Jiannan Bian County, a great battle had just ended. This battle was the first major victory achieved by the Wei Dynasty after the confrontation with the Southern Barbarians.
Because the commander-in-chief listened to the advice of a laborer under his command.
The person who made the suggestion was Yang Si.
Yang Si had previously worked with the militia and the elite soldiers to achieve several small victories. The commander was concerned, remembering the reputation that Yang Sanlang had earned from being a lieutenant during the battle in Longyou, and immediately asked for advice. Now that the Wei Dynasty had won, who wouldn't be excited? !
Yang Sigang was praised by the commander, who said he would definitely promote him, at least to the rank of lieutenant. After leaving the tent, he saw the wounded and soldiers being transported to and fro in the military camp. Even though the battle was brutal, Yang Sigang couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief under the glaring sun.
He squinted in the sunlight and felt that everything was moving in a good direction.
It had been two years since Brother Lang's death, but he finally got rid of his depression and felt like he was alive again. And all this was because...
Yang Si grabbed the hand of a medical boy who ran past him and asked, "Where's Xiaozhou?"
The doctor turned around, pointed in a random direction, and said in a daze: "The girl seems to be over there..."
Yang Si couldn't wait, he released the people and ran to find Yan Xiaozhou. The war was over, and there were wounded everywhere. She was so kind-hearted that she would definitely follow her cheap master to the military camp to treat the wounded. Yang Si had a lot to say and a lot of expectations, and he couldn't wait to find Yan Xiaozhou.
He had a golden bell hanging from his waist, and he walked as fast as the wind, but the bell made no sound. However, she followed him with every step he took. Every time he looked back, he could see her gentle smile, watching him go.
She is the most gentle and fragile girl in the world! But she is also the most tenacious and invincible girl.
She came all the way from Chang'an to Jiannanbian County, and she stayed there for nearly two years in such a bitter cold. She never asked him for anything, and even when she first came, she didn't take the initiative to look for him. She just accompanied him silently, and her companionship was already a silent power... and now he could give her an answer!
While Yang Si was looking for Yan Xiaozhou, Yan Xiaozhou was also anxiously moving among the wounded in the military camp, looking for Yang Si.
She had never told anyone that she was afraid of war and blood. Every time a war broke out, it was a torture for her because she was afraid that Yang Si would get hurt, and every time she saw Yang Si, she was afraid that this would be the last time she saw him.
Swords and knives are merciless on the battlefield. A general is luckier than a soldier and has a lower chance of death; but Yang Si is now just an insignificant soldier.
Even if one has extraordinary martial arts skills, what use are they on a battlefield with millions of people?
She never got angry with him, never got upset with him, never quarreled with him... because every time, she was afraid that this would be the last time. She didn't know how Sanlang's parents tolerated Sanlang going to the battlefield, but she also knew that the man she loved was a great hero, born to be on the battlefield and born to fly in the sky.
She was just too weak. She was just afraid. She was ultimately humble, and she ultimately cared about him the most.
There was nothing wrong with worrying about him getting hurt, as long as she didn't pass on this anxiety to him and didn't let him worry about such trivial matters like her...
Yan Xiaozhou was looking for people everywhere in the military camp. Every time she saw a wounded soldier, her eyelids would jump slightly. The less she saw Yang Si, the more anxious she became. Just when she was at a loss, a hand reached out and grabbed her wrist. Yan Xiaozhou turned around and saw Yang Si's face.
Immediately, Yang Si saw sparks light up in the girl's eyes, like fireflies dancing and flickering over a clear lake.
Such a sudden bright light startled Yang Si.
Someone bumped into Yan Xiaozhou, and he came back to his senses. He turned his eyes away and didn't dare to look at her any more. Her beauty was so radiant, and he was afraid of making a fool of himself.
Yang Si grabbed Yan Xiaozhou's hand and went into a tent with food and grass to talk. As soon as they entered, Yan Xiaozhou put his hand on his arm and leaned over seriously. Yang Si froze for a moment and held his breath. Yan Xiaozhou looked him up and down, then he smiled with relief: "That's great, it's just a little scratch on your arm, I'll give you some medicine."
She turned around and was about to run out of the tent to find medicine.
Yang Si suddenly hugged her waist from behind and held her in his arms.
