[Red Mansions] The Road to Empress Dowager

The morning sun has not yet poked its face out from the mountain in the east, but the sky in the east has already been filled with brilliant rays of light.

It is the best time of spring, the fields and hills near and far, the grass is beautiful, and the peaches and plums are competing for glory.

The green grass was still covered with crystal dew, flocks of birds chirped one after another from the nearby forest, or suddenly flew out in groups.

Living in such a place, one's heart is peaceful and sweet, and Tu Yuanyi also feels that the heavy government affairs and cumbersome etiquette are far away from him.

There are already several playgrounds in this town, where different sports are trained, but the big playground is expanded from the original grain drying field.

Tu Yuanyi walked for a quarter of an hour from Xin Xiuyan's house, followed by two young eunuchs on duty. When he arrived at the playground, he found Chunyu Bai was also there.

Chunyu Bai has lived here for nearly half a year, and has gotten used to the pace of life of the Datong Army.

"I have seen the master!"

Tu Yuanyi nodded slightly, but saw that more than 2000 elites of the Datong Army (not including the logistics battalion) were divided into three reinforced battalions to train here.Each reinforced platoon has five to 60 people, with the platoon level as the training unit.

First, she ran five kilometers around the field. Xin Xiuyan was wearing a uniform that made people of this era look a little funny, standing on a high platform, with a trophy sword she didn't know where she came from on her waist.

She stood on the top, and the more than 2000 elite soldiers trained below did not dare to be lazy.

"Hurry up! Are you men? The eunuchs are more energetic than you!"

Wu Dafu listened to the regimental commander's scolding, took his whip and ran to the back of his own battalion to urge the soldiers of the second battalion, yelling and cursing again and again.

The leaders of the other battalions also hurriedly looked at their team.

After a while, Xin Xiuyan got off the high platform and ran with the team.After running five kilometers, they rested for 2 minutes and spread out to practice the "snake poking sword technique".

Xin Xiuyan stood on the high platform, drew out her sword as a pacesetter, and practiced extremely simple and fast sword moves—although many fighters held broadswords.

"kill!"

"kill!"

"kill!"

All the fighters practiced this uniform movement. They came from the blood of the refugees. They saw a lot of blood and had faith. They had no other distractions when practicing swords.

The sun has risen, Tu Yuanyi looked at his western pocket watch and it was 07:30.Because it is spring plowing season, I only do simple morning exercises.

More than 2000 people gathered under the stage, and Xin Xiuyan stood on top to speak.

"Comrades, is life hard?"

"Not bitter!!" More than 2000 elite soldiers below roared in unison.

Xin Xiuyan said: "Fart! Who says it's not bitter? It's so bitter! Training, labor, labor, training are endless. I don't know how you got here, how many days and nights, I have been cursing my mother in private."

The soldiers below suddenly roared with laughter.

"Is it funny?"

"It's not funny!" Everyone shut up again.

Xin Xiuyan also said: "The world is beautiful, but the world is cruel. The food we plant today, the girls we like, may become someone else's dinner at any time! We don't want to be bullied by others, we only have unity! Self-improvement!"

"Unity! Self-improvement!"

"Maybe one of you is just an ordinary farmer, but if you unite, you are an invincible force! Do you have confidence?"

"Have!"

"Very good! I'll watch everyone's tasks today. Whether it's a dragon or a worm, I'll see soon! Attention! Disband!"

Xin Xiuyan's mouth was also a little dry during the lecture. The guard handed over the bamboo water bottle. She raised her head and took a sip before heading towards the cafeteria.She didn't come every day when she went out for morning exercises, but she took turns to inspect with several high-level officials.

Seeing her "new husband" waiting for her at the intersection, she smiled slightly and said, "Why are you here?"

Tu Yuanyi looked at her strangely and said, "Do you do this every day?"

"No, is it that simple?"

Tu Yuanyi looked at the scattered soldiers and said, "Did you train these people?"

Xin Xiuyan said: "I know you're going to joke again, so let it be as good as it is, as long as it's useful."

Tu Yuanyi chuckled and said, "It's still... quite murderous."

"Maybe I've seen blood."

She went to the cafeteria to eat, but Xin Xiuyan's guard brought her a standard meal: a bowl of porridge, two cornmeal steamed buns, half a salted duck egg and a small spoonful of braised pork.

Of course, the emperor's team prepared additional meals: rice porridge with bird's nest and green stem, a bowl of pigeon eggs, pheasant stewed with shiitake mushrooms, and a fruit plate.

