Chapter 296 The Man Who Protected the Capital (Two Chapters in One)
Among the parents of these naughty children, the Earl of Changping is not the one with the highest honor, but he is the most powerful.
He is in charge of the five major camps of the Beijing Guard!
The Five Battalions of the Imperial Guard were founded by Taizu. They are the East, West, South, North and Center battalions, each with 5,000 people, totaling 25,000 people. Except for the Center battalion which is located in the capital, the other four battalions are stationed outside the city. For more than a hundred years, the capital of Dayong has been impregnable, and the Five Battalions of the Imperial Guard are the last barrier of the capital.
The one who is now in charge of the five battalions of the Beijing Guards is the Earl of Changping.
The Changping Earl's Mansion had married two princesses. When the Great Yong Dynasty was established, Taizu's third daughter married the Changping Earl's second son. During the reign of the previous emperor (the father of the retired emperor), he married another daughter to the then Changping Earl's eldest son. The son they gave birth to is the current Changping Earl.
The princess's biological mother had a low rank and died early. The princess was raised by other concubines and was not valued since childhood. She was often bullied by her adoptive mother and sisters, which made her develop a cautious character. Even after she set up her own household, she was still worried and anxious. Not long after giving birth to the Earl of Changping, she died of depression.
After the princess died, the old Earl of Changping did not dare to remarry, and only took a concubine, who was in charge of the affairs of the harem.
As the son-in-law of the princess, the old Earl of Changping had nothing to do. After the princess died, he no longer had the job of accompanying the princess. With nothing to do, he went to the Taoist temple with his friends several times, and then became a frequent visitor there. Later, he simply used his own money to build a Taoist temple, and usually lived in the Taoist temple, and even did not return to the Earl's house.
He did not go home for many years, leaving the rear house to his concubine and the upbringing of his son to his old mother.
The Earl of Changping was the son of a princess. He was spoiled by his grandmother, his father was in hiding, and his aunt did not dare to control him. He developed a domineering character at a young age. When he got into trouble and made trouble in front of the palace, although his uncle, the retired emperor, protected him, it was not a long-term solution. He simply sent the fourteen-year-old Earl of Changping to the military camp and was not allowed to return to the capital without an imperial decree.
Changping Bo had been gone for twenty years. He had transformed from a lawless little tyrant into a general with outstanding military achievements. It was not until six years ago when the old Changping Bo ascended to heaven in a Taoist temple that he returned to the capital to inherit the title.
Changping Bo had been away from the capital for twenty years. Although the old Changping Bo was still in the capital, he had spent most of his life in a Taoist temple. The father and son perfectly staggered the change of dynasties.
The most important thing is that it was the retired emperor who did not allow him to return to Beijing, but it was Emperor Yongjia who ordered him to return to Beijing to inherit the title.
The Earl of Changping originally thought that he would never be able to return to the capital in this lifetime. He had long been prepared to let his eldest son inherit the title before him. He never dreamed that in his lifetime, he would not only be able to return to the capital, but also inherit the title.
Emperor Yongjia was very kind to him.
At this time, the Earl of Changping was only 34 years old, in the prime of life and full of energy. Emperor Yongjia liked young ministers like him who had no actual relationship with the emperor's dynasty.
Undoubtedly, the Earl of Changping fully meets the requirements.
Even so, Emperor Yongjia observed for another year. A year later, the Beijing Guards had a new commander-in-chief, who was the Earl of Changping.
The Earl of Changping had three sons, and the youngest son, Song Jing, was born in the capital.
When his grandmother was seriously ill, the Earl of Changping asked his wife and two sons to return to the capital to take care of her. It was only when his wife returned to the capital that she discovered she was pregnant. From the time his grandmother became seriously ill to the end of the mourning period, a full two years passed. Song Jing was born in the capital. After the mourning period was over, his two elder brothers studied in the capital, and he also stayed in the capital with his mother. It was not until many years later when the Earl of Changping returned to the capital that the father and son met for the first time.
At that time, Changping Bo discovered that this youngest son was not only not close to him, but was also as naughty as he was when he was a child.
However, he had never taken care of his youngest son since he was a child, so he felt unequal in disciplining him.
More importantly, he was reluctant to inflict the suffering and pain he had experienced on his son, and was reluctant to send him to the military camp, so the most severe punishment he gave to Song Jing was to beat him up and not allow him to play with Xiao Yue.
In this regard, Changping Bo never felt that he had done anything wrong. No one would want his own legitimate son to play with a concubine's son.
Changping Bo never imagined that one day, this concubine would put him in an unprecedented crisis.