Yan Xiaozhou was shocked and stiff for a moment.
Her face instantly turned red, and she was nervous about being seen. They had never been this close before, but how could she bear to push him away? She was obviously happy in her heart, but she couldn't say no for a long time.
She was ashamed of her arrogance, but when he hugged her, his strong arms were around her waist, and his chest as big as a mountain was pressed against her back... She started to blush from her neck, but she just didn't want to push him away.
Yang Si looked down at her. Her eyelashes were trembling and her whole body was stiff. It was obvious that she was extremely nervous.
Yang Si said seriously, "Sister Xiaozhou, I saw some debris piled up under your feet, and I was afraid you might fall, so I helped you up. Why are you blushing?"
Yan Xiaozhou: “…”
She lowered her eyes and saw that the debris was still three steps away from her. She slowly pushed his hand, and he let go. Yan Xiaozhou looked back at him, looking up at his handsome face. She pursed her lips and smiled slightly.
Yang Si put his hand on her shoulder and said in a hoarse voice: "Silly."
Yan Xiaozhou blinked.
Yang Si: "My dear, you didn't even try to hide when your husband flirted with you?"
Yan Xiaozhou answered irrelevantly: "My second brother is the governor of Guangzhou, and he also holds the concurrent post of Tong Pingzhangshi. He is as high-ranking as a prime minister, young and promising, and no one looks down on him.
“My second sister-in-law is the Princess of Danyang. Half of the officials in the court listen to her. Even His Majesty, my second sister-in-law can exert influence on him.
"The guard who follows me is called Han Shuxing. He was given to me by my second brother. Although he is not from the Wei Dynasty, he is a skilled martial artist and can easily break gold and jade.
"Who in the world dares to mess with my second brother's sister? Who dares to mess with my second sister-in-law's sister-in-law? Who can be violent and bully me under Han Shuxing's nose? Is there really such a powerful man in the world?"
Yang Si stared at her.
He crossed his arms, leaned back, and said with a half-smile: "I dare you."
Yan Xiaozhou's eyelashes were as soft and gentle as willows brushing the water.
Yang Si said nonchalantly: "Your second brother is my good brother and buddy. Your second sister-in-law is my childhood sweetheart and we have had a very good relationship since we were young. Is Han Shuxing good at martial arts? I can't tell. I let him give me one arm, but he is still no match for me."
Yan Xiaozhou's lips curled up slightly, and he said innocently: "So I didn't dare to resist Sanlang?"
Yang Si raised his eyebrows.
The two looked at each other.
After a while, both of them smiled.
Yan Xiaozhou blushed, ashamed to stay in the enclosed tent with Yang Sanlang for too long. She pretended to be hot, fanned herself with her hands, turned her back and twisted her body, still wanting to open the tent and go out. Yang Si pulled her again.
Yan Xiaozhou was really annoyed this time: "What are you doing?"
Jiangnan women always speak in such a tender and soft voice, without any anger. Even when she is angry, she acts like a spoiled child, which makes people feel tender and loving.
Yang Si took off the golden bell from his waist and waved it in front of her. Yan Xiaozhou's eyes were attracted by it, and she looked at him in surprise. She trembled: "This is, this is..."
Yang Si: "I cannot wear a bell when I go to the battlefield, because the enemy can hear the sound. So I took out the small gold pill from the bell so that it could not make any sound."
He hooked his finger, and a small golden pill was thrown into Yan Xiaozhou's arms. Yan Xiaozhou opened his hand, looked at the golden pill, and then looked at the bell in his hand.
Yang Si felt sad when he saw her dumbfounded look. He said softly, "I have never thrown away the bell my sister gave me. I have kept it all the time... It has been nearly three years since I left Chang'an. I was reluctant to throw it away at that time, and I always thought about putting it off until the day before I got married.
"I didn't want to taint my love for my sister with my love for her. So I was determined to throw away the bell. And then, and then... that's how it happened."
His voice fell hoarse: "Before my sister came to Jiannan, I worked as a laborer here, repairing high walls. The numb work every day made me feel hopeless. To be honest with my sister, after Brother Lang died... I was really miserable. I grew up with everything going smoothly. There was nothing I couldn't get, and nothing Brother Lang didn't give me.
