Yangyue

When Fang Wuzhu and Henry Zhang returned to the capital, it was already the time when summer and autumn converged.

Fang Wuzhu has been away for several months, and Henry Zhang has been there for nearly half a year. The streets and alleys of the capital are still bustling as before. Henry Zhang has already sent someone to report his return to the emperor in advance, and he will have to meet the emperor once he returns to Beijing. .

Fang Wuzhu rode on the horse, raised his hand to touch Henry Zhangyue's hair, and said: "You can go at ease, I will go back to the mansion first, and I have to make arrangements for the future affairs of the Qi mansion, and then I will go to the palace Pick you up at the door."

Henry Zhang nodded, and hurried towards the palace.

Fang Wuzhu returned to Qi's mansion, he returned to Fenzhou, nominally to go to the funeral, he naturally attended the funeral of his wife's mother's house, and he also wrote back to the mansion during the period, telling the people in the mansion that he would stay in Fenzhou for a longer time .

After returning to the mansion, the housekeeper of Qi's mansion and the servants took care of Fang Wuzhu. After all the etiquette was over, Fang Wuzhu called several housekeepers and younger brothers to the study, saying that he had something important to explain.

The younger brothers of the Qi family seldom saw the elder brother of the eldest brother on weekdays, and sitting in front of him was like sitting on pins and needles, and today they didn't know what to do to gather them here, and they felt a little panic in their hearts.

Fang Wuzhu looked at a room full of people who had no blood relationship with him, lowered his head and took a sip of the tea in the cup, and casually looked at the luxurious inner room of the Hou Mansion, thinking that he could really live in such a place for several years, now According to Huai'en's request, the settlement of the Qi's mansion has a beginning and an end.

Fang Wuzhu put down the teacup in his hand, and said straight to the point: "Tomorrow I will meet with the emperor, please cut off the position of marquis."

As soon as these words came out, the whole audience was shocked.

Everyone was stunned and speechless, and Xi He who was serving the tea was so shocked that he dropped the teacup, and the tea and teacup fragments spilled all over the floor. Fang Wuzhu said without changing his face, "The poisoning case a few months ago, Although the real culprit has been found, I have not been completely cleared of the crime. The emperor has already been very wary of me. My father died of illness, and I was originally granted the title of marquis by the emperor to appease the civil servants. My children will never have any more marquises. After this incident, it is even less likely that there will be a recovery. The Qi Mansion has stood in the imperial city for decades, and now it has no longer the foundation that my great-grandfather was still there. I can see clearly the situation in the court. Well, if I take the initiative to ask for an order to cut off the title, the Qi mansion can still have a stable life. If the emperor personally decrees, then the situation will be very different. This is also for the future of the Qi mansion. I have made up my mind, you guys There is no need to persuade any more."

Fang Wuzhu stood up from the chair and walked straight to the door. The third young master of Qi's mansion under the seat turned pale with fright. He is the most idle on weekdays, and he spends money like water. Those aristocratic sons and daughters see In terms of the face of being Lord Hou's concubine, he is very face-saving, and he is always greeted with a smile when eating, drinking and having fun.

Because of the injustice he committed a while ago, he was already very embarrassing among the children of the aristocratic family in Beijing. Now that he has finally been rehabilitated, the elder brother wants to ask himself to be demoted? !How unreasonable!Without this title, how would such a big family live their lives!

"Brother!" The third young master hurriedly stood up, ran behind Fang Wuzhu in two or three steps, grabbed his arm, and said with a pale face, "The emperor didn't blame me anymore! Why did you lose your title?! Qi The mansion has stood in the imperial city for decades, and it has been so hard to earn this title, how can there be any reason to abandon it?! Brother, if you do this, don’t you disregard your father’s hard work and the entire Qi mansion..."

Fang Wuzhu looked at him coldly, the third young master suddenly shuddered, only felt that the eyes of this person in front of him were different from what he had seen before, the deep eyes were quenched with sharp coldness, revealing hidden impatience Contempt and contempt, it didn't look like the eyes of a person who has lived in Zhongming Dingshi's home for a long time, but suddenly, the hairs on his body stood on end, as if his throat was pinched with both hands.

But in the next second, Fang Wuzhu laughed again, and returned to his usual appearance. He patted the third young master on the shoulder, unconsciously broke away from his hand, and said: "The third brother is not serving in the court. I can't see clearly, I do this, it's the only choice. To say something disrespectful, if the emperor turns over this old account in the future, and finds a new mansion where the hair falls... then I will really feel sorry for my father in the mourning hall Tablet."

