Fake concubine, real queen

In He Gu's memory, the battle in the previous life didn't come so fast, but in this life, it happened earlier somehow. Probably, the wings of the two butterflies, he and Brother Heng, still flapped quietly and changed the original direction and context of the world— —

It's just that when the war in the Northland broke out in the previous life, the crown prince was busy clearing away obstacles and fighting with Pei Zhaolin. The struggle for the crown prince was finally over, and the seven cities on the border of Wuling Mansion had already become devastated. Two of the seven cities fell. At that time, it was already too late to regain the lost land and restore the country's prestige. It was even more difficult.

In the past, the Taiping border region fell to this point, and He Gu knew it well at that time. This is because the Beirong people knew that the old emperor of the Dayue Dynasty was weak, and the two princes were busy fighting each other and fighting each other, so they would not take care of them for a while. He dared to be so presumptuous, tempted again and again, and even in the end he had no scruples. As the chief culprit who helped the prince in the internal struggle, He Gu was naturally not without shame for the people of the Northland, but Later, he took the initiative to invite Ying to go north, but Pei Zhaoyuan pressed them one by one and refused.

Although the old things in the past are like the past, but since He Gu has the opportunity in this life to make up for the regret and guilt in his heart, he naturally doesn't want to miss it, so he couldn't hold back at the court meeting and recommended himself.

Since Pei Zhaoheng was injured last time, although Pei Zhaoheng didn't say anything, He Gu could still faintly feel that Pei Zhaoheng became extremely nervous, and easily refused to let him take any more risks. In the past three years, his ten Although the commander of the second guard looked majestic and majestic, he went from south to north to deal with this and clean up that for the new emperor. In fact, only He Gu knew in his heart that the errands that Pei Zhaoheng was willing to hand over to him were all the errands that he asked someone to do first. Once checked and confirmed properly, there is little risk.

Pei Zhaoheng is willing to treat him like this, and He Gu is not a person who doesn't know what is good or bad, so he naturally knows why he is like this, so he has always only accepted this kindness in silence, and the one who has never said a word is not——

Since he knew that Brother Heng treated him well, He Gu naturally guessed that he probably didn't want to let himself go into the muddy waters of the Beirong War, but he still couldn't let go of his obsession——

He didn't want to be in front of civil and military officials, but Brother Heng actually agreed.

He Gu was not the only one who was surprised, as soon as the meeting was over, there were two or three courtiers who were watching him whispering from a distance on the white marble steps from the Yingluan Hall, and they didn't know what they were talking about. He just raised the corner of his lips slightly, and didn't take it seriously, let them go.

On the other hand, as soon as He Cheng came out of the Yingluan Hall, he blushed and stared at him from a distance, and only waited for half a stick of incense, and the road gradually became less crowded, before arching to He Gu's side, wrinkling his eyebrows and nose, isn't it? The nose and eyes are not eyes, and he said: "Brother, why do you..."

He Gu said: "What's wrong with me?"

He Cheng babbled and babbled for a long time, and finally couldn't hold back and started pouring beans out of a bamboo tube and said, "Brother is too hasty, we arrived here in a hurry for [-] miles today, and the situation of the war in the North is still unclear. A veteran like Uncle, you, you..."

He paused and let out a long sigh, lowered his voice three minutes and said: "Oh! Why didn't you discuss such a big matter with me? Grandfather and grandmother, they don't know, no... not even the emperor... the elder brother Shall I inform you in advance? You asked for Ying in front of all the officials today, and the emperor was forced to agree. Isn’t this forcing the emperor? Even if the eldest brother and the emperor..."

He Gu comforted: "Okay, okay, I have my own idea in my heart, I will go to the emperor and say it, Brother Cheng, don't worry about me."

He Cheng raised his eyes to look at him, his cheeks bulged twice, but he still didn't say a word, and he didn't know what was thinking in his heart.

He Gu tried to comfort him, and smiled brightly: "I can take care of myself, Brother Cheng, you don't have to worry about me, but now that your siblings are about to give birth, why don't you worry about it? Being a father is not that easy."