Xin Xiuyan gnawed on a cornmeal steamed bun, watching her husband eat breakfast like a peerless Persian cat, and felt that the combination between herself and him was like a combination of soil and foreign countries!

Xin Xiuyan murmured: "You are too corrupt. One person has to eat a chicken for breakfast. Do you think that ancient chickens are fed for three months in modern times?"

Tu Yuanyi lowered his phoenix eyes slightly and said, "I'm very frugal."

Xin Xiuyan shook her head secretly: "Gorgeous wine and meat stink..." A chicken leg blocked her mouth, and the taste spread on the taste buds of her tongue. Now Xin Xiuyan, who eats about two or three times as much as an ordinary woman, couldn't control her instinct and bit it .

Tu Yuanyi said, "You like chicken, not mutton."

Xin Xiuyan bit the chicken leg, and felt a different kind of sweetness in her heart, which Zhao Jiahuan could not give her.

Tu Yuanyi lived in Zhangjia Village for several days. Apart from handling some government affairs in private during the day, he just followed his wife, watched her busy, and was familiar with their organization and management.Their mechanism is rough and effective, and everything is based on the needs of the facts to formulate detailed regulations. The research and study documents issued by the top leaders are all simple vernacular, and there are actually no useless red tape.

Moreover, in this team, although the leaders have high prestige, the people below are free to put forward any opinions, and there are no restrictions on "people suing officials".

From top to bottom, they don't believe in human morality at all. Xin Xiuyan wrote in a thought study draft that "people have yin and yang, and only when they are satisfied in both aspects can they feel happy. But if a group To make any achievement, it is necessary to stimulate people’s positivity to reach its maximum value, and the final result of positivity reaching the maximum value will definitely bring negative satisfaction. If a group cannot properly control the positivity, it must be difficult to achieve great things. And the system and Discipline is what makes it happen."

Tu Yuanyi watched his wife write the manuscript, held a work meeting to discuss issues, inspected the spring plowing situation and research, and took work notes.In the next two days, the elementary school spring break is over, and she is still teaching part-time in elementary school, and she even went to tell "little book fans" last night.

He suddenly felt that he only knew 85% of her in the past, but now it is 100%, and there is an extra 20%, which is the result of her suffering, blood and practice.

Spring plowing ended on the fifth day, and she was finally free, so she took him to see the spinning mill in the town, and now several "Datong army spinning machines" had been added.

"The production efficiency of spinning has increased, but the efficiency of weaving cannot keep up, so we now need to make hydraulic looms."

Tu Yuanyi hooked the corner of his mouth, and a gleam flashed in his phoenix eyes, and said, "You are going to bankrupt the textile industry in the whole country."

Xin Xiuyan said: "Don't say that. If we don't do it, will others not do it? You can't lie to yourself."

"You gave them something like this?"

Xin Xiuyan smiled slightly: "Otherwise? Dedicate it to the emperor, and then rely on our time-traveling, this kind of knowledge of later generations to gain credit, and live a noble life from now on? Don't we already have titles? No matter how rich you are, you How much can the two of us enjoy?"

Tu Yuanyi said: "Can you be sure that people's hearts will not change, and they will always be used by you?"

Xin Xiuyan turned around and said, "Why do I want people's hearts to stay the same? People's hearts will change. I just want you to stay the same for me for 50 years."

"What about 50 years from now?"

Xin Xiuyan giggled: "Old man, show me what you can do! Hehehe~~~"

Tu Yuanyi loved and hated her, and when he hugged her, everyone dared not look directly at her, and they couldn't bluntly say that the emperor was really indecent.

Xin Xiuyan was most afraid of attracting strange looks from her comrades, of course she couldn't yell, and was dragged away in the end.

It's not a good habit to show sex in the daytime. After Xin Xiuyan was "loved" severely, she lay on the pillow with blushing cheeks, her body still lingering.

Tu Yuanyi rested his head with one hand, calmed his breath, and said, "I have to go."

Xin Xiuyan was slightly startled: "So fast?"

Tu Yuanyi said: "Although you live in peace here, the people in other places are displaced. As a clan, I can't let it go."

She crawled up to his chest and said with a smile, "You are also quite responsible."

Tu Yuanyi put his arms around her and said, "You really want...to be an official? I can take you back."

"Now the Datong Army still can't do without me. I don't feel relieved. If they are really recruited, how should they adapt to the change in status?"

