Chiwuxing

Chapter Eighty-Sixth - One Day in Three Autumns, Returning and Farewell, Two Pigs and One Goose Meet at the Full Moon

For many days, the Red Armored Army and the Human Allied Forces were in a stalemate.The rapids in the middle of the Jinhe River meanders, the water surface is wide and deep, and it is close to the summer flood.And going westward, after breaking through the Huangling pass, there will be enough energy to cross the river southward, and then go straight to the imperial capital and enter the Yan Palace.

Therefore, all the cities of Chijia and Yiwei in Yannan had to be sent to Huangzhou to support the frontier war.The guards outside the imperial capital are empty, and everyone's hearts are affected by it, and they are worried and helpless.

The Yan Ting is still dominated by Ni Congwen with the power of the prince.Especially after the emperor and all the people in the inner court moved to Fenying, Ni Congwen even exempted from the etiquette of kneeling and worshiping, and set up a chair next to the crown prince, without any reduction in regulations.

All the officials of the imperial court said that if there were no other emergencies, the country of Yan would have to change its surname.It's just that the person involved didn't seem to be in a hurry, and instead took this opportunity to suppress the officials in the court.There were few eunuchs in the court, and when the emperor left, he even warned the officials that when the emperor died in the future, who should be in charge of the court.

"Uncle means to requisition food. If there is not enough food, the people will be recruited as soldiers?" The prince frowned, "Why not directly deduct it from the daily salaries of officials in the court? The treasury is tight, but it is not necessary to search for farmers Leftovers."

"To rule the world with the literati, not with the common people," Ni Congwen said leisurely, "Once the edict is issued, if the collection is insufficient, some officials will fill in the gaps, and if it is not good, they will have to increase the army. It is better than directly from these officials. Cutting flesh is much better. Your Highness has to weigh it carefully."

At that time, the prince issued an edict, ordering officials from all over the country to forcefully collect food and tax from the people in the fields, and the people secretly resented.

Seven days later, the frontier came to report that the Human allied army had sent a detour from the west city of Weizhou to detour.The officials in the court were terrified, Ni Congwen and the officials proposed to move the capital, the prince agreed, and moved south with the officials to Fenying one after another in secret.At the same time, soldiers and horses could be mobilized in the east city to support them. There was a stalemate for a while, and the foreigners didn't get any benefits.

The summer rain stopped, and the air in the house was humid.The hunched servant raised his hands to wipe away his perspiration, a cloud of melancholy sticking to his body together with his inner clothes, he was really uncomfortable.

"Your master said he had an idea, but in the end he was ready to let it go, and wiped out the entire Yan Kingdom and himself," Zong Zhengxi said angrily, "Is that why he couldn't hide?"

"The master didn't say it clearly, but the slave figured it out...that's exactly what he meant," Tong Xiu has always been neither humble nor overbearing in private, but she really lost her confidence when it came to this matter. I have prepared the imperial edict of the Chancellor Ni, and it has overshadowed the seal of the emperor. Several young princes in the inner palace are also planning to send them to the people according to the opportunity, so as not to be a target for others in the future... The master said it , if this is the case, at least it is not defeating Jiangshan under the name of the Zongzheng clan."

"Nonsense," Zong Zhengxi scolded in a low voice, "Even if you get out, it's not the way to get out."

Tong Xiu secretly raised her eyes to glance at the man, only to see a dark shadow sitting still, turned and lowered her eyes and said: "Your Highness, the master said that this is also to fulfill your plan."

"Fulfillment?" Zong Zhengxi's expression was unclear, "What did you accomplish for me? Tell me."

Tong Xiu was so excited that he could feel the chill through the screen: "I don't know... I think this is something the master and His Highness know."

Regardless of how much he really knew, Zong Zhengxi said: "Second brother is going to leave soon, and now that no one comes in person, you know that you don't have the confidence. You can tell your master when you go back, brothers make this kind of sacrifice. I don't care about it, and I feel deeply disdainful. I don't believe that he misunderstood me unintentionally. He has no intention of being emperor, but he can't be ready to leave at this moment. Everything has a beginning and an end. If you still want to listen to me, then listen If you don't want to listen, you can't control him right now. After all, whether he is defeated or not defeated is his business, but in the future, don't put all the blame on me."

