Heaven is fearless

Shao Tianheng always kept his promise, and the handwritten letter from Prince Wei left the East Palace the next day. He made up for Chu Zhang's vacancy as a sixth-rank captain in the city defense camp, and sent his staff to Prince Shen's mansion to talk about two small Marriage of children.

King Shen is a different lineage of the royal family, and he inherited the title of the youngest son of Gaozu, and he had lost his heir three times, so he had to inherit from a side branch. Thousands of miles of blood relationship, otherwise, he would not have chosen such an insignificant clan to marry, the crown prince personally inquired about the marriage, how could King Shen dare to say no, he repeatedly responded and sent the envoy out of the palace.

Shao Tianheng got a report from his staff, flipped through a stack of snow wave paper in his hand, made some circles with a Chinese ink pen from time to time, turned his head and asked Ying Guang beside him: "Where is Chu Zhang?"

Yingguang replied with a smile: "Before half a cup of tea, I have already run to Tingfangyuan, and now I have arrived at Jiuhualou."

Shao Tianheng listened with surprise on his face. He put down Chuzhang's homework, picked up a Fuhu paperweight and pressed it on: "Tingfangyuan? He runs fast, no one to help him, right?"

Ying Guang quickly shook his head: "Your Highness has issued an order not to help the young man, how can anyone dare to resist the order?"

Shao Tianheng wiped his ink-stained fingers with a plain white silk handkerchief: "Let's set the meal."

A quarter of an hour later, Chu Zhang climbed in from the main entrance of the Yaoyi Hall with hands and feet, panting like a cow, it was still at the end of winter, his whole face was so red that it was about to bleed, and the sweat on his face flowed down his cheeks like rain. Dripping down, the front and back were already wet with sweat, and the hands and feet were shaking uncontrollably.

Rao is like this, none of the left and right palace people dared to step forward to help.

Shao Tianheng was sitting in the main seat, seeing him stretching out a hand into the threshold of Yaoyi Hall in embarrassment, groping to drag himself in, he finally had a smile on his face: "What are you doing in a daze, why don't you help the young man?" Freshen up?"

The palace people who had prepared well for a long time surrounded him with a huff, and hurriedly helped Chu Zhang up and sent him to the side hall. Then Shao Tianheng lowered his head and unhurriedly stirred the porridge in the bowl with a spoon.

Half an hour later, Chu Zhang, who had freshened up a lot, came to Shao Tianheng step by step with weak legs and feet. Although his limbs were too heavy to lift, he still looked at Shao Tianheng with bright eyes: "Your Highness, I'm done running. "

Shao Tianheng hummed lightly, and pointed at the empty seat beside him with the spoon: "Sit down."

Chu Zhang sat down tremblingly, his two weak hands couldn't hold the chopsticks at all, but he gritted his teeth and refused to show any embarrassment, Shao Tianheng didn't look at him, he was still scooping the bowl one by one porridge.

After dragging on for more than half an hour for this breakfast, Chu Zhang finally stuffed himself completely, and heaved a sigh of relief in his heart, only to find that Shao Tianheng put down his chopsticks almost at the same time as him.

Chu Zhang froze for a moment.

His Royal Highness always eats less, and hastily ate meals in the past. He has never used it for so long, so this time, could it be... waiting for him?

The young man in the pale blue prince's uniform got up and waved to him: "Come here, I will tell you about "Six Secret Teachings" today."

His expression was calm, and Chu Zhang also slowly suppressed the emotions in his heart carefully, and showed a smile without haze to the other party: "Come on!"

From the end of winter to the beginning of spring to the summer solstice, the cloak on Shao Tianheng was replaced by a one-sided cloak, and the thick jacket was replaced by a newly made gauze robe. The palace people in the East Palace are used to the young man running wildly in the aisle every morning. , regardless of the wind and rain, the figure of the little father-in-law will never be absent.

He also gradually went from crawling at the beginning to finishing the last part of the journey, to being able to step into the Yaoyi Hall with the morning light and wake up Shao Tianheng with ease.

After explaining the last volume of "Nine Soldiers", Shao Tianheng threw him the school lieutenant's name plate, announcing the end of this neither long nor short mentoring career.

"The City Defense Battalion is in command of the six guards of the capital, guarding the capital for a radius of [-] miles. The responsibilities are heavy. The military orders in the camp are like mountains, and the military judge is stern and selfless. When I handed over your name alone, I didn't mention your identity. Don't even think about using the Eastern Palace's name." The signs are bluffing inside, if you can’t take it, come back as soon as possible.”

Chu Zhang has always remembered the appearance of the other party at that time. In the grand palace, the crown prince of Wei lowered his head, holding a small pen in one hand, stained with stone blue color, and traced the top cover of the pine under the clouds on the paper, and said lightly to him These words came out.

