Lang Jun is coming

In the literati's poems, the border always carries the endless desolation and vastness and the rise and fall of a dynasty's honor and disgrace.But at the border, the most profound thing is life and death.

The warm blood splashed on the face was in stark contrast to the biting cold wind.As if being scalded, Pei Lian watched in astonishment as Yujian fell from Zhou Rong's hand to the ground, and his armored body fell heavily.

The general who had been stationed at Yuguan fell asleep forever, but Heng Chao seemed to be shattered with a bang.

The carriage bumped violently, and Pei Lian finally woke up from the bottomless, cold dream.The coachman's slightly hoarse voice came.

"Excuse me, sir, get out of the car, the wheel is stuck on a rock."

Pei Lian was stunned for a while before he got up.

Leaving the border, even though it is late autumn, the weather is not bad.There are only two state capitals away from the capital, and the two of them can go back before early winter.

The soap boots stepped on the brittle dead branches, Pei Lian turned his back to the loess official road, and froze.

"The suicide was Zhou Rong's own choice. If there is a cause, there must be an effect, so don't feel guilty."

Song Yiqing stood by his side and accompanied him to look at the bare tree trunk, and comforted him slowly.

Since the acquaintance, the other party has always been confident and calm, and has never had such a quiet side.After only taking a nap in the carriage for a moment, his brows were furrowed and he couldn't find peace.

The coachman took out the stone that was stuck under the wheel and threw it aside, patted the dust on his hands and beckoned the two to pass.

When Pei Lian looked back, the sunlight pierced his eyes instantly, and the figure of the coachman could not be seen clearly.

"It's not guilt, it's just that the world is unpredictable, and the family and the country are in a dilemma." He sighed.

Zhou Rong chose the former between home and country.After being loyal to the Heng Dynasty for many years, he finally gained the reputation of a thief, and even his family members could not be saved.But from the moment he became the general of Yuguan, he had no choice.

The fate of Zhou Rong's relatives is fate, and other people in Yuguan also have relatives, and their fate is fate.

Even though Jiang Ye was afraid that Zhou Rong, who had broken his scruples, would come to haunt him after Mrs. Zhou committed suicide, but they couldn't hold back, so they took the initiative to retreat.But after that, Zhou Rong was in so much pain that he swung his sword and killed himself.When the court military officer was empty, he lost the general overnight.Even if Wang Ping has been transferred to Pingyang Pass, it is still not worth the loss for the Heng Dynasty.

After the two of them got into the carriage together and sat down firmly, Song Yiqing thought about Pei Lian's words of "the family and the country are in a dilemma", suddenly took his hand on his lap, and said stubbornly: "Although it is a dilemma, you can try your best to make it easy." Alright. I don’t want us to be the next Zhou Rong, that’s foolish loyalty. How the ending will end is all up to the individual.”

At this moment, Pei Lian realized.Song Yiqing is much more rational and sober than him.Perhaps the epitome of Song Fu's circling around, only wishing to be wise and protect his life, will have some influence after all.

Pei Lian remembered that his father had warned him many times. At that time, he thought he was omnipotent and complacent, and he was determined to do something great, and he completely disagreed with his father's point of view.Only now did he understand that what his father really wanted to warn him was never about the interests of the family, but not to be foolish and loyal, and to let go of what should be done.

The Chen residence was quiet, and the servant took a bowl of soup and medicine and walked through the long corridor hung with gauze lamps, until he stopped in front of a door, and pushed open the door with one hand.

The bedroom was pitch-black, he took out a fire pocket in the dark and lit the yellow candle, suddenly he was so intimidated by the person sitting upright by the bed that he almost dropped the medicine bowl in his hand.After regaining his senses, he was still in shock and asked, "Why didn't the Patriarch wake up and ask someone to light the lamp? The dew is deeper, so don't catch the cold."

During the day, when the servant went to the Meng Mansion to lead people, he was really frightened by the state of the Patriarch.Ben was thinking about how to make a fuss when he woke up, and thought about how to comfort him, but in the end he was surprisingly quiet, as if he wasn't the one who vomited blood from the pain.

Put the medicine bowl on the table for the time being, and when he got closer, the servant was amazed that the master calmly looked like a different person.

"What time is it?"

The outer gown had already been taken off by the servant because it was stained with blood. Chen Juncong stepped on the floor in his middle coat with only his socks on his feet.

The domestic servant was confused, afraid that this person was too sad or that his sanity had gone wrong, and replied without any temptation: "It's almost time, the master has slept all night after returning from Meng's residence."