"Yes, the servant must send the message to."

Zong Zhengxi frowned slightly, thought for a moment, and said again: "Does Shao Qian know what your master has been planning in private all day long?"

"You should... know the general idea," Tong Xiudao, "it's just that the master sometimes doesn't completely listen to Lord Shao's words."

"Call him here."

"This matter... should not be hidden from the master."

"You call him over first, he should be free at this time."

"Yes."

Tong Xiu took the order and didn't dare to delay, the other side of the East Palace remembered the time for him, the crown prince couldn't leave his own people, so he hurried out of the building to the government office to interrogate.

Half an hour later, Shao Qian came in a hurry through the rain. Although he had been an official for many years, he still had the Confucian bearing of a literati. He walked up to the screen and respectfully said: "Your Highness, Jin'an."

"There's no need to stick to etiquette," Zong Zhengxi said, "Can Tong Xiu tell you the reason for coming here?"

"Your Majesty has heard about it," Shao Qian said, "there are many eyes and ears in the East Palace, and I just ordered him to go back and guard it. If Your Highness has orders, you can speak to your ministers at any time. Please don't mind that the Crown Prince is unable to come out of the palace to kiss at this time." See."

These few words have a clear stand, Zong Zhengxi didn't know what he meant, and said: "Etiquette is not important, I just wonder if you know what the prince is thinking now?"

"The minister generally knows."

"What do you mean?"

Shao Qian raised his head and said: "His Royal Highness, the truth comes first. I can advise the prince on matters, but the real decision-making power is still in the hands of the prince."

"In my opinion, Ni Congwen is now at a time when he is full of ambition. If the crown prince wants to do official business, let him do more unrighteous acts, and accumulate faults for future crimes. At least it is understandable. Now Ni Congwen is uniting with Jiang Hua's The Ministry of Internal Affairs is involved in the government and the opposition, and it is impossible to take advantage of the opportunity to cause some major events at this time."

"I'm afraid that he's put too much now, and he won't be able to take it back in the future," Zongzheng Xi said, "What you said is not wrong at all, but if you stand in Ni Congwen's position, he will not be able to take it back in the future." Li holds the real power, but only a reasonable title is left. Foreign aggression continues, and the crime is naturally on the prince who is in power in name. Now he wants to send the Buddha to the West, and even implement this last step to be justified. Now, no matter how the barbarians and barbarians make trouble, I don't know, what is there to turn around?"

"No matter how tired he is of power and position, he won't give up the throne as soon as he encounters foreign difficulties...Have you considered what the common people, soldiers and civilians think? I didn't expect that, and you didn't dissuade me from this?"

Shao Qian replied: "Your Highness, the current difficulty lies in the urgent frontier war. Ni Congwen intends to take advantage of the foreign turmoil to seize power in the court, but once foreigners really invade, this power will be irrelevant to anyone. The Red Armored Army has a relationship with Ni Congwen, even if he is allowed to repel foreign enemies first, then it is not too late to discuss internal affairs."

"What's more, we are not completely useless in private. At present, all those who are involved with the Prime Minister's Mansion and the Eunuch Party have substantial evidence at hand."

"Oh?" Zongzheng Xi said, "It's easy to fake, but it's hard to find real things."

"Vulgar people have their own dirty ways to deal with it," Shao Qian said, "It's just that the foreign aggression is intensifying at the moment, does His Highness really have no way to resist it?"

"When a person dies, what do you think I can do?" Zongzheng Xi said, pursing his lips, "Ni Congwen, on the contrary, is related to his future and great career. We should believe that he has a way to overcome difficulties."

Shao Qian sighed and laughed: "When will you have to rely on your opponent's ability to compete in words and deeds... Speaking of which, His Highness should not be a person who is willing to be passive."