"It was the first time I witnessed someone close to me die like this. I realized that no matter how many things we worry about in life, in the end, they are nothing. Only my sister's bell accompanied me, and only the words my father said to me before he passed away made me remember. I don't want to let myself be defeated... If I fall, I will fail my father's expectations.
"Don't be a bad person, don't do evil things. Although I thought in my heart that I couldn't fall, I didn't know how to live. At those times, all I had left was my sister's bell.
"Then, my sister came. The first time I saw her in the military camp, it was no exaggeration to say that I felt like a whole spring had come. My sister stood on the hill and smiled at me, and I really felt alive. But I still didn't dare to get close to her. I knew that I was a criminal, but my sister was the biological sister of a fourth-rank official in the court. How could I implicate my sister and her family?
"And now, and now... I finally thought of a way!"
Yan Xiaozhou was so heartbroken when she heard him say this. She had the same strong empathy as her second brother. Yang Si just said this, and Yan Xiaozhou couldn't breathe. When she was in tears, Yang Si grabbed her wrist.
He was excited, his eyes shining: "This war between Wei and Nanman is my chance! I am useless in peacetime, but I can be useful in this period. As long as I continue to make achievements, the court will always see me and use me!
"The general just said that he would promote me to be a lieutenant. Sister, although because of my crime, the general can only give me a ninth-rank lieutenant. But this is just the beginning! I will climb up step by step. As long as I can fight, the central government will use me! I will go back to the way I was before."
Yan Xiaozhou looked at him tenderly. She looked at him glowing and murmured with tears in her eyes, "Yang Sanlang is really amazing."
He lowered his eyes: "And every time I go to the battlefield, I will wear the bell my sister gave me. It's like... my sister's heart is with me."
Yan Xiaozhou looked up at him.
Yang Si leaned down and stared at the tears on her eyelashes. He stretched out his finger and gently wiped them away, his face slightly brightened: "Silly sister, you don't know that military merit is the easiest way to get promoted. Your second brother got promoted by major events, and after a major war, I will be promoted faster than your second brother.
"When I become a general and the war is over, I will ask your brother and your father for marriage... Sister Xiaozhou, are you willing to wait for me and marry me?"
He held her face in his hands and looked at her intently: "I will never, never let you down... I will never take a concubine, and I will never mess around with other girls. I have experienced so many ups and downs, and now I just want the simplest happiness. I just want to marry you, are you willing?"
Yan Xiaozhou murmured: "I have been waiting for you for a long time... I will continue to wait."
Tears fell from her eyes, and a smile appeared on her lips. The camellia was fresh and fragrant.
Yan Xiaozhou stood on tiptoe and hugged his neck. She choked with sobs and smiled: "I will always wait for you to marry me. I will always wait for you to marry me."
Yang Si hugged her waist and held her against his chest.
Yang Si didn't have time to talk to Yan Xiaozhou. When the two were being intimate, they heard the sound of a horn outside. Yan Xiaozhou was frightened and thought that the southern barbarians had started to attack again. Yang Si tilted his head to identify them for a while, but smiled: "It's the officials from the central government! It must be like what the general said, the central government has come to confer an official title!"
Yan Xiaozhou was happy for him: "Can you become a ninth-rank lieutenant? That's great!"
The two were excited about this small ninth-rank official. After that, Yan Xiaozhou went back to take care of the wounded with anticipation, while Yang Size was called to the commander's military camp.
When Yang Si arrived at the military camp, his eyelids twitched slightly. He saw that the officials from the central government holding whisks were not ordinary military officials, but several white-faced and beardless eunuchs. The eunuchs glanced at Yang Si casually and recognized Yang Sanlang, who was well-known in Chang'an.
One of the eunuchs spat, "Why is he here too?"
The commander was a burly middle-aged man. He glanced at Yang Si fiercely and asked him to join the ranks of soldiers behind him. After Yang Si joined the ranks, the commander said, "This victory is thanks to Yang Chengzhi's advice. I was just about to ask the eunuch to give Chengzhi an official title."
The eunuch said sarcastically, "No need? Great Wei has many capable warriors. A young man in his twenties is just a child on the battlefield and is not that important. If we reward a traitor as an official, we are afraid that he will lead hundreds of thousands of troops to surrender to the enemy, which is not appropriate."