Without waiting for the third young master's reaction, Fang Wuzhu left the main hall. The third young master of the Qi family wanted to marry Xi He by force last time, regardless of whether the little girl was happy or not.

As soon as he returned to the room, Xi He walked in quickly, followed by several housekeepers, everyone knelt down in front of Fang Wuzhu with a plop, Xi He cried with shaking hands: "Master Hou, what's wrong, Master Hou! Lord Hou just went to Fenzhou for a while, so why come back..."

"Get up." Fang Wuzhu said, "I told you, don't persuade me."

Xi He knelt on the ground in a daze for a while, stood up with the last wisp of tears, and said, "Master Hou, this servant knows that Master Hou must have thought about this matter carefully. I was scared out of my wits, if the emperor is determined to doubt Lord Hou, there must be no safe place for the Qi family from now on... However, the slaves are worried that the emperor will send Lord Hou to suffer like last time... ..."

The old housekeepers were also full of tears. They were not like the ignorant young masters in the mansion. Many of them had been working in the mansion since the old Lord Hou was still there. They had a clearer view of the situation in Beijing than others.

After reassuring everyone, Fang Wuzhu said to Xihe who was still staying behind to serve: "Xihe, my mother's family has an uncle who is in the rouge business, and there is a shopkeeper who is three years older than you , not yet married, good-looking, and a very upright person to be useful, and will not do such things as concubines and children, and both parents are old people who serve in the uncle's house, and they are very kind, I mentioned you to them I am very satisfied with the things I have done. After all the affairs in Beijing are over, I will move to the vicinity of Fenzhou. I remember that you are also from the village near Fenzhou. You can go back to your hometown and have a look. I will send you off at that time When you come to Fenzhou, you go to see the boy in that family. If you are all satisfied, you can go out from my mansion in Fenzhou. I will prepare a dowry for you. Then you can stay at my uncle’s house to work. I will definitely not wrong you."

Xi He was stunned for a moment, but he didn't expect that Master Hou had never forgotten what he had promised to him at the beginning, and two lines of tears rolled down his face: "Master Hou has great kindness to slaves."

"No, you have been in the Hou Mansion for so many years, even if the Hou Mansion loses, I will not treat you badly." Fang Wuzhu said, "When you work at my uncle's house, I will visit him occasionally. It won’t be gone anymore either.”

Xi He choked with sobs and said: "Yes, this servant misses Lord Hou."

For so many years of friendship between master and servant, Fang Wuzhu will definitely arrange a good place for those who are sincere to the Qi family.

As for other people, if they don't want to receive this kindness, then he doesn't have to bother.

In the royal study of the palace, the emperor looked at Henry Zhang who was kneeling on the ground, and said in a deep voice: "Have you already made a decision?"

Xiao Yangyue lowered his eyes and said: "Yes, the minister's intention has been decided, the emperor Xie has cultivated it for many years, but the minister's mind has been shaken, and it is not suitable to be the master of the Duckweed Pavilion."

A nearby eunuch held a gold and silver engraved token of the master of the Duckweed Pavilion on a tray. The emperor picked up the token and put it on the side of the table, saying: "I expected that you would come to me."

Henry Zhang was silent.

"Since this is the case, I will help you, Xiao Aiqing should really rest, as long as the martial arts thieves don't hinder the court's rule from now on, I will let you have a good life in the future." The emperor said, "You have to decide how to do it. "

"Yes." This is the last time Henry Zhang called himself a minister in front of the emperor, "I obey the order."

Henry Zhang pushed open the door of the imperial study room, and as soon as he got out of the study room, he saw Bai Yu standing outside the door, talking to a few guards guarding the door, with a somewhat anxious look on his face.

Seeing Henry Zhang, Bai Yu was stunned, walked forward quickly, opened his mouth, but hesitated to speak.

It has been less than half a year since the Master of the pavilion left. Bai Yu shared the responsibility of the Duckweed Pavilion in the capital with another personal guard envoy. The secret letters of the Lord of the Pavilion are often only a few words. I don’t know the specific situation in Fenzhou. Bai Yu was very worried, and often worried about the situation of the Lord Master and Lord Hou.

I haven't seen each other for half a year, and now the Pavilion Master and Lord Hou finally returned to the capital safely. Bai Yu heard that the Pavilion Master had seen the Emperor, so he rushed over without stopping, but what he heard outside the imperial study room was that the Pavilion Master had returned Lord token.