He said again: "I figured that the day is coming, can I ask the doctor to take a look at it for my brother and sister? Is the fetal image still stable?"

Only then did He Cheng slightly dispel the worry, and replied: "I've seen it, the doctor said that she has a good foundation, and the womb is well raised, there is nothing serious."

He Gu nodded and said, "That's good."

He was about to say a few more words of concern, but a somewhat familiar voice came from a distance: "Commander, stay!"

He Gu was taken aback, turned his head to look, but saw that the person who came was Wu Dehuai from the Empress Dowager's Palace, he couldn't help wondering: "Eunuch Wu?"

Wu Dehuai took two small internal officials with him, and after running close, he took a breath and said: "The commander is walking so fast, it's easy for our family to chase."

He said again: "The Empress Dowager said she would like to see the Commander, so please go to Zhiyang Palace with our family for the convenience of the Commander."

Since the previous emperor passed away and the new emperor took the throne, Empress Chen became the Empress Dowager Chen, she stayed behind closed doors at Zhiyang Palace, except for the occasional transmission of Baoyin to accompany her into the palace, she hardly saw anyone else, even He Gu was only in Xinyang Palace. The day the emperor ascended the throne, he saw her from a distance——

Today, she suddenly took the initiative to see herself, and she didn't know what happened.

He Gu said goodbye to He Cheng, and followed Eunuch Wu to Zhiyang Palace, but as soon as he entered the palace gate, he saw the emperor who had not changed his court clothes in the main hall of Zhiyang Palace——

There is a catalpa chessboard on the table. Pei Zhaoheng and Empress Chen, mother and son, are sitting opposite each other on both sides of the chessboard. Empress Chen is holding the black, and Pei Zhaoheng is holding the white. Chess Bureau frowned slightly, looking engrossed.

Hearing the sound of footsteps approaching, Pei Zhaoheng seemed to be slightly taken aback, turned around and saw He Gu standing at the door, his expression was a little surprised, as if he didn't expect to see him turning back here.

Pei Zhaoheng said, "Zihuan, why are you here? Queen Mother, this is..."

The queen mother seemed not to hear her son's question, she just stared at the chessboard, her brows suddenly relaxed for a while, and then she showed a three-point smile, as if she had finally thought of a way to break the game, Shi Shiran dropped a piece and said: "……It's your turn."

Pei Zhaoheng turned his eyes back and saw the sunspot dropped by his mother on the chessboard, but he was slightly startled, and after a while, he slowly said: "...the move of the queen mother is so delicate."

The queen mother laughed very proudly when she heard the words: "A few days ago, Dehuai found a chess record, which is exactly the calligraphy of the former chess master He Guminghe. I have read it for a long time, and there is really something else in it. Mr. He is indeed an incomparable chess genius, no wonder he killed all over the country and never encountered any opponents."

He said again: "It's a pity that the man has passed away. If he hadn't been dead for decades, I would really like to meet Mr. He. If I play a game with him, even if my skills are inferior to others and I am killed, I would be willing." .”

Pei Zhaoheng pondered for a moment, then twisted out a white piece from the chess box with his slender fingers, and it landed on the chessboard with a soft "pop", and said: "Although my mother's chess skills are not as good as Mr. He's, it is rare among sons and ministers who play chess." .”

Empress Chen looked at the piece he dropped, her eyes lit up: "...good chess!"

He said again: "Now, Heng'er is the only one in this palace who can survive two tricks."

The mother and son played chess back and forth like this. He Gu stood by and didn't dare to disturb him lightly when he saw this. Although he didn't know anything about chess, he also knew that a real gentleman is a real gentleman when he watches chess without saying a word, so he just saw his mouth and gourd. Without saying a word, he waited for half an hour before Pei Zhaoheng put down a white stone, and said: "The empress has won, there is no need to play this game again."

Empress Chen's expression was a little unfinished: "If Heng'er has read the chess record, I think I can accompany Ben Gong to draw a clear conclusion."