After summer, the sky gets brighter and later day by day. Even though it is [-] o'clock, there is still no light outside.Chen Juncong got up and walked steadily towards the cabinet with gold lacquer flower and bird patterns.

The servant rushed forward, "What kind of clothes does the master wear, and the villain will get it for you."

Chen Juncong seemed to have never heard of it, and murmured to himself, "Today is the funeral. I remember there is some mulberry wine in the warehouse, just take it out."

Speaking of this, his throat seemed to be choked by a foreign object, the pain was severe, and his heart was so stuffy that he couldn't breathe.

The servant almost thought he heard it wrong, and repeated in astonishment, "Wine?"

When burialing, the relatives and friends of the deceased will go to the funeral and bring things with them at the same time. This is called a gift.Most of the etiquette and customs of the Heng Dynasty were inherited from the previous dynasty, especially gifts.According to the closeness and closeness of the relationship with the deceased, the gifts from friends are utensils, gold coins, silk and other things.But if there is a marriage relationship, the gifts are sacrifices and wine.

Not to mention the wine that the owner brought as a condolence gift was already shocking and speculative. As soon as the name of the wine came out, the servant almost concluded that he knew something unknown.

I don't know who is going to drink with Sang Luojiu this year.Ten thousand carry one bucket, and send the old friend of Xiaoxiang far away.If you don't get drunk, the doctor sang falls into the wine, which makes people helpless to part.

The mourning hall is located in the west of the main hall. Meng Ruanqing didn't have a standing painting, so he didn't hang a scroll. He only provided tablets and melons and fruits.Those colleagues in the DPRK and China who did not have any suspicions brought gifts with them.There are a lot of jade articles, gold coins, and silk pearls.The plain white gauze curtain vaguely isolated the mourning hall from the outside, but everyone could still see someone who came to express their condolences like them.

The Heng Dynasty paid attention to wearing plain clothes for funerals, and most of the people who came to express their condolences wore plain clothes.The man was wearing an ivory white gown.

Zhang Wenyu recognized the familiar figure, lowered his head slightly ashamed, but saw the man pause in front of the mourning hall for a moment, and then took off the square-toed shoes on his feet.He raised his head sharply, and his eyes fell on the jug of wine in the other party's hand.

"How could this be..."

"This is ridiculous!"

The people who came to express their condolences were tumbling, and even the housekeeper of the Meng Mansion didn't know what to do, and his expressions were changing and complicated.

In fact, there is another etiquette on the funeral, just because relatives need to be present.But Meng Ruanqing's parents and elders hadn't rushed to the capital for the funeral, and no one present was qualified, so they let it go.Unexpectedly, Chen Juncong did it.Whether it is emotional or reasonable, it is against the custom.

Zhang Wenyu's eyes turned red suddenly, and he buried his head and didn't dare to look any more.

As Meng Ruanqing's half teacher, Zhang Lequan sighed and shook his head, "Evil fate, it's all evil fate."

Going barefoot in the mourning hall is for relatives, and giving wine as a gift is for marriage.

The floor was not warm, so Chen Juncong walked up barefoot and knelt on the futon, and unsealed the Sangluo wine in his hand.One sip of the wine is not spicy, but the aftertaste is sour and bitter, and the rest is spilled on the ground.

Except for the old butler who followed from Meng's house and wept softly, most of the others had red eyes.Chen Juncong didn't cry either, he just clutched his chest and said a few words in a resentful tone.

"Brother Heng abandoned me."

In the evening, the mourners dispersed in twos and threes.Zhang Wenyu was left behind.He had sat in the Dali Temple Minister's seat for a few years, and he was able to interrogate extremely vicious prisoners with ease, but now facing Chen Juncong, who was clearly a gentleman, he felt apprehensive and fidgeted.When asked about the cause of Meng Ruanqing's death, he regretted it even more.

"I shouldn't have gone to Dali Temple first."

Zhang Wenyu lowered his eyes, "If there is no time to go to Dali Temple to bring people, Deputy Envoy Meng will be fine."

He only temporarily imprisoned the mob who broke into the Sansi Mansion that day, but he made Yushitai dissatisfied.Those who reprimanded Dali Temple filled the officials' desks every day.The people in Huaijing became even more angry.

The person behind the scenes provoked the confrontation between the government and the people, and secretly prodded for benefits. What a villain!

In resentment, Zhang Wenyu clenched his hands into fists and said affirmatively: "In the past two days, I have worked overtime with the Criminal Ministry to investigate, and the clues to the drought rumors all point to the Imperial College!"