And how did he answer?

Probably still young and energetic, vowing never to embarrass His Highness or something like that.

Holding a spear in his hand, Chu Zhang stood upright against the scorching sun. Sweat rolled all the way into his collar, soaking the poor-quality underwear instantly.

The life in the military camp is really bitter. Chu Zhang grew up in the palace, even if he was not favored, no one would ask him to do hard work. Later, when he came to Dawei, he was also raised by Shao Tianheng. After the barracks, not to mention the terrible tents and the Datong shop where dozens of people sleep together, just the fact that they have to wash clothes on holidays is enough to embarrass Chu Zhang.

And there are many bad habits in the army, because he is a new soldier, he is often teased by the veterans of the same battalion, but after he got into a few group fights and was punished with confinement with his comrades, their relationship gradually improved. .

In less than a year, Chuzhang's white skin was worn away by the barracks, and his height jumped up several inches, and he grew to seven feet like a stick, with more flexible muscles on his body. His eyebrows are sharp and clear, and his gestures are full of sassy and upright aura.

His 17th birthday was spent in the barracks. A few veterans secretly found half a jug of wine from the quartermaster and got him drunk. laugh.

Chu Zhang also laughed, looking out from the crooked wooden boards of the barracks, he could see the fine stars in the sky. He has never been so happy in his 17 years of life, and he has never lived so openly. Throwing down full of calculations, but as a person named Chuzhang, he lived upright and earnestly again.

******

In the 20th year of Great Wei Taihe, on the eve of Chu Zhang's birthday, Bei Rong knocked on the side.

The war broke out suddenly, and the news of the fall of the three northern cities almost reached the capital with the Kowtow Army's report, causing great shock to the court.

The Chaowen Drum at the gate of the palace was first sounded in the middle of the night four years after the founding of the Great Wei Dynasty in 210. All the ministers of the court gathered in the Zhaoxian Hall under the moonlight, and everyone's faces were anxious and worried.

There has been no war of this scale between the Beirong and the Great Wei for decades. Those generals who are good at fighting have already entered the soil. Whether it is war or peace, there is no need to argue. For Beirong, who is brutal by nature and always slaughters the city, it is No matter how cowardly an official is, he can't say a word for peace. If it's just a war, who will lead the army?Who defends the city?Who is in charge?Who raises food?Who escorts?

The deployment of the army is a major event, and the frontier that is struggling to defend against the enemy can't wait for them to discuss again. Everyone is anxious to go to the room. The second prince, not to be outdone, frequently made plans, but what he said made the old fried dough sticks shake their heads secretly.

These two princes have not gone through battle after all, and what they say is theoretically feasible, and they don't care about their backs. They sound reasonable, but after careful consideration, they are simply nonsense.

But who is going to be in charge?

Everyone has a common answer in their hearts, but no one dares to say it.

The Wei Emperor on the head drooped his eyelids, like an old wooden statue, but the cold light under the old eyelids still carried the majesty of the king.

In recent years, Emperor Wei has become more and more old and dull, favoring the second prince almost to the point of disregarding the importance. The book that was submitted to the second prince the year before was simply thrown back to the Shangshutai. Emperor Wei even touched his chest directly at the court meeting and sighed: " Huan is my beloved son, I am near old age, and there is no holiday, I really cannot bear to keep my youngest son away, and you also have sons under your knees, how can you bear to see him go to a place of bitter cold?"

——Shao ​​Tianhuan is my youngest son, I am already very old, I can’t live for a few years, I really can’t bear to let young children stay away, you also have children, don’t you have the heart to let them leave you to such a desolate place ?

What you said is really shameless, and no matter there are other princesses and princes in the harem, it depends on Emperor Wei's preference for Shao Tianhuan. Could it be that Shao Tianhuan's fiefdom is a bitter cold place?

But the majestic emperor even said such words, even if the ministers below have ideas, they have to hold back for a while.

After the matter of conferring the king was not mentioned, Emperor Wei intensified his efforts. The ceremonial rules of the second prince's entry and exit were comparable to those of the prince. A "Little East Palace".

But the real prince kept a low profile, except for the end-of-year banquet and ancestor worship at the Temple of Heaven, he was hardly seen.

If it wasn't for the prince's deep foundation in the court and the support of his grandfather in the army, the owner of the East Palace would have changed a long time ago.

Emperor Wei raised his eyelids and looked around at the suddenly silent courtiers, then at the second son who was talking loudly, and sighed in his heart.

"Prince Xuan."

The emperor above suddenly spoke heavily, and Shao Tianhuan opened his eyes wide in astonishment, looking blankly at his father.