"Shao Qian, you are in the middle of the game and don't see the whole picture," Zong Zhengxi pointed out, "Ni Congwen is dredging the financial power of the Privy Council and gathering the people to pay taxes. He is the person who is most afraid of missing opportunities. If you say You used to be an official in the court for several years, now it's time to recognize and act, but you can't just muddle the water like before."

"His Highness reminded me," Shao Qian said, "sometimes the water gets too turbulent, and the mind sometimes becomes blunt."

"Let me ask you, if the prince really wants to abandon the throne in the future, what do you plan to do? Support the young master, do what Ni Congwen did today, and become a tyrant?" The man's tone was calm, as if talking about gossip.

Shao Qian sighed silently, then smiled and said: "...If your Highness were me, how should I choose?"

"This difficult problem seems difficult but it is not difficult. The solution varies from person to person," Zong Zhengxi said, "As long as you recognize the obsession in your heart, you will not be in a dilemma."

"What about His Highness's answer?" Shao Qian insisted on asking.

"Now," the man lowered his eyes, and brushed off the invisible dust between his knees with his right hand through the holster, "I will choose to abandon my official position, let my family and country change, and only follow my private wishes and be with the people I want."

King Yu has been treated coldly by His Majesty for many years, and he has been willing to guard the border for [-] years, but he is still half-crippled and unknown today. Shao Qian can naturally taste some of his current suffering state of mind, but it is different for him: "I don't want to hide it from Your Highness. Over the years, in order to avoid disasters, I have done those unscrupulous things. Naturally, I have been rewarded with fame, wealth, and splendid food. But if I really want to ask for it now, it means fulfilling the promise I made at the beginning. At least as an excuse to make excuses for the wrong things he has done over the years, and he must be consummated."

"You are honest."

"Master Feng asked himself to resign from office half a month ago, and the minister was in a trance for a long time," Shao Qian said, "over the years, if you say that among Master Xie's students, Feng Boyong is the most upright and stubborn, and I never thought that he would be defeated midway Come, take the initiative to withdraw."

"What he doesn't have is your benefit," Zongzheng Xi said, "It's extremely easy to break, and you have to hit a wall and be frustrated wherever you go."

Shao Qian sighed: "I used to admire this kind of people the most, and I couldn't get there, and I couldn't."

Zongzhengxi didn't talk to him, and let Ren Shaoqian say a few sincere words.When he was leaving, he said to him: "I will see the prince in the future, and tell him that I will do my best if I have a share of personnel. Don't be easily discouraged. I can't say how strong the big swallow is, but it will definitely live longer than Ni Congwen's Yang life." Go up."

Shao Qian responded with a salute, and said again: "Your Highness has written down all the ministers said, but I don't know that the schedule for moving the capital is tight, what will Your Highness plan?"

"I have my own plans for this, so don't worry about it."

"Yes," Shao Qian said, "If your highness is inconvenient, please come to your servant immediately and try your best to treat each other."

"Go."

Shao Qian went downstairs from this remote post house, boarded the carriage parked along the street, and walked away.

The movement of his figure was reflected in the eyes of a person listening to the song in Washe on the street. Seeing him walking away, the person got up and left his seat, hurriedly crossed the street and alley, and entered the same post house.

He knocked on the door twice symbolically, with a very soft voice.

"Enter."

The young man opened the door and entered. The man was looking at the map at the table, when he raised his eyes.

Fu Chen bowed and moved the unsightly screen to the corner, while looking for a chair to sit on.I haven't seen him for a few days, so I watched his expression secretly: "When I came here just now, I saw someone in the room, and I was waiting below... Who is that person? Is it reliable for His Highness to meet him in private?"

"Shao Qian, smart man," Zong Zhengxi said, "it's okay even if other people know that I'm still alive. At this time, no one has the time to take care of me. But you have to be careful. Most of Ni Congwen's spies know about it." You, if you secretly reveal your identity at this time, it is inevitable that someone will speculate on your intentions."

"I know."

"It's been so long," Zong Zhengxi said, not ignoring the weathered look on his face, "Abducted to another place?"

Fu Chen first told what happened in the Qiuming Villa, and returned to the Imperial Capital from Jiangzhou westward. This journey has not stopped for half a month. On the way, he heard that there was another army invading from the west. Before tea, he went to a few Chu Xicheng inquired about the situation in private.