He couldn't figure it out at first, but later he felt that this was reasonable.Playing with words, distorting facts, and inciting emotions are indeed the only means for those people.

Chen Juncong closed his eyes slightly, not as excited as Zhang Wenyu.There was a fierce aura exuding from the whole body.

"It is the old party that ultimately benefits from this matter. Since it points to the Imperial College, it is probably written by a student of the old party. There are many peaches and plums at present, but the chief executive Liu Hanqiu is nothing more than that."

These words are clear and logical.Zhang Wenyu not only did not feel relaxed, but his back was hairy.The reaction was fierce the day before, but today he was very calm and calm.According to the circumstances of Chen Juncong's condolences, the relationship between him and Meng Ruanqing is even worse.

Apart from this cold heart, there is only one reason.

Chen Juncong wants to push his back to death!

Even though the two are colleagues who don't have much contact with each other on weekdays, in Zhang Wenyu's impression, Chen Juncong is considered gentle, and he doesn't easily turn against others, let alone such extremes as putting people to death.

Beneath the calm face was a shocking hatred.

Zhang Wenyu stood up and said, "I will do my best."

Pei Lian and Song Yiqing really rushed back to the capital before autumn was over.It's just that before he could return home in the future, he was taken out of the house by Pei Yanfu without saying a word.

He had been away from Beijing for a long time, and he was forced to learn about Meng Ruanqing's death before he had fully digested the border affairs.

"How come!"

Even Pei Lian couldn't accept the sudden death of a friend who had known her for many years.Only Chen Juncong came to mind first.

During the bumping of the carriage, Pei Yanfu's face was dark and unclear under the light from the curtain, and his voice did not fluctuate.

"The court has been arguing endlessly. Although the officials have not stated their position, they have given a lot of gifts. Now that the coffin has been closed for five days, the students of the Imperial College mixed with the common people and went to the mourning hall because the mob who broke into the Sansi Mansion was detained by the Dali Temple .”

The direction they are rushing to now is the Meng Mansion.Pei Lian's throat slipped, and she asked in puzzlement, "Why would father..."

"Why would I allow you to come?"

Before he finished speaking, he was interrupted by Fu Weibu, the prophet Pei Yan, "In the final analysis, this matter is a dispute between the old and new parties. Yu Qing, you and Deputy Envoy Meng are good friends; Yu Li, even if I stop you today and forcibly separate the relationship, as long as you are The new party is the vortex, and it is impossible to get out of it in the future."

Pei Lian fell silent.

He understands all this.

Pei Yanfu raised his hand and rubbed Pei Lian's head comfortingly. The square scarf under his palm covered his neatly tied hair.It dawned on him that Yulang had been crowned a long time ago, an indomitable man, and no longer a simple and naughty child.

The father and son spend most of their time chasing after each other.In the eyes of outsiders, the father is not loving and the son is not filial.It is good not to use sticks on weekdays, but it is even rarer to speak nicely.

It should be really old, and the eyes and ears are soft.

Withdrawing his hand, Pei Yanfu said in a slow voice: "The matter is not yet settled, it's not easy for the officials to come forward."

He was on behalf of the officials to solve the situation.

The curtain of the mourning hall was torn, and the melons and fruits used for offerings fell to the ground.The students of Guozijian were aggressive and refused to give an inch.The people affected by the drought even threatened that they could not be buried safely, and the coffins were not worthy.

When everyone says something to me, people who can be overwhelmed by just spitting stars can't straighten their waists.One of the spiritual seats on which the coffin was placed collapsed, and one corner of the coffin was crooked and precarious.

"The new parties are all villains who disturb the court. Their morals are damaged, so there is no place for a proper funeral!"

A student held up the "On Suffering People" and said viciously.

But it is called a grand burial, but it is not worthy of the name. What was buried with him was nothing more than gifts from his colleagues who came to express condolences, and the most precious thing was nothing more than the jade cicadas that Meng Ruanqing said was bestowed by the government.

They are full of words to seek "fairness" and complain about "injustice".

Pei Lian never knew what a person would look like when he was forced to be cruel.

In the chaos, the brazier used for burning paper money was overturned, and there were still sparks in it. Chen Juncong pressed one hand into it, and the skin on the palm of his palm wrinkled ugly due to the scorching heat. He didn't realize it, let alone the pain. .

Chen Juncong held the gentleman's saber donated by someone unknown to his throat, his eyes were about to split open, and he screamed at everyone in the mourning hall.

"Kill me! Kill me!"