What a great opportunity this is!If he could take advantage of this opportunity to make meritorious service, the position of the Eastern Palace would no longer be so unshakable. Didn't the emperor also intend to do this long ago? Why did he go back on calling that sick child when the critical moment came?

It is not far from the East Palace to Zhaoxian Hall, the small yellow gate outside the hall raised its voice, and reported in an angry voice: "His Royal Highness is here—"

A long announcement was made all the way into the vast hall, Emperor Wei raised his finger, and the eunuch standing beside him immediately understood what he meant, and said in a long voice: "Xuan——"

The two vermilion palace doors were slowly opened, and the heavy door made a low creaking sound. The moonlight outside took the opportunity to squeeze in a long strip of light, and the figure standing in the light came like stepping on the moon. the banishment.

The prince who received the temporary summons had probably gone to bed before, and hurriedly put on his clothes after receiving the summons. He didn't have time to put on the great dress for the court meeting. He was wearing an autumn-colored white crane robe and a crow green cloak, which was pressed with gold thread. The texture of cirrus clouds and dragons, like a pool of still water flowing deep, churns and flows with a luxurious and graceful luster while walking.

"My son is late, please greet my father." The prince politely knelt down in front of Majesty Dan and finished a set of big salutes. Emperor Wei watched him salute silently, but it was hard for his ministers.

The prince is the king, and the king is kneeling, can the courtier stand?

After that, he knelt down again with a huff, this time to greet the prince.

Seeing this situation, Shao Tianhuan, who watched Shao Tianheng knelt down and gloated at his misfortune, slumped his face, and bent his knees reluctantly: "My brother, please greet the emperor."

Only then did Emperor Wei wave his hand, and the eunuch at the side put on a smile, trotted down to help the prince up: "His Royal Highness, get up quickly, your majesty is so kind to a father, how could you bear such a great gift."

Who doesn't know how to say good things, just listen to it and let it go.

Everyone, you come and I pass a set of polite words, and quickly get to the point.

"Bei Rong knocked on the side, what does the crown prince think should be done?" Wei Di raised a question.

Shao Tianheng didn't even think about it, and bowed his head: "We will follow the previous example."

The answer to this question was vague, Shang Shuling was anxious first: "How to follow the previous example?"

"War rules are laid down, and the military aircraft department has all the laws and regulations. It is not impossible to follow the old rules and make good use of them."

"The autumn harvest is not yet here, where will the grain and grass come from?"

"Grab new crops."

"How's the food?"

"Open regular liquidation positions and Taihe positions to fill the relief."

The relationship between monarchs and ministers is like the waves of the river. Those who ask questions are eager and fast, and those who answer are fluent and without hesitation, as if every question has been passed through his mind thousands of times, and he is only waiting for this moment to pour it out.

"Who leads the army?"

An old voice sounded heavily, interrupting the question and answer.

There was a moment of silence in the hall.

The person who asked the question was Emperor Wei. He sat on a high dragon chair, and he saw all the admiration on the faces of his courtiers, and his heart suddenly ignited a flame - he was not dead yet, and these people wanted to help him. Is the prince in charge? !

Shao Tianheng had a brief pause this time.

Then, the radiant Crown Prince of Wei bent his slender waist, and replied softly, "Let Father be the master."

Emperor Wei half-closed his eyelids, looked coldly at the next prince who seemed to be respectful, recalled the reply from the imperial physicians in the Imperial Hospital, and twitched his lips slightly: "The prince's martial arts and martial arts are beyond the reach of all the lords. The next time the Bei Rong attacked the border, the crown prince led an army of [-] to conquer the north, is it feasible?"

The ministers immediately became a commotion.

The prince is not in good health, he suffered a serious illness during his last trip to southern Xinjiang, and this time he is going to conquer the north again?

The Battle of Southern Border was different from this time. The north was a rush to help, and there were many soldiers who marched in a hurry. Every time they marched in a hurry, many soldiers died of exhaustion. Even healthy people may not be able to bear it, let alone the prince?

Someone wants to go out to the duet, but faster than them is the person standing in the center.

Without the slightest hesitation, the thin and thin prince knelt down to accept the order: "Your servant accepts the order."

Emperor Wei seemed to laugh: "The prince is my most proud son, and he will definitely win for me."

... Is it not enough to go out, but also to win? !

The faces of the courtiers all changed slightly.

The kneeling Prince Chu stood upright, and his voice was calm and unwavering: "Follow the imperial father's order, and this trip will never return."

Emperor Wei suddenly slapped the armrest, and laughed loudly: "Okay! He is my good prince! Tomorrow an edict will be issued to recruit troops, and the camp will go to the north within three days!"