Yang Si had a blank expression on his face, pretending not to hear the eunuch's slander. He was finally different from when he was young.
He would no longer act on impulse, and would no longer take action immediately because of injustice. Because no one would back him up, no one would let him beat or kill people, and everyone would protect him to the end.
The murderer must pay with his life. Only at this age did Yang Si know what the real punishment was.
The commander's face darkened slightly, but he still suppressed it: "You are right, eunuch. May I ask, eunuch, what instructions do you have for the central government? Why is it that you are here instead of an official from the Ministry of War..."
The leading eunuch shouted, "We are here to represent His Majesty's will! Why don't you kneel down and accept his orders?"
The commander was stunned. Then he suddenly became excited, thinking that the emperor's direct decree bypassing the Secretariat showed that the emperor valued this war and himself!
In the meantime, all the soldiers in the tent knelt down. They heard the emperor's meaning: "Your Majesty has ordered that the Great Wei will make peace with the Southern Barbarians. The war between the two countries will not benefit the people. I cannot bear to see the people suffer. During the peace talks with the Southern Barbarians, the Great Wei shall not take the initiative to provoke war or attack.
"Just retreat! Don't let the southern barbarians misunderstand and think that we are the ones who are causing the trouble. I order you to do so."
The whole account was in uproar.
All the soldiers looked up in disbelief.
The commander-in-chief almost flew into a rage, but was stopped by the military advisor behind him and managed to hold it back.
The commander's face was gloomy: "Is this the eunuch's order? Your Majesty has no imperial decree? Is this really what Your Majesty meant?"
The eunuch said, "We dare not falsely pass on the imperial decree. This is what His Majesty wants. From today on, you all must cease fire!"
The commander shouted: "What will happen to all the soldiers if the fighting stops? What will happen to the hundreds of thousands of people in the border counties?!"
The eunuch rolled his eyes and said, "Didn't I tell you to retreat?"
Commander: "Once we retreat, our country will be taken by the enemy!"
The eunuch who delivered the message was impatient: "You have been losing all the time, what's the difference now? The Ministry of Revenue has provided you with hundreds of thousands of silver taels, but you are like a bottomless pit, and you don't see any return at all. The court wants to negotiate peace now, so don't interfere."
The commander was extremely angry.
He was furious and shouted, "We won this war! Wars can be won or lost, how can we give up just because of a short-term loss? How can I explain to the army behind me and the people in the border counties if my father-in-law tells me like this! If we retreat, what will happen to our country and the people's homes? Are we going to give it to the enemy just like that?"
The eunuch smiled wryly: "General, you are so arrogant. If you have the ability, you can win the battle right away. Why are you angry at me? I've already said that this is His Majesty's order. General, go and tell His Majesty."
The commander was furious. He was disgusted by the eunuchs' ugly appearance. He stepped forward and punched, but his fist was held down by the person behind him. The commander turned around and saw that it was Yang Si.
Yang Si whispered, "General, there may be other reasons behind the fight above. What can we do? Why don't we wait and see?"
The commander looked back at the officers in the tent. The atmosphere in the tent was depressing. He sighed and could only slump his shoulders.
-----
Yan Shang has always been concerned about the war in Jiannan Road. He also holds the position of Tongpingzhangshi, so even if he asks about the war, it is not considered as meddling in other people's business.
At first, he received news from Chang'an, but later he felt that Chang'an was too slow to transmit news to Lingnan, so he contacted Jiannan Dao directly. He had many friends in the officialdom, and some officials serving in Jiannan were old acquaintances of Yan Shang. After a few detours, Yan Shang easily contacted the main general who was currently commanding the war in Jiannan.
Jiannan and Lingnan are adjacent to each other, and the transmission of letters between Jiannan and Lingnan is much faster than the back and forth between Chang'an and Lingnan.
It was thanks to Yan Shang's recommendation that Yang Si was noticed by the commander.
Yan Shang knew about many of Jiannan’s wars through correspondence, and was no later than Chang’an.
As soon as the news of the complete ceasefire in Jiannan Road came out, Yan Shang learned about it through correspondence with the commander-in-chief.
At dusk, Yan Shang stood under the corridor of the mansion, staring at the heavy rain in a daze.
