, some friends may not mind asking questions all the time, so it is better to get a vaccination in advance.

Small theater unrelated to the main text:

He Xi: (excited) Third brother, third brother, knowing that you are going out, I will find experts from all walks of life, and finally find this elixir for you, you must take it with you!

He Rong: What, another elixir of life?I don't want it, give it to Dad, he likes it.

He Xi: No, this is the Resurrection Pill!You are in danger outside. If you die unfortunately, you can eat one first. After 12 hours, you can be resurrected with full blood. Those Taoists said, if it doesn’t work, you will get your money back!

He Rong: ...If I really get to that point, even if it doesn't work, should I turn into a ghost and come back to ask them to refund the money?