"No one will be unfit to be an officer. After all... what you want is not to follow me to be a... madam."

Xin Xiuyan said: "Who said that? I like you, and I want to be with you every day, but I have to see the success of the recruitment and the settlement of Sichuan before letting go of everything."

Tu Yuanyi suddenly said: "You forgot about me, but why do you like me?"

"Handsome!" Xin Xiuyan bit her lip and said with a smile: "Still handsome! So handsome that I have no friends! Of course, I still value the inner, educated, and I am so stupid after traveling through ancient times to want to marry me as my wife. It's a pity that a man can't realize it." The dream of accepting the harem..."

Tu Yuanyi laughed and said, "Do you know that I don't have a harem?"

"you dare!"

Tu Yuanyi hugged her, turned over and pressed her down, intertwined his fingers, lowered his head and bit her neck, and then bit her earlobe.

He pressed her down, looked at her deeply, stroked her face, and said, "I don't remember anything, but I can't forget this jealousy."

She hooked his neck and kissed him, even though he was below, she still had to be a queen.

……

Half a month after Tu Yuanyi left, an imperial envoy from Zhao'an came to announce the decree early in the morning, but this person was also an old friend of the queen, but she didn't remember it.

Xin Xiuyan personally accompanied the "Recruiting the Imperial Envoy" into the "Loyalty Hall", and the empress did not sit in the "Majesty's Chair" now, although even if she sat there, the other party would definitely not have any objections.

Because this imperial envoy is Jin Shiyue, Tu Yuanyi dare not send other officials from the Ministry of Rites or the Ministry of War, let alone whether they can accept a woman being named a "general", just say that knowing Xin Xiuyan's true identity, can they withstand the pressure first? Play dumb.

First of all, the imperial decree was read out. Chen Yi had asked someone to set up an incense table, and Xin Xiuyan led the non-commissioned officers to kneel down in the hall to receive it.

The recruiting was beyond her expectations, she was named a "General Ningyuan", this is a general of the fifth rank, and some people will not be able to be the fifth rank in their lifetime.

And the higher-ups below her have also been canonized one by one.

Duan Zhi: Ranger General

Chen Yi: Guerrilla General

Zhang Shan: Captain Zhaowu

The non-commissioned officers under the ranks range from Zhiguo Xiaowei to Peirong Xiaowei.

"Thank you, Lord, for your grace! Long live my emperor, long live, long live!"

Xin Xiuyan raised both hands to receive the imperial edict before getting up.

At this time, everyone was beaming, and now everyone was no longer a refugee, but an officer.

Xin Xiuyan smiled and said to Jin Shiyue: "The imperial envoys have come here to work hard, and the officials will prepare some food and drinks for the adults. Please don't be disgusted!"

Jin Shiyue felt that he had to have such a strong heart, that he could still hold back when the empress of the dynasty called herself a "lower official" to him.

Jin Shiyue clasped his fists and said, "Then respect is worse than obedience!"

"Please!"

Jin Shiyue was brought to the big cafeteria, and of course greeted them. The Datong Army still brought out good things, including the freshly hunted game yesterday, home-brewed corn shochu, and fresh bamboo shoots and mushrooms from the countryside.

A group of senior officials of the Datong Army accompanied Jin Shiyue and complimented each other.

After drinking for three rounds, Xin Xiuyan said: "I don't know where I will be stationed now that I have received Mu Huang's favor?" Xin Xiuyan was worried after not hearing that the imperial decree made this clear.

Jin Shiyue clasped his fists towards the north and said: "Nowadays there is great chaos in central Sichuan, the Holy One intends to train a new army in Sichuan and Shu, and arrange it after the chaos is settled. Now the Datong Army temporarily retains its original name, and it only needs to follow the orders of the Ministry of War."

Xin Xiuyan also understood it as military organizations such as the Hunan Army and Huai Army trained by Zeng Guofan and Li Hongzhang during the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom.

Xin Xiuyan said: "To be honest, my lord, we have settled here for some time, and now there are more or less grains or other crops we grow in a radius of fifty miles. The Ministry of War ordered us to march to avoid the autumn harvest, so that the Ministry of War will also save us money." Grain has been adjusted."

Jin Shiyue said: "The general is still talented in farming!"

Xin Xiuyan waved her hand and said, "It doesn't count, it's just that the brothers have to eat, so there's nothing I can do."