Henry Zhang looked at Bai Yu, without saying a word, just walked towards the door, Bai Yu also quickly followed him to the bottom of the steps, with a puzzled and anxious voice: "Lord Pavilion Master! Why do you want to... Duckweed Pavilion To be able to have today’s status, the Pavilion Master has devoted so much effort to this, how can..."

Henry Zhang rode on the horse, and said lightly: "Don't put the cart before the horse, the Duckweed Pavilion is the emperor's effort, not mine. Whoever is the master of this pavilion will serve the emperor."

Bai Yu stared at him blankly, then his expression darkened, and his words choked in his throat. With just this sentence, he knew that the Pavilion Master had made up his mind this time.

Bai Yu stepped on the horse without saying a word, and followed Henry Zhang at a leisurely pace. He was loyal to Henry Zhang and the emperor, and now he was at a loss between the two.

"I'm sorry for you." Henry Zhang said slowly, "You are my confidant in the duckweed pavilion, the emperor will not allow people close to me to hold high positions in the pavilion, you are a promising person, Just got involved with me."

Bai Yu was silent for a moment, and said: "My lord, if you hadn't promoted me from the low-ranking bodyguards... I wouldn't have any future. My subordinates are today because of my lord."

"Don't call 'Lord Master' and 'Subordinate' any more." Henry Zhangyue said, "You can continue to work in the Duckweed Pavilion with peace of mind. Although you don't have a high position, it can keep you worry-free in this life. I I will regard you as my trusted friend."

When Bai Yu heard this, her heart became sore and her eyes turned red.

In the distance, there was a carriage parked outside the palace gate, Henry Zhang took a look and knew it was the carriage of Qi's mansion.

Fang Wuzhu opened the curtain and stepped down from the carriage. Xiao Yangyue and Bai Yu stopped in front of him. Bai Yu got off the horse. He looked at Lord Hou, whom he hadn't seen for nearly half a year, and felt a lot of unspeakable bitterness in his heart. With complicated emotions, Lord Hou is still dressed in white, obviously unchanged, but Bai Yu feels that he seems to be farther away from him, becoming as unpredictable as a cloud in the sky.

Bai Yu has already understood what kind of feelings he has for Lord Hou, perhaps it is because of this that Bai Yu can no longer get close to him.

After thousands of words, Bai Yu finally just said: "Long time no see... Is everything alright, Lord Hou?"

Fang Wuzhu smiled slightly: "Naturally, thank you for your concern."

Lord Hou's voice seemed to be fine, Bai Yu felt a little relieved: "It's fine that Lord Hou is fine."

"You don't need to call me that anymore." Fang Wuzhu said with a smile, "I won't be Lord Hou soon."

Perhaps it should be said that he never was.

Bai Yu lost his voice in astonishment: "What Hou Ye said is..."

Xiao Yangyue also got off the horse, he glanced at Fang Wuzhu, turned his head and thought of Wuzhu's carriage above, but Fang Wuzhu stretched out his hand to grab his wrist, and said: "Come back on horseback with me, I'll go to your house .”

Seeing Master Hou holding hands with the Pavilion Master, Bai Yu suddenly understood everything, why the Pavilion Master no longer became the Pavilion Master, and why Master Hou said that.He stared at them blankly for a while, and after a sudden loss in his heart, what gradually came up was relief mixed with bitterness.

That's fine, the situation in the capital is uneasy, the pavilion master and Lord Hou will inevitably worry about each other, and worry about each other all the time, if they can fly away and not be alone, they will surely live a peaceful and happy life.

Afterwards, if it is difficult to meet them again, then he wishes that the Pavilion Master and Lord Hou will always be in good health and be with them every year.

"It's getting late, envoy Bai Qin, please come back." Fang Wuzhu looked at Bai Yu firmly, "I will never forget your kindness to me in the past, thank you."

A thank you is enough.

Bai Yuyin wiped away the tears in his eyes, and said with a relieved smile: "Yes, then I will leave here, Lord Hou, Lord Pavilion Master, be careful on the way home, from now on..."

Fang Wuzhu finally turned around and rode on the horse, turned his head and nodded slightly to Bai Yu, and left with Henry Zhang, the backs of the two gradually disappeared outside the palace gate at dusk, and the horse's hoof smashed into the setting sun.