He contacted several other families as quickly as possible. Everyone agreed that the truth that Zhao Guanyue was Xiao Yue would reach the ears of Emperor Yongjia within three days. Even if they didn't say it, someone would find out the truth and report it to the emperor.
But this truth must not be told by the troublemaker in their own home, so after discussion, everyone decided that the most urgent thing was to send the troublemaker away from home.
As expected, the Jinyiwei came to the door, but they had already left. The family members didn't know anything when they asked. It was because my child was so naughty. It would be strange if he stayed at home obediently.
Song Jing is gone, but this matter has not yet been turned over.
Changping Bo tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep for a long time.
The lady also couldn't sleep. With something like this happening, it was destined to be a sleepless night.
"What do you think the Emperor is going to do? Is Xiao Yue really just Prince Consort Xiao's concubine?"
This question lingered in both of their minds, and only at this moment, when they were alone as a couple, did the wife dare to ask it.
"Do I need to ask? Definitely not. I suspect he is the flesh and blood of Emperor Xiaokang." said the Earl of Changping.
When Emperor Xiaokang died, the Earl of Changping was still fighting at the border. Later, we only knew that there was a change of person on the throne. The crown prince died, so the second prince succeeded to the throne.
This was not something he should care about. It was not until he returned to the capital that he learned about some of the events of that year from his wife's mouth in bits and pieces.
But the lady was just a woman in the harem, and what she knew was only what was on the surface. Although the Earl of Changping had some doubts, he did not inquire further.
Although he was the son of a princess, his biological mother had passed away decades ago. The only interaction between him and his royal relatives was that he was ordered by his uncle, the retired emperor, not to return to the capital. Apart from that, there was nothing else.
Therefore, he never considered himself a royal relative, nor did he care about royal affairs.
But now, just because his youngest son used to be friends with Xiao Yue, the Changping Earl's Mansion was targeted by the Jinyiwei, and the Changping Earl couldn't help feeling aggrieved.
The lady said, "Why don't you find an excuse to go back to the garrison? I'm just a girl from the harem, and the Imperial Guards won't make things difficult for me."
He sighed and said to his wife, "With the Emperor's return, the capital will surely be bustling for a few days. I absolutely cannot leave at this time. Since the Imperial Guards have been to our house, I must also go and inform His Majesty. No one can escape at this time."
At this moment, there was a strange noise coming from the window frame. Changping Bo was a military general and reacted quickly. He signaled his wife to hide, and he drew out the sword that he had always kept under his pillow. He walked to the window quietly and pushed it open suddenly. With the sound of a cat's cry, a shadow jumped away quickly.
Changping Bo breathed a sigh of relief, it turned out to be a cat.
The two guards heard the sound and rushed over: "Master!"
Changping Bo shook his head: "It's nothing, just a wild cat."
As soon as he finished speaking, there was another cat's meow, and then the cat jumped onto the windowsill again, staring at Uncle Changping with its round eyes.
Changping Bo frowned: "Is this cat from the mansion?"
The guards were also unsure. There was a cat in the mansion, fed in the kitchen, that caught mice, but they had never paid attention to it and could not be sure if it was this one.
"My Lord, please go to sleep. I will chase the cat away."
Changping Bo nodded and was about to close the window when the cat jumped in first.
The guards wanted to drive the cat away, but they couldn't break in because the lady was still here.
Just when I was at a loss, my wife's voice came from the room: "This cat is very clean. It's late at night, don't bother with it."
After all, they had been married for many years. Earl Changping noticed something strange in his wife's words. He waved his hand and asked the guards to leave. He closed the window and walked back to the bed.
The lady was sitting on the edge of the bed, and the cat was sitting on the stool beside the bed.
The lady pointed at the cat and said to Earl Changping, "Look, the cat has a purse tied around its neck."
The color of the purse was very similar to that of a cat's fur, and it was night time, so when it was in front of the window just now, neither the two guards nor the Earl of Changping noticed it.
"This..." Changping Bo hesitated for a moment and reached out to pick it up, but the cat raised its hand and scratched it with its claws, leaving three scratches on the back of Changping Bo's hand.
He was furious and was about to draw his sword when his wife stopped him: "This cat is soft-hearted and doesn't respond to force. Let me do it."
She thought for a moment, then looked around. There was no food in the bedroom, and she didn't want the maids to notice, so she simply took a piece of tassel from the dressing table and said softly to the cat, "How about we trade? Give me the purse, and I'll give you the tassel."
Changping Bo: "The cat doesn't understand, why are you talking to it?"
Before he could finish his words, the cat actually used its claws to take the purse off its neck!
The Earl of Changping opened his mouth in surprise, and his wife was also shocked, but she reacted immediately and hurriedly handed the tassel over. The cat stretched its neck and asked her to put it on.