Jin Shiyue smiled and said, "I will report this matter to the Holy One myself."

The next day, a dress-changing ceremony was held. The Great Zhou Dynasty was the Han Dynasty, and there were no imperial jackets of the Qing Dynasty, but there were also "gifts" like the Ming Dynasty. This kind of clothes is not within the normal system of official uniforms, but Represents a kind of honor and favor.

Xin Xiuyan got a "gifted suit", which was an improved style of "flying fish suit". The fiery red robe was embroidered with a five-claw python robe and tied with a Luan belt. (Note: The relatives and officials of the emperor in the Ming Dynasty can also wear the five-claw python dragon)

Xin Xiuyan also felt quite stylish after wearing it, and she especially liked the court-made stainless steel horizontal knife, which was much easier to use than her original saber.

Of course, Duan Zhi and the others did not have this kind of conferment, and of course they would not be jealous, because they all knew that Xin Xiuyan was the "Prince Heng" who had been lost for more than two years.It is normal for her to be bestowed with her original identity.

Xin Xiuyan stood on the high platform, watched everyone put on the court uniforms, and then told about the court rewards.

"From now on, we are no longer refugees! We are the official army! But we are still the Datong army! The emperor allows us to keep our original production and way of life! The food we grow is still ours! The imperial court will not come to destroy us again, but We also have to take on the responsibility of a soldier, defend our homeland, and serve our country loyally!"

"Long live my emperor!"

Xin Xiuyan said again: "The imperial court rewarded us with 5 taels of silver, and I promise to put all of it into the special public account. In the future, on the battlefield, those who bravely killed the enemy will be rewarded, pensions will be given to those who are wounded or killed in battle for the country, and those who are injured and disabled will be discharged from the army or Elderly, infirm, and veterans are also given a certain amount of pensions every year from the public account according to their grades. The standards for rewards and pensions will be announced after discussions with the Military/Commission. In the future, whoever embezzles and steals this money, I will cut him off hand!"

"The general is mighty!"

The soldiers shouted excitedly when they heard something that related to their immediate interests.

Jin Shiyue also watched the dressing ceremony, only to realize that this favored queen is really not an ordinary person.The disappearance of the queen is well known in the upper class of the capital. Who would have thought that a woman who was reduced to the rivers and lakes could become the leader of a group of people.

She is not only extremely intelligent, but also extremely determined. Only a saint can bear this kind of woman.

……

Half a month after the recruitment, the Ministry of War ordered her to lead [-] elite soldiers to Leshan.When she walked fifty li, she met a Red Shirt Army from Kyoto stationed here. They were led by a fellow commander, Shen Liang, who walked with them for three days, and finally rushed to the camp of the forbidden army in Leshan.Although the territory of Sichuan was in chaos at this time, the officials and troops in the major cities of Chengdu, Leshan, and Luzhou were still guarding, and the White Lotus Sect army had to avoid their edge.

In the Leshan camp, she met Zhao Wenlong, the commander of the Red Shirt Army, Sun Yuanwang, the Minister of War, Yin Juncai, the commander of the Leshan Guard, and two eunuchs of the Xichang Army Supervisor.

She entered the big tent together with the commanding officer Shen Liang, originally she had to half-kneel to salute the minister of the Ministry of War, but Sun Yuanwang had just learned about some absurd things after the emperor found the empress.No matter what happens to the queen in the future, how dare he make her kneel?

As soon as Xin Xiuyan came in, she greeted her and said with a smile, "This is...General Yanxiu, welcome!"

Xin Xiuyan is also proficient in history, but she saw that Sun Yuanwang's uniform was embroidered with cranes. This is a first-rank official. In this dynasty, even the Shangshu is only a second-rank official. I am afraid that first-rank officials have other false titles. Not everyone has this fate .

Xin Xiuyan guessed the other party's identity, she hurriedly cupped her hands and was about to lower her body, but it was the two Xichang eunuchs who were quick to support her.

Of course the eunuch knew her, but he was ordered not to reveal it for the time being.

"General Yan, you don't need to be too polite, it will embarrass Mr. Sun."

Xin Xiuyan understood that the "Princess" was a super-grade order, so she gave up and just clasped her fists and said: "Now in the army, it is natural to follow the lead of the Lord Shangshu."

Sun Yuanwang let out a breath and said, "General Yan, you don't need to be too polite."