Mu Wanyao sat in the house, watching him through the window for two hours, and he was still standing there. Mu Wanyao couldn't stand it anymore, she leaned against the window and scolded him: "If you want to have a cold, just say it! Is there any need to go through so much trouble?"
Yan Shang turned around and looked at the beauty in the window.
Seeing that his eyes were full of red bloodshot from staying up late, Mu Wanyao felt soft in her heart and sighed, "Come in and sit with me."
Yan Shang entered the room and was pulled by Mu Wanyao to sit under the window. Mu Wanyao saw that he was frowning and said, "You have done your best by writing a letter to Chang'an every day. What else can you do? Don't think of yourself as a god."
Yan Shang looked at her with a slight hesitation in his eyes.
Mu Wan raised her eyebrows and said, "Just say whatever you want to say. You and I have been married for so long, why do you still need to be shy with me? Do you want to scold the emperor? I'll do it for you."
Yan Shang: "I...want to go to Jiannan."
Mu Wan shook her head and looked at him calmly.
He turned his face away, not daring to look at her. He whispered, "I'm afraid Jiannan's officials can't handle His Majesty. After all, he is the king. No matter how tough the Secretariat is, they are still his subjects. Whatever a king wants to do, as long as he really wants to, the officials can't stop him. I'm afraid if this goes on, Jiannan will really be sent away... Jiannan is so important, how can he be sent away?
"Besides, the war has only lasted two months. It is far from the time for us to admit defeat..."
Mu Wanyao interrupted his explanation and said, "Then go."
Yan Shang raised his head suddenly and looked at her in surprise.
Mu Wanyao smiled at him: "Second Brother Yan, I married you after I knew your ambitions and what kind of person you are. The problems between you and me did not erupt after marriage. What kind of person you are and what kind of person I am, we already knew before we got married."
She said bitterly, "You want to be a great hero, but am I willing to be just a villain to serve as your foil? I married Second Brother Yu Yan, not because I wanted to change you and make concessions for me, so that you would be stuck in the same place and unable to do anything. I married Second Brother Yu Yan because I envied him and wanted to be the same as you.
"You want to go to a dangerous place like Jiannan and put yourself in danger. I support you!"
Mu Wan's eyes were sharp and determined.
Yan Shang looked at her, then suddenly leaned over and hugged her. He whispered, "Will you go with me..."
Mu Wan shook her head and smiled: "I'm not going."
She smiled at him, "Why would I go there? I don't know martial arts, I don't know how to fight, and I'm not in good health. If I go there to show off to others how much we love each other, do I have to follow you wherever you go? That's ridiculous."
"I'm not going to Jiannan. I'm helping Brother Yan guard Lingnan. Jiannan and Lingnan are neighbors, and the Nanman army is strong. If the Nanman can't get anything good in Jiannan, they may come to attack Lingnan. Although the possibility is low, we can't take chances.
"I must stay in Lingnan and guard this place. I can't let Lingnan become an empty city and become a place that the southern barbarians can use, which will be a burden to my second brother Yan."
Yan Shang looked at her, holding her face in his hands, and whispered, "Write to me every day, be careful."
Mu Wanyao kissed his face gently, and she smiled with her eyes closed: "You too. No matter how busy you are, you must write to me every day. You know I care about you, and if I don't write to you one day, I will cry in anxiety."
Yan Shang smiled.
He sighed, "Yaoyao, it's time for you and me, husband and wife, to fight side by side again."
Listening to the sound of raindrops outside the window, my heart was very calm. People are so strange, as long as they think about being with him, they can be fearless of life and death.
Mu Wanyao hugged his waist coquettishly and said, "I like to fight side by side with my second brother.
"Now, let us think about it - how can Second Brother Yan be transferred to Jiannan under the nose of such a foolish and suspicious emperor."
-----
At this time in Chang'an, the emperor bypassed the Secretariat and sent eunuchs to Jiannan to deliver a message for peace talks, which finally broke out.
The opposition in the court was fierce, with the strongest opposition coming from Liu Xianggong and his student Yan Shang who was in Lingnan. Behind Liu Xianggong stood the noble families, and behind Yan Shang stood the humble families. The two opposed, almost all the noble families and humble families, and all the civil and military officials in the court followed suit.