He Gu had heard that when Empress Chen was still in her boudoir, she knew everything from piano, chess, poetry and books, to riding and archery. , but I thought it was the old lady of the Chen family who raised her well at that time, so she taught her this and that without fail, but when I saw her today, I realized that this was not the case. She was obviously curious by nature. He has a serious heart, is very intelligent and highly talented, so it is no wonder that he can give birth to a son like Brother Heng.

Commander He couldn't help feeling a little melancholy when he thought about this——

It is said that sons follow their mothers, girls follow their fathers, and Baoyin follows him... how clever is this?

It's fine if you're not smart, but you still live with his father, so good-looking.

You have to watch the little girl's movies closely...to save yourself from being bullied by bastards in the future...

He was wandering far and wide, when Empress Chen suddenly said, "I and the Chess Master, it is true that there is no fate to meet each other in this life. As the saying goes, if you can cross a boat in ten years, and sleep together in a hundred years, it is fate." You can't force it... Heng'er, I called you and Gu'er together today, do you know why?"

He Gu heard something unusual from these words, and looked around, only to find that there was no one left in the main hall of Zhiyang Palace at some time, and the only one waiting was Empress Chen standing next to her. Nanny Li.

Pei Zhaoheng turned his eyes to look at He Gu, and said: "I would like to listen to my mother's teachings."

Empress Chen turned her head to signal, and Nanny Li immediately moved a bench and placed it in front of her, the emperor, mother and son, and invited He Gu to sit down.

As He Gu sat down, he thought to himself, could it be that the rumors about herself and the emperor in the court had spread into her ears recently, that she, the queen mother, wanted to beat him because of her son?

But He Gu is not ignorant of Empress Chen's temperament, and she doesn't seem to be the type to do this.

He Gu couldn't figure out what Empress Chen was thinking, so he had to sit down and said, "Thank you for giving me your seat."

Empress Chen paused, and said: "... It's been a long time since I saw you, but Gu'er has become more cautious."

He Gu choked up, a little speechless, and suddenly didn't know how to answer.

Pei Zhaoheng said: "Mother, the son rings him..."

Empress Chen turned to look at him, and said angrily: "Don't interrupt, the empress mother is asking Gu'er, what's the matter with you?"

Pei Zhaoheng: "..."

When He Gu heard this, he suddenly became nervous, and he thought that a mother is a mother after all, even if she agreed at the beginning, even if she also likes Baoyin, a little granddaughter, after all, she can't watch her son not marry a wife and have children for the rest of his life , It's human nature to hang out with a man for a long time, not to mention Brother Heng is still the king of a country now?

...Fortunately, now that he is going to lead his troops out of Beijing soon, it is a good thing to use this matter to avoid gossip from the government and the public, and to avoid the Queen Mother...

He Guzheng was thinking wildly, but he heard Empress Chen say: "It's been so many years, now it's fine in front of others, but in front of this palace, doesn't Gu'er call her queen mother?"

He Gu Wenyan, his mind was blank for a while, and he came back to his senses after a while. He thought he heard it wrong, but when he raised his eyes, he happened to meet Empress Chen's beautiful eyes with some fine lines. Cai said: "My humble minister... my minister..."

Pei Zhaoheng was at the side, probably seeing his mother's thoughts, he stretched out his hand to press He Gu's wrist, and said in a low voice, "Zihuan, didn't you hear what your mother said?"

He Gu felt a little sore in his heart, paused for a while, and said after a while: "...Mother's Queen."

Empress Chen finally brought a smile back on her face when she heard the words, she nodded, but she didn't know what to think of, and sighed: "In a blink of an eye, the days go by so quickly, and the first emperor has been gone for half a year... Now Heng My son succeeded to the throne with great difficulty, and both of you are fine, Bao Yin is fat and cute, I am very happy, but I have heard about today's court meeting...Gu Er is leaving Beijing again?"

He Gudao: "Yes, the incident happened suddenly, the military situation cannot be delayed, the government and the public, the only one who is suitable to replace Uncle Wen is now, and I dare not refuse."

Pei Zhaoheng heard this from the side, and didn't say anything, just stared at He Gu quietly with a pair of peach blossom eyes, and the slender five fingers on his knee moved slightly.