When the generals sat down to discuss matters, Sun Yuanwang and others, who knew what they really wanted, did not dare to take her seat first. Xin Xiuyan felt that the world outside Zhangjiacun was completely different from the inside.Although she is respected inside the Datong Army, it is only on her own ability, in fact, she is not so hierarchical, but it is completely different outside, look, the title of princess makes people tremble.

Now the White Lotus Sect's rebellious army is more concentrated in the northeastern part of Sichuan, but the Yangtze River waterway is relatively developed because of the relatively developed commerce, fishery, and water transportation, and there are not many refugees.

The Bailian Religion Army is particularly strong in Nanchong. The imperial court has dispatched troops for nearly a year, and the food and grass are in place. They also intend to fight a big battle to establish their prestige, and then gradually appease the local area.

Xin Xiuyan was quite excited, but she couldn't help being a little dissatisfied when she heard that she was assigned a task.

"Master Shangshu, have you already decided to let me... humble to follow the red shirt army?"

Sun Yuanwang said: "Arranging prisoners of war is also very important. I heard... General Yan is good at this. General Yan will preside over the recruitment or dismissal of prisoners of war after the war in Central Shu."

Xin Xiuyan suddenly stood up: "What are you doing? I brought elite soldiers! We are here to fight, not to be babysitters!"

Sun Yuanwang said: "General Yan, this is the Holy Majesty's will, and you respect it."

Xin Xiuyan said: "Master Shangshu, please believe me. I have two thousand elite soldiers. They were all refugees. Only the refugees know the refugees best. We will definitely be able to fight well."

Sun Yuanwang shook his head and said: "There are 2 Red Shirt Forbidden Army and 2000 Guards Army commanded by Zhao to fight from south to north, and Jiannan Road Jiedu envoy Li Ji led [-] troops to fight from north to south. Does the general's [-] people have any... big relationship?"

Xin Xiuyan thought for a while and said, "We can fight guerrillas..."

Sun Yuanwang said: "The Holy Majesty wants to wipe out Eastern Sichuan before the Mid-Autumn Festival. Now that the leader of the White Lotus Sect occupies Nanchong City, he will use a large army to coerce him. He can't wait until General Yan leads 2000 people to fight until the Year of the Monkey."

Xin Xiuyan also knows that the longer the war drags on, the greater the consumption of money and food, and the greater the variables. From the standpoint of the country, there is nothing wrong with this.

But it's so depressing!

Xin Xiuyan said: "I can listen to Mr. Zhao's orders."

Zhao Wenlong was taken aback, he didn't dare to order the empress to charge forward, in case of a mistake, his commander of the southern army would be able to do it.

Zhao Wenlong hurriedly said: "General Yan, you manage the prisoners of war well, so that the subordinates have no worries, that is the greatest help to the subordinates."

Xin Xiuyan thought for a while, and then said: "Master Shangshu, then... arrange the management of prisoners of war, and don't need the elite soldiers of the Datong Army. If they are not allowed to follow Master Shen to be the vanguard, I will transfer the logistics battalion to help me."

"No! General Yan's safety is also very important. If there is a mistake, how can I explain it? People from the Datong Army must stay by your side for protection."

When the Datong army arrived in Leshan, they were assigned tents, but the tent that Xin Xiuyan lived in was particularly meticulous, and two eunuchs from Xichang came to serve.

How can this be a heroic dream fulfilled on the battlefield, that is, to be a princess in the military camp!

When Duan Zhi, Zhang Shan, Zhang Hu, Wu Dafu and others came to ask about the battle and mission, Xin Xiuyan was too embarrassed to speak directly.

Xin Xiuyan thought for a while and said, "Let's just... guide the refugees to reform and reduce unnecessary casualties."

Others didn't understand, but Duan Zhi was well known and said, "Manage prisoners of war?"

People are hard to tear down!

Xin Xiuyan took a deep breath and said: "We just recruited security, and the number of people is small, so we can't compete with the red shirt guards from Kyoto. I heard that they are the emperor's confidant team."

Wu Dafu said: "Isn't battalion commander Chen and the others responsible for managing prisoners of war? We are the main combat battalion!"

Xin Xiuyan said with a solemn face again: "The duty of a soldier is to obey! We must do our best to manage prisoners of war! It is gold that shines everywhere! One day the world will be our turn!"

Although the subordinates were disappointed that they could not get any credit, they would not question or complain about Xin Xiuyan. Besides, no matter how stupid they were, they knew that she was a concubine, and they had strong backing.