The lady put the tassel around the cat's neck. The cat raised its head, meowed at her, and rubbed its little head against her hand, obviously very satisfied with her actions.
Then the cat jumped onto the windowsill, turned around and called out to them again. The lady pushed Uncle Changping, and Uncle Changping finally reacted. He walked to the window and pushed it open from the inside. The cat jumped out and disappeared into the night in an instant.
Changping Bo didn't close the window until he could no longer see the cat.
The couple looked at each other and saw shock in each other's eyes.
After a long while, the lady said, "Take a look at this purse."
In the purse was a letter folded into a square. When Changping Bo opened the letter and took a look, his expression became more and more surprised.
The lady hurriedly asked, "What's written in the letter?"
Changping Bo said: "Ajing is in Shiji Mountain..."
The lady's head buzzed: "Who, who arrested Ajing?"
Changping Bo said in a deep voice: "Xiao Zhen, Xiao Zhen asked me to meet him at Su Ji Tea Shop."
The lady was stunned for a moment, but then she calmed down.
"Xiao Zhen and Xiao Yue are brothers, and...and Emperor Xiaokang's son are cousins. He came for Xiao Yue, my husband. He won't hurt Ajing, right?"
Changping Bo patted her shoulder and comforted her softly, "Of course not. Ajing is the same age as Xiao Yue. He is still a child. Who would have the heart to hurt him? Besides, if it is really as we think, and Xiao Zhen wants to win us over, he will definitely not hurt him."
The wife breathed a sigh of relief, but she pulled on the sleeve of the Earl of Changping again: "My husband, Ajing has lived with me in the capital since he was a child. It's the same whether he has a father or not. The reason why he plays with Xiao Yue is because he is often said to be a fatherless child. He and Xiao Yue are both bullied, so the two of them play together. My husband, you ignored him all those years, so he was regarded as a fatherless child. Now that you are back, you can't ignore him. Although he doesn't have to set up a household, he is still our son! If anything happens to him, I will not live either!"
Changping Bo had been without a mother since childhood, and even if he had a father, it was as if he had no father at all. This was a regret that he could never make up for in his entire life.
The lady knew him best, and every word she said hit the most sensitive part of his heart.
Before daybreak, the back door of the Bo's house opened, and as usual, the night incense collectors came. Servants from each room and courtyard came out carrying toilets, and the back door became bustling for a short time. After a while, the mule cart carrying the night incense left, and the back door closed again.
No one noticed that a man came out from among the servants and took advantage of the chaos to quietly leave from the back alley.
The Earl of Changping knew that the Jinyiwei could not be dismissed with just a few words, and there must be someone following him near his mansion. However, he was a battle-hardened general, and it was not difficult for him to leave the mansion without being noticed.
Half an hour later, he appeared outside Su's Tea Shop.
The teahouse had not yet opened. Changping Bo was wearing the coarse cloth clothes that a servant wore, and the cool wind made him feel a little thin. Changping Bo sneezed several times, and two big snots hung under his nose.
Just at this moment, the door of the teahouse opened, and a boy of about fourteen or fifteen years old stuck his head out and saw the big snot on Changpingbo's face.
The young boy's mouth twitched. This guy is too dirty.
"It's not open yet. If you want to buy tea, come back in an hour."
Seeing the young man about to close the door, Changping Bo hurriedly said, "My son's name is Song Jing!"
The young boy had obviously been given instructions beforehand. When he heard the name "Song Jing," he looked him up and down with an expression of disbelief: "You said your son's name is Song Jing? Isn't Song Jing's father a high-ranking official? You don't look like him, do you?"
Which high-ranking official has a big snot hanging from his nose?
Changping Bo was anxious, he really was!
He quickly took out a sign and said, "Give this to Xiao Zhen."
The young boy looked at the sign, turned and went in. After a moment, the door opened again: "Follow me."
Changping Bo breathed a sigh of relief and quickly followed him in.
This young man was Shuisheng, the adopted son of Qian Zhizhou.
Xiao Zhen didn't expect that Earl Changping would come so early in the morning. Poor parents in the world. A father who can pamper Song Jing like that must be a father who loves his children.
This was the first time that Earl Changping faced Xiao Zhen alone.
Before this, although he and Xiao Zhen had similar backgrounds, their experiences were very different and they were of different generations. Therefore, even though they were in the capital, they had no intersection.
Changping Bo was concerned about his youngest son and didn't beat around the bush: "Xiao Zhen, don't worry, I won't ask questions that I shouldn't ask, and I won't interfere in things that I shouldn't interfere in. Song Jing is still a child, so don't involve him."
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