The return of the son-in-law

After more than two months, news finally came from the capital that Li Chonghao ordered Qin Tianjian to choose an auspicious day, and named Li Shaojun the current crown prince.

The news came earlier than Guo Zhan'an expected. Presumably, Yue'an and others in the capital made suggestions and made Li Chonghao agree so quickly.

However, as the general judge of Xuzhou, he could not participate in the ceremony of conferring the crown prince, so he had to prepare some congratulatory gifts and send them to the capital as soon as possible.

And the Guo Mansion is about to usher in a major event - Huo Yu's one-year filial piety period is about to expire.

Guo Zhan'an regards this matter as a top priority, and not only ordered Jia Huan, the chief executive of Guo's mansion, to be responsible for all matters in person, but he himself would always find time to check on the progress.

When it came time to remove the clothes, Huo Yu followed the procedure and took off the cloth crown, the big-sleeved shirt, etc. one by one, and changed into plain clothes.Plain clothes will be worn until the end of this month, and next month, Huo Yu will be able to wear regular clothes.

Guo Zhan'an looked at Huo Yu in plain clothes, and said with a smile: "That's it, Jia Huan found a good sea bass a few days ago, and I'll eat this tonight. This year is a time to grow your body, eat it." I have been a vegetarian for a year, and I will eat more river fresh white meat in the future."

Because Huo Yu was in poor health when he was a child, he was shorter than many of his peers, which was also his weakness.Huo Yu usually exercises with Wu Xin, and every New Year's Eve, he insists on doing three jumps behind the door in order to grow taller.But no matter how hard he tried, his stature was only a small thumb away from his peers.

At this moment, Huo Yu was a little unhappy, and said solemnly: "Brother, I heard that some people can still grow taller when they are seventeen or eighteen years old. I am only 16 years old, maybe I will grow taller again in two years."

"All right, all right," Guo Zhan'an deliberately teased him, "You are taller than the sky, how about poking a hole in the sky?"

Huo Yu knew that he was making fun of him, so he said eagerly, "Brother, don't believe me, I might grow taller than you in two years!"

Guo Zhanan raised his eyebrows: "Taller than me? Then I have to wait and see."

Huo Yu was full of confidence: "Brother, just wait and see."

Jia Huan watched the bickering between his two masters from the sidelines, he was also happy, and said with a smile: "Young Master, Second Young Master, this perch kitchen has been raised in rare spring water for three days, and the smell of the soil has gone, and it is the most delicious. Since today If you want to eat it later, how about rubbing the sea bass with salt and steaming it in a pot? The young master said a few days ago that the second young master had kept his filial piety for a year. I vomited the smell of mutton."

Huo Yu couldn't help moving his index finger after hearing this.He is a glutton, he has not eaten meat for a year, and his mouth has blisters for the first two months, and then sometimes he dreams of the smell of meat in his dreams.

"After it's steamed, pour hot scallion oil on top to make a sea bass with scallion oil." Huo Yu turned to look at Guo Zhan'an, "Do you like it, brother?"

Guo Zhanan didn't care too much about food, but seeing Huo Yu's eagerness to try, he nodded and said, "That sounds good. Jia Huan, let the kitchen make a sea bass with scallion oil according to what the second young master said. Tonight That's the main course."

Jia Huan agreed, and then went to the kitchen to confess not to mention it.

It's just that within half a month of such a day, another news came from the capital, that the emperor personally decreed that Guo Zhan'an was removed from the position of general judge in Xuzhou, and he returned to the capital for trial from now on!

The Guo Mansion was in disarray for a while. Seeing that Li Shaojun, the king of Qin who had a good relationship with Guo Zhan'an, had become the crown prince, it was fine if their master didn't follow the tide. How did he end up being dismissed from office?

As the center of public opinion, Guo Zhan'an was not in a hurry at all. He remembered what Li Shaojun had reminded him before, and he guessed that some people in Beijing who were at odds with the prince could not bring down the prince, so he wanted to get rid of him. arm.

Huo Yu was also fidgeting right now. Seeing that the people escorting Guo Zhanan to Beijing were about to arrive, he couldn't do anything. He could only wait at home for people to come and watch them take his brother away.

Seeing him walking back and forth, Guo Zhanan simply stretched out his hand and pulled him to his side, comforting him, "What's the matter? Are you sweating?"

It was only then that Huo Yu realized that his back was wet, he was so anxious that he was about to cry, and at this moment, he didn't care to wipe off the sweat from his forehead, he just asked Guo Zhan'an: "Brother, what should I do? "

Guo Zhan'an took a clean handkerchief, carefully wiped off the sweat from Huo Yu's face one by one, and comforted him with a smile: "What should I do? I asked myself that I have never done anything for personal gain, and you are the only one in my family." , You didn’t use my name to go outside to bluff and deceive, no matter how much they interrogate, there is no law to punish me.”