Empress Chen said: "Heng'er believes in you, so naturally I also believe in you, but you are leaving the capital now, and the rumors from the government and the public have become more and more evil these days, it is really abominable, I have also listened to it, That's all for the courtiers, those wretched wives who talk and gossip, a few of them who made a lot of trouble in their early days, I have sent them into the palace the day before yesterday, and beat them one by one. It's a private matter in the inner chamber. I forgive them for not daring to point them out. Make irresponsible remarks."

He Gu was taken aback for a moment, but he didn't think that Empress Chen wanted to see him because of this matter, so she couldn't help but be a little bit dumbfounded, but she still stood up and thanked him.

Empress Chen told him to be careful when going north this time, and then said a few words of concern. That's all, probably because he was getting old, and after playing chess, he was visibly lazy, so he sent two of them away after speaking. Going back together, I let Nanny Li help me to rest on the imperial concubine's bed with my eyes closed.

After watching the figures of the emperor and He Gu leave the palace gate, Empress Chen slowly opened her eyes and looked in the direction of the palace gate and sighed.

Li Momo moved the charcoal stove closer to the imperial concubine's couch, and said in a low voice: "Your Majesty is really worrying about the Emperor and Commander He."

Empress Chen stretched out her hand to warm the fire, and sighed: "Gu'er, although he looks cheerful, he thinks more than anyone else in his heart. It's not good, it's not good."

Empress Chen asked herself, she thought so little and was not happy at the end, let alone like Gu Er who thought so much?

Li Nanny said: "Your Majesty has done what she should do. The Emperor and Commander He have his own ideas in his mind, so you don't have to worry too much. As the saying goes, children and grandchildren have their own blessings."

Empress Chen said: "...It's a good thing that Heng'er has his heart on his mind. You see, he purposely let me know about these recent events, and he wants me to stand up for Gu'er. It's just that this is not a long-term solution after all, Zhonggong With no descendants, the courtiers must not give up, now that there is a war in the North, they have to rest, and when the war is over, I really don't know what will happen again."

However, Nanny Li shook her head suddenly, and said, "Your Majesty, do you really think that these rumors can spread under the eyes of the emperor, there is nothing tricky about this matter?"

Empress Chen was taken aback, and said: "...you mean, it's Heng'er..."

However, Nanny Li just smiled, and said in a low voice: "Your Majesty, the old servant thinks that our emperor is as bright as a mirror in his heart, and he has his own plans."

-------------

He Gu and Pei Zhaoheng left Zhiyang Palace together, walked on the palace road, both of them were speechless, entered the shrub path in the imperial garden, but they walked closer and closer silently.

Eunuch Zhai is also the essence of human beings, and he led a group of courtiers to follow behind him, but his footsteps became slower and slower. Finally, after a distance of twenty or so steps, only he and the two of them entered the bush together. place.

The air in early winter was a little bit cold, but it wasn't bitterly cold, but when He Gu was touched by Pei Zhaoheng's hand along the slightly opened front, he shivered from the cold, and his body shrank a little.

He was carrying Pei Zhaoheng on his back at the moment, and he couldn't see the expression on the other's face. He could only feel the hand with slightly cool fingertips. Even though he felt his shrinking, he didn't stop. He Gu closed his eyes and leaned back. Leaning in his arms, she sighed slightly tremblingly: "... Your Majesty, this is the Royal Garden... Let's go back."

Pei Zhaoheng whispered in his ear: "Where are you going back?"

"...Does Zihuan like my bedroom? Or go to Qingyu Palace?"

He Gu said: "It's time for me to leave the palace..."

Before the words behind him came out, he felt the hair tie being pulled by something, loosened and slid down his cheek.

Pei Zhaoheng said: "There's no rush at this moment. As soon as the military affairs are answered, I have already ordered Li Qiushan to take care of it for you. When everything is properly arranged, I will leave tomorrow."

His tone was light, but He Gu couldn't restrain a low hum from his throat. At this moment, he happened to hear a few women's chatter and laughter coming from the other side of the garden.