Being at the core of the government, Liu Xianggong and several other eunuchs were so angry that they almost fainted. He suspected that the Ministry of War knew about this because the Minister of War... was a man of the eunuch Liu Wenzhi!
In the imperial study, Liu Xianggong was holding the memorial from Jiannan, his face was ferocious with anger. He stared at Liu Wenji beside the emperor and gritted his teeth: "The war has only lasted two months, why are we talking about peace? Where is the peace talk?! Are you sending Jiannan away by asking us to retreat?"
The emperor said calmly, "Sir, you misunderstood me. I would never do that. I just couldn't bear to see the common people suffer. I would rather endure the humiliation for a while and end the war. I only found out when Eunuch Liu brought me the memorial. In the past few months, there have been earthworms and floods in the country, and we are not at peace. If the war is not ended, the people of the world will suffer."
Prime Minister Liu: "We can't retreat! When we go to war with the barbarians, should we retreat every time? If we do so, won't the border states become disloyal and think that everyone in our Wei can control us?"
The emperor said calmly: "I know what's going on."
For a moment, Mr. Liu was speechless.
He looked at the indifferent clay-like emperor, and then looked at Liu Wenji. Liu Wenji smiled at him indifferently, and after trembling all over, Liu Xianggong calmed down.
After a while, Prime Minister Liu asked with difficulty: "Yizhou is also going to be ceded?"
Emperor: "Yizhou will not be ceded."
Liu Xianggong: "So you gave it away because you think the rest of Jiannan is too poor and can't pay much tax to the court? If that's the case, why not give up Lingnan and Liaodong as well? They're all...poor anyway!
"Anyway, no matter how important the military position is, it is useless in the eyes of your majesty! Your majesty was instigated by the traitors and only wants to sit back and enjoy the wealth and the fruits of his labor. In the eyes of your majesty, as long as it does not hinder your enjoyment, you can give up the other lands, right?"
The emperor slammed the table in anger and stood up: "How dare you! Is it your duty as a subject to speak to me like this?
"Whether you advocate war or peace is your personal opinion. I am the emperor, and I should make the decision on how this country should go. I stopped the war for the sake of the people in other states and counties in the country, and I did not want to drag them down. What have I done wrong? You are to blame for not being able to win the battle. If you cannot share your worries, then don't delay your important affairs."
Mr. Liu stared at Liu Wenzhi.
He murmured sarcastically, "I'm making a mistake."
It turns out that such a monarch can actually do great things.
Liu Xianggong: "Your Majesty, what is the most important thing to do, is to tour the country, or to repair the leaking palace? Or is it because you don't have enough beauties to enjoy?"
The emperor trembled with anger.
The emperor was furious: "Prince Liu, please be aware of your status! I am the Son of Heaven, and you and your students write to me every day to teach me how to govern the country. What is the meaning of this? Is the world mine, or yours? You look down on me with a stern face every day in the court, and your student Yan Suchen writes three letters a day to ask about the affairs of Jiannan. What do you mean?
“Why don’t you let this throne sit with Yan Suchen?
"Come here! Take Liu Xianggong away, remove him from his post, take off his clothes, and drive him out of Chang'an... drive him out of Chang'an!"
Liu Wenzhi's eyelids twitched.
How could a prime minister of a country be driven out like this? If Prime Minister Liu was humiliated like this today, the whole court would be in chaos tomorrow. If all the civil and military officials were in chaos, would the emperor be able to control it? Wouldn't he be pushed out to become the sinner for the emperor?
Liu Wenji knelt down and said, "Your Majesty, please forgive me! I just said something careless and I would never dare to offend Your Majesty..."
The emperor came back to his senses.
He also thought that he was too angry, how could he demote Liu Xianggong for such a reason. He was an emperor who was very clear about everything, and he knew that if he drove Liu Xianggong away, he would no longer be able to command the officials.
The emperor pondered.
After a while, another battle report came, saying that Hexi was defeated and the emperor was humiliated.
After a while, the emperor said sarcastically: "How about this, since Liu Xianggong wants to fight so much...why not go to Hexi to fight! As the prime minister of a country, I will at least let you be a general. Didn't Liu Xianggong say that I am useless and only know how to negotiate peace? Then Liu Xianggong, go and experience it yourself and teach me how to fight!"
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