Seeing that Guo Zhanan was so indifferent to his own safety, Huo Yu couldn't help but glared at him, and said, "Brother, don't you think this is too strange? A few days ago, His Royal Highness King Qin has become the prince, and you are his Companion, this time I also raised military pay for him, if someone in the capital attacks you, it is impossible for him not to help you."

"Yes, it is impossible for His Royal Highness not to deal with me." Guo Zhan'an followed his words and continued, "But, if he can't deal with it, what should we do?"

"No way..." Huo Yu still couldn't believe it, "Dignified Son of Heaven, why do you want to have a hard time with a passer?"

"Who knows?" Guo Zhan'an said with a light smile, "Perhaps the emperor thinks that I have made great achievements this time, so why don't you invite me to the capital to reward you?"

"Brother, don't talk nonsense," Huo Yu muttered dissatisfiedly, "The imperial decree has been issued. If it is to let my brother go to Beijing to receive rewards, why did he dismiss him even from the post of judge? He will be tried and tried. It sounds good. Waiting to go in, what do you want?" They have the final say on the testimonies! By the way, do you want my brother to take care of it in advance? I read in the drama that those who interrogate are looking at the plates and chopsticks. You are a scholar, how can you resist this kind of method? By the way, there is also His Royal Highness! Even if His Royal Highness can't deal with it, he can always protect you from disaster in this matter, right?"

After Guo Zhanan heard it, he couldn’t help crying and laughing: "What are you thinking? Do you believe what is said in the drama? If I go to the capital to be interrogated, it will probably be interrogated by people from Dali Temple. There are a few people in Dali Temple who are of the same year as me. It's all about me, but at least it can be impartial."

"I'm still not at ease," Huo Yu said with his head down. "Brother, it's going to be far and wide. If there is any news, it will take ten days and a half months to receive it. Why don't you go to the capital too, brother!"

"Nonsense!" Seeing that Huo Yu had the idea of ​​going to Beijing at this time, Guo Zhan'an immediately scolded, "I think you are usually too free, but you still want to go to the capital. This time, it is His Majesty's decree, and I have to go anyway." If you don’t go, you have to go. If you go to the capital at this time, isn’t it just to give others a chance to make a big fuss about this matter?”

Huo Yu finally understood after being scolded by Guo Zhanan.He thought that if he really entered the capital rashly at this time, if the third prince or others found out and took the opportunity to sue Guo Zhan'an for ulterior motives, he would really be unable to wash himself away by jumping into the Yellow River.

As a result, Huo Yu broke away from the previous state of wandering around like a bored fly, and asked, "Brother, what are your plans?"

Guo Zhan'an glanced at Huo Yu, nodded and said, "It's not in vain to teach you, and I know that I have my own arrangements."

Huo Yu slapped himself in the heart - that's right, when did my brother not prepare with both hands?I've been worrying about it for so long, it's time to ask!

Guo Zhan'an analyzed to Huo Yu: "The emperor issued an order to dismiss me as an official, which shows that what I committed was extraordinary. Think about it, before Shi Guo dared to embezzle the army's salary, he sent people to verify it first, and finally issued an order to dismiss him. After thinking about it, I feel that there is nothing else to do except raising food, grass and supplies for His Royal Highness."

Huo Yu said displeased: "This emperor is really ridiculous. It is obvious that he did not allow people to send food and supplies, which made the Northwest army go hungry. If it wasn't for my brother's efforts to turn the tide, Northwest might have missed it long ago."

Guo Zhanan put his index finger on Huo Yu's lips: "Yu'er, I know you are dissatisfied. Now you are in the northwest, so you can complain at home. When you return to the capital, there are eyeliners everywhere, except in front of me. Don't speak out your thoughts, you know?"

Huo Yu nodded and said, "Brother, don't worry, it's just you and me, I'm the one who said it."

Guo Zhanan was relieved now, he always speaks to the point, but to Huo Yu, he can't help but think a lot, and added: "Don't be too restrained, don't give up eating because of choking, what do you think at home? In this life, other places are restricted everywhere, but at home there is always room for you to be more unrestrained."

Huo Yu nodded and said, "Brother, I remember everything. Go ahead and tell me about your plans."

Guo Zhan'an continued: "When I was raising the military salary, I gave you a ledger. This is the straw for my life. You must take it away. If my prediction is correct, about a month after I enter Beijing, I will Someone will come to the Guo Mansion to ask for this account book. Remember, unless there are people from His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, never give it to them. I once taught you to identify the tokens worn by the Crown Prince's cronies, do you remember?"

Huo Yu thought about it carefully, and replied: "I remembered, it was a string of red coral and blue agate strung together with Tibetan silver hanging around his waist."