He Gu was slightly taken aback, and the movement in his throat was immediately suppressed and swallowed back.

…Ordinary palace servants would never have the guts to make such a fuss in the imperial garden. The concubines of the late emperor and Concubine Wengui who entered the Cijia Hall were all calm-tempered, so they must not be them.

He was silent, and Pei Zhaoheng on the other end quickly noticed, and said in a low voice: "...they were dancers sent by a few small states in the Western Regions a few days ago, and they haven't been sent yet, so the Department of Internal Affairs had to arrange them in Congxiu Palace. Haven't seen them."

He Gu rolled his Adam's apple and said, "You don't need to explain to me."

Pei Zhaoheng turned him around, looked into his eyes and said, "...duplicity."

He Gu: "..."

Pei Zhaoheng said: "I will ask Zhai Er to send them out of the palace when I go back today."

He Gu paused, but still couldn't hold back and said: "...There is no need to be so anxious. Since they are from the Western Regions, they are not familiar with the place where they live. How will they live after they are sent away?"

Pei Zhaoheng said: "Zihuan is more magnanimous now."

He Gu snorted, and said: "I'm not a jealous woman with a small belly, why do you vent your anger on other girls?"

After finishing speaking, she suddenly realized something was wrong, and hurriedly changed her words: "...No, it's a jealous husband."

Pei Zhaoheng said: "What Zihuan says is what it is."

He Gu: "..."

He Gu: "I'm leaving the palace!"

Pei Zhaoheng said: "Stay in the palace today, leave tomorrow, and I will send you out of Beijing."

He Gu said: "...do you still think that I have not been scolded enough by the speaker?"

Pei Zhaoheng said sternly: "I sent my Beiying generals out of Beijing. It is related to the war in the north. What can they say?"

He Gu: "..."

In the end, he still didn't hold back Pei Zhaoheng, and stayed overnight in Lanzheng Palace, and at dawn the next day, he quietly went back to the Princess Mansion.

Li Qiushan handled the affairs well, and in just one day, he had already arranged the food and pay for the soldiers, horses, and horses one by one. He Gu changed into a black and silver armor, and drank oaths with the soldiers who accompanied him to the north this time in front of the city gate. The wine was dropped, and Haohao Tangtang set off to leave Beijing with his troops.

This time the emperor sent him to temporarily act as the general of the Northern Camp, and the Ministry of War selected several partial generals to accompany him. He Gu looked at them one by one. Except for a few who followed him before, the rest were newly elected by the Bow and Horse Conference last year. He accompanied Pei Zhaoheng to pick one of the good seedlings at the time. Although he was young, he was quite capable and high-spirited. It didn't count if he won a ring master, and he made a big splash in the bow and horse competition. .

This kid's name is Zong Ling, about his age, from Jinling, and his family is originally from a scholarly family, but he has no talent for reading, nor does he have any ambitions, so he secretly attended the horse bow meeting without telling his elders.

When He Gu first saw Zong Ling, he felt cordial and without him. He Gu felt that this kid really resembled himself when he was young, especially the arrogant and arrogant self in his previous life who always wanted to be famous——

It's nice to be young!

Instinctively, he looked at this young man a little more favorably. While marching along the way, he couldn't help but teach him how to ride and shoot and fight with the Beirong people.

It's just that Zong Ling is young and energetic, but he doesn't seem to be able to listen to it. Within two days, He Gu vaguely noticed that he seemed to be a little obsequious to him, and his expression was a little weird, so he guessed that Zong Ling had probably heard it. With all the rumors in Beijing, I still don't know what to think of him as the emperor's "bedside man".

He wasn't angry with a young man, he just laughed it off, and he didn't try to teach him anything affectionately anymore.

In the previous life, the army in the north had been in trouble for a long time, and the court did not send troops to try to solve it, but at that time, the prince and Pei Zhaolin fought internally and consumed half of the troops of the Dai Viet dynasty. In addition, the selection of generals was not suitable, and the soldiers and horses going north were not elite troops. , Bei Rong and the allies on the Budan Grassland are naturally like a tiger with wings added. After several confrontations, the reinforcements of the Dayue Dynasty were smashed, and the Wuling Mansion gradually became a rotten tooth that grew in the north of the country. It's not, and it's not staying.