"...The army that came across the mountain is the Hulan army led by the Hulan tribe. It has suffered a lot of defeats at the edge of the west city," Fu Chen said, "On the contrary, Tang Lan's army in Jiangbei was pinned down by the barbarians. Come on, stop making big moves at this time."

Zongzheng Xi said: "According to Fuxuan's suspicious nature, it is natural that the Hu people should be the first to explore the way. And no matter what deal he made with Ni Congwen and the others, once he gets fat, he will not let it go easily. Let’s see if Ni Congwen is blinded by the utilitarianism in front of him in the future, and he can wake up a bit.”

"I suspect," Fu Chen said in a deep voice, "the barbarian army is now fighting alone in Yannan, and the barbarian army and the stubborn Yan army are also deadlocked waiting for this opportunity, which is the opportunity that Ni Congwen is also thinking about waiting for now. .”

"You want to add fire to them?" Zong Zhengxi saw through his thoughts at a glance.

Fu Chen raised his eyes and asked back: "Your Highness, if you were given a choice between the Yan people and the barbarians, which would you choose?"

When he blurted out the question, he also had the answer in his heart, but he selfishly wanted to force the man.

Both of them are of mixed Yanman blood, but he lived and wandered in the border town with his barbarian mother since he was a child, and he didn't have any deep connection with the local friendship.But Zong Zhengxi is completely different. He was born in Yan Palace and has been a military general who has confronted the barbarians for many years. He has the responsibility of his family and country in his heart. Trapped with pride.

Zong Zhengxi was silent for a moment, but did not answer directly: "You want to mobilize the Hu army from Le Jin to provoke the Yanbei Yan army in the name of the Hulan tribes, and then destroy Ni Congwen's plan?"

"Your Highness is wise," Fu Chen said, "What's more, as His Highness said just now, Fu Xuan already has that kind of ambition. If it really stirs up conflicts between the two parties, it's just a matter of smooth sailing, and they haven't been wronged."

"Ni Congwen's movements will be faster than yours." Zong Zhengxi concluded.

"...It doesn't matter how far he can go," the young man's tone was mixed with wild determination, "Anyway, the ending will not change. The higher he climbs now, the worse he will fall in the future."

Fu Chen said again: "Your Highness, once the turmoil spreads to Weinan, the imperial capital will still be the bull's-eye on the bright side... I thought that His Highness can go to Qiuming Villa to resettle at this time. Camping over there will not be in any danger for the time being. Although Jin Duo is a smooth person, he is not ignorant of right and wrong, I will inform him in advance, and he has a way not to leak the news."

"No," Zongzheng Xi said, "I will follow to Fenying."

Fu Chen wanted to question again, only to hear the man continue to say: "I choose neither of those two outcomes."

"Fu Chen, until now, there is no need to doubt or test my persistence in this matter. Between you and me, this step should have been avoided long ago."

Fu Chen's heart trembled, and he said: "I don't doubt His Highness's intentions, it's just that when things come to an end, I don't want His Highness to do something completely against his heart... If it's too far-fetched now, if we look back in the future, we may regret it... "

The young man's hoarse voice hangs down with his head: "...I don't want you to walk the same way as me, you and I are different after all..."

The shouwu scarf to conceal her appearance was torn, and a few strands of pale and colorless curly hair fell out.At the place where the mind wandered, the man thought that there should have been three hairpins there.He had noticed this characteristic when he was in the valley before. He had never told the young man that the person with three spins on his head was the rarest, and his temper was the most stubborn. This old saying is true.

Zong Zhengxi resisted the urge to stretch out his hand, half-closed his eyes and said: "The general trend of the world is divided and rises and falls. Yan Ting's decay and decline are irreversible. I don't have the ability to turn the tide, and I don't have the ability to repay the blame with virtue." Tolerance, I can only follow the trend and return the people to a stable life as soon as possible. When Yan is about to end, the only thing I can do is to save a few younger brothers in the palace and retreat, and the rest is beyond my power. "

"As far as barbarians," Zongzheng Xi said, "Fu Xuan has talents and few virtues, so he is not a good master."