"That's right, that's the one." Guo Zhan'an said, "That's the prince's confidantes, but there are very few who are qualified to wear this. Those are the eyeliners that the prince secretly set up, I'm afraid even I don't know. This token is usually Don't show it easily, at least I only saw the real thing once in the prince's mansion. If it's half of what I guessed, the matter of me raising food, grass and luggage was exposed, and the prince can't escape the responsibility. So, whether it's for me or for himself , he will definitely use these people."

Huo Yu said solemnly: "Don't worry, brother, I've made a note of it."

Two days later, people sent by the capital arrived in Xuzhou.Fortunately, they didn't want the common people to know about it, so they publicized Guo Zhan'an's great contribution to the outside world. This time, the emperor specially announced him to go to Beijing to reward him.Because of this, Guo Zhanan was able to wear ordinary clothes, sit in a carriage, and travel comfortably all the way to Beijing.

After more than ten days of ups and downs, the group finally saw the gate of the capital.

Outside the capital, there was another group of people waiting for them. These people were also sent by Dali Temple, and they specially came to meet them again.After the two groups of people checked the tokens, the people who escorted Guo Zhanan to the capital handed Guo Zhanan over to those who responded, and then left first.

Among the dozen or so people, Guo Zhan'an had met several times before, and now one of them raised his right hand and ordered, "Get in."

A dozen people were quickly divided into four teams, divided into four directions, and each started to investigate.

After confirming that there was no one else, the leader got off his horse and said to a place on the side of the road: "Your Highness, please show up."

Li Shaojun came out from behind the big tree that was supposed to be empty, and before Guo Zhanan could speak, he said, "Let's talk in the carriage."

After the two got into the carriage, the others were not in a hurry and just stood guard on this special official road.

When the two of them sat down, Guo Zhanan hurriedly asked: "Why is Your Highness here? Many people in the capital are watching here at the moment. If someone finds out, what should I do if I read the book?"

Li Shaojun waved his hand and said: "It's okay, they all judged so, so I will do the opposite. There is not much time, so I will make a long story short. This time the fourth brother fell, first the little eunuch who was in charge of storing the documents jumped out and said that he sent someone I rubbed more than a dozen copies of the treaty I signed with Ning Guhan, and sent people to take it to the northwest and spread it on the Tatar grassland. Later, some other people jumped out and all pointed their fingers at him. Liu Yuanheng was in the middle of the court I don't have many disciples, and I have tried many methods, but I can't keep the fourth child. If the king of Liang didn't come forward, I'm afraid that the emperor's father will depose him as a commoner in a fit of anger. Your business is Liu Yuanheng sent someone to inquire about it, and now he is biting him to death, forcing his father to punish you severely. Also, Liu Jianhua said that he was bought by the fourth brother, and he bit his tongue and committed suicide after speaking. I can’t get rid of it, now I hope to drag you into the water and give me some color. You know what that guy thinks, now that I am the prince and have military achievements, he wishes to add more notoriety to me It's a pity that he won't be able to catch me for a while, so I can only do it for you."

Although Guo Zhan'an had already guessed that most of his trip to Beijing this time was due to privately preparing military pay, but he didn't expect that all of this was actually manipulated by Li Shaojin.

"Your Highness, if it is said that these were done by the Fourth Prince, I don't believe it," Guo Zhan'an reminded, "We all know the character and methods of the Fourth Prince, and he definitely does not have the courage and courage. Then Liu Jianhua is a general in the army. The Liu family is not only wealthy, but also a family of great wealth. He has no shortage of power and money, so how could he be easily bought? Moreover, most of the power of the Liu family is concentrated in the civil servants. Even if he was greedy for the military salary, Shi Guogan I did it. Because of this incident, many people in the army hated Shi Guogan and the Fourth Prince. I don’t believe that Liu Jianhua was bought by him.”

Li Shaojun smiled bitterly and said: "The situation was critical at that time. If the real culprit behind the scenes could not be found, my father would not only make me the crown prince, but also wanted to punish me for my crime and remove me from the title of king of Qin. All the evidence points to the fourth son. , what else can I do? The situation is forcing me, so I can only follow the trend."

"Your Highness also has doubts?"

"As you said, we all know the character and courage of the fourth brother. I don't believe he has the courage to do such a thing." Li Shaojun said this, and changed the subject, "Now is not the time to talk about this, you After entering the capital, I'm afraid I won't have the opportunity to sit down and talk with you again. Do you have anything to explain?"

Guo Zhan'an thought for a while and said, "When I was raising the military salary, I gave Huo Yu a ledger. Your Highness, please pay more attention to the movements of Dali Temple. If anyone goes to Xuzhou in the northwest, they should ask Huo Yu for it." The account book. When that time comes, please take care of it, Your Highness."

Li Shaojun nodded and said: "I understand, Huo Yu's side, I will send someone to protect him, and he will definitely not be hurt."

If it weren't for the small space in the carriage, Guo Zhan'an just wanted to get up and bow: "Thank you, Your Highness."