But probably in this life, due to the fact that the former Qiurong tribe took over the second tribe of the Budan Grassland, Beirong lost two allies, and there were no internal troubles. Although the treasury still had a deficit left by the former emperor, The political situation is stable, and the emperor is fully supporting the war in the Northland. From the start of the expedition to the end of the battle, He Gu has hardly encountered any internal obstacles from the beginning to the end. The food is abundant and the horse is strong. There is no need to guess the king's mind anymore, and he can devote himself to leading troops to fight.

Less than a month after He Gu arrived at Chenghe, he broke through Linghe Pass in Zongshan Mountain and took back the city of Wuling Mansion. That kind of battle must be responded to, but the remaining unrecovered city is surrounded by mountains on three sides, easy to defend and difficult to attack, so it has been delayed again and again, and it is still pending.

Although it is said that as long as they besiege the city, they will always run out of ammunition and food, but He Gu knows that the Beirong people are fierce. If they run out of ammunition and food, the people in the city will not be able to get a good deal. They will only be angered and slaughtered, or even worse. It's not impossible to be miserable, even if the city is broken by then, all you get is a dead city, so what's the point?

Naturally, blisters grew on the anxious mouth.

He wanted to attack by force, he didn't want to wait any longer, and others couldn't persuade him. In the end, it was Liu Jianshan's idea to try to break through the city gate with the artillery of Shenwuying.

Liu Jianshan and Yan Dingye have stayed in Chenghe Camp for three years, and now one is in charge of the Shenwu Camp and the other is in charge of the Ruixun Camp. He Gu met Liu Jianshan in his previous life, so he knows that he is not a reckless person , if he is not sure, he will not take the initiative to bring up this method, and he is in charge of the Shenwu Camp, Liu Jianshan knows best whether the artillery can be used and how to use it——

In February of the first year of Taiping when the new emperor succeeded to the throne, General He Gu of the Northern Camp led the Chenghe Camp to attack Yanling, the last city that fell to the Wuling Mansion. The two armies clashed for two days and nights. The disaster was severe, the city was broken, and Mu Da, king of Beirong Khan, was escorted by his own soldiers at night, broke through the reinforcements, and escaped from Yanling.

On the third day, the morning light just broke, and a crimson glow bloomed in the sky. The battle finally came to an end. After two days and two nights of fighting, even the iron-clad body felt exhausted.

He wiped the black blood on the saber against the morning light, took a breath, and was about to ask Zong Ling and Ning Silang next to him if the mess in the west and south of the city had been cleaned up, but when he turned around, he suddenly found that there was only one Ning Silang, and Zong Ling It has disappeared without a trace, and I don't know where it went.

He Gu was taken aback, and said, "Where's Zong Ling?"

Ning Silang was stabbed in the arm, and was tearing off the material from the trouser leg to bandage the wound, when he heard this, he grinned and said, "Xiao Zong? I saw him before dawn."

He turned his head and looked around again, wondering: "It's really weird, it's just for a while, where is the person?"

He Gu suddenly said: "Did you see him leading the horse?"

Ning Silang said: "Let's go, I wonder what he's doing with the horse. We haven't finished cleaning the battlefield yet, so we don't know where he's going... Ask him and he won't say it, it's not me. Hey, the young masters from the capital are so arrogant, they always talk about our noses or eyes or eyes, even this kid, the general, don’t you think this kid needs to be dealt with?”

He Gu walked back and forth for two steps, and suddenly said angrily: "...Damn it, this brat must have gone after Mu Da, didn't I tell him not to go after them!"

Then he turned to the soldiers and said, "Go and lead my horse!"

When Yun Zhui came, he turned around and got on his horse, and said to Zheng Ye and Ning Shiro: "Take a count of the team, and follow me to chase the little bastard surnamed Zong back!"

After speaking, without waiting for them to speak, he raised his horsewhip and galloped towards the city gate.