Feeling that the young man moved, but still lowered his head, he said again: "I'm going to Fenying, waiting for you to lead the troops in person."

Only then did the young man raise his head, his pupils were blurred, but his voice was unwavering:

"it is good."

"Come here." The man called.

The young man got up and stepped forward as he said.Although he couldn't keep up with the food and drink in the past two years, he has been practicing martial arts for a long time, and his stature has also grown.When standing alone in front of the man, there is already an imposing aura.

Fu Chen lifted the corner of his robe with his right hand, knelt on one knee beside the stainless steel wheelchair, raised his head and said, "Your Highness."

Zong Zhengxi took out something from the side table drawer, held it in his hand, and first raised his eyes to look at the young face nearby——

The color of the navy blue clothes makes the face heavy and handsome, and the eyebrows are more slender from the end to the tip. If a woman draws this eyebrow, it will have a delicate and charming charm. If it is placed on a man, it will show a sharp and arrogant look.

Zongzheng Xi narrowed his eyes and handed out the object in his hand: "This is for you."

Fu Chen took it, it was a red copper mask.

"This time to go through the war, you can let go of your hands and feet."

This face is heavy in the hand, without too many decorations.There are only a few circles of cloud-shaped chaotic lines above the eye sockets, black copper plated with silver, like the glaring eyes of a fierce beast, and the wrinkled eyebrows rolled up in circles.

He raised his hand to caress it, feeling a surge of emotion.In a blink of an eye, he took off the black scarf half covering his head, put on the mask, and there were layers of white snow flowing behind him.

"...Is this the one His Highness used on the battlefield before?"

"At the beginning, Jia Yun sent it into the tomb with the coffin. This one was made by me according to the original style."

As the young man lowered his head and moved, the hair that he was thinking about just now appeared in front of his eyes, Zong Zhengxi was still defeated by the impulse in his heart, and raised his hand to cover it.

The young man froze all of a sudden and did not move.

Through the mask, Zong Zhengxi couldn't see the expression on his face.He stroked his pale hair with his hook fingers, his heart that had been silent for a long time warmed up, and leaned slightly closer: "Do you know that you have three hair twirls?"

Fu Chen tilted his upper body forward due to his outstretched hands. He didn't dare to touch the man's legs. With nowhere to put his hands, he had to barely grasp the steel edge of the wheelchair. His posture was weird: "...I don't know."

He added: "Who can see what is on the top of their head for themselves, even to others, they will not easily bow their heads and show their necks to others."

After a while, a deep voice came to my ears again: "Fat Xuan is blessed with good luck and smoothness. It is rare to have three people with Fa Xuan, and they can turn danger into good luck in adversity and danger."

Fu Chen smiled and responded, "Okay."

"The steep path turns out to be the right time at the end," Zong Zhengxi pushed him closer, and said, "Fu Chen, it's time for you to win, and you won't lose."

The smile under the mask gradually faded, Fu Chen pursed his lips and replied, "Okay."

The man did not speak again, and the two fell into silence.

Fu Chen intuitively felt that he should take the initiative to say something, but it was only before the incident that he realized how clumsy his tongue was.Leaning stiffly for a long time, he opened his mouth and said: "...the next time we meet, it will be the time to overthrow the country."

"Can I come back before Mid-Autumn Festival?"

Fu Chen lowered his eyes and said in a hoarse voice: "...Does Your Highness want me to come back before the Mid-Autumn Festival?"

At this time, the Mid-Autumn Festival is less than four months away from the full moon.

The man slid his hands from the top of his hair to the nape of his neck, gently brushing away the strands of curls stuck to his neck due to sweat: "Come back before Mid-Autumn Festival, I will grant you a wish."

Breathing can be heard, even through a cold mask, it can't withstand the sharply rising temperature.

In the scorching summer, a layer of hot sweat has been squeezed out of the cold steel tightly clenched in the palm of his hand. Fu Chen took off his mask tremblingly, and turned his moist eyes to the person next to him:

"……it is good."