Chapter 31 She smiled slightly and winked at him.
I would rather die with fragrance on the branch, than be blown away by the north wind.
Amidst the white snow, on the cliff of a rocky mountain at the end of the post road, there are dozens of wild plum trees with twisted branches stubbornly rooted in the cracks of the rocks. In this cold winter, they bloom with small flowers and emit a faint fragrance.
The winding post road was muddy and snowy and covered with thin ice. Several fast horses came out, their iron hooves trampling over the broken ice, and galloped along the long road in the howling north wind.
After galloping past the tea stalls on the roadside and the long bridge index, Xie Ci suddenly stopped his horse in front of the Lingzhou boundary marker. He stopped and stared at the old plum tree on the cliff of the rocky mountain, then looked back at Lingzhou, staring at it for a long time.
Xie Ci thought that he should be like this old plum tree.
He was accompanied by two guards, captains of the guards who had served Qin Xian for over a decade. They were in their twenties, Zhang Qing and Zheng Ying. Upon meeting Xie Ci, Qin Xian had no hesitation in assigning these two most trusted guards to him.
"Fourth Young Master, Su Wei is waiting in Lu County, about thirty miles past the boundary marker."
Zhang Qing also stopped his horse, and when he saw Xie Ci come back to his senses, he hurriedly reported.
Zheng Ying took advantage of the moment to thank him and hurried back to the tea shed to drink some hot tea, covered it with a cotton bag, and hurried back.
"Thank you for your hard work, I'm sorry for putting you in such a difficult position," Xie Ci said. "I don't need any guards for now. When we get back to Lingzhou, I'll let you go back to Uncle Qin."
By his side, their futures were uncertain, and they didn't even have military status. Qin Xian, on the other hand, was the Grand Protector of Lingshuo, in charge of military and civil affairs, and the captains of his guards had bright futures. Dou Wu was one of Qin Xian's personal guards, a brave and skilled warrior. After their achievements, Qin Xian didn't hold them back, having already released two batches.
If nothing unexpected happens, Zhang Qing and his team will also take this route in the future.
However, Zhang Qing and Zheng Ying didn't think so. When they heard what Xie Ci said, they immediately became anxious. They jumped off their horses and, ignoring the mud and broken ice on the ground, knelt on the ground with a "bang". "Fourth Young Master, we don't want to be wronged!"
In fact, the two were very willing to follow Xie Ci. "When the general sent us out, he asked for our opinions."
Qin Xian has experienced a lot, and he knows that a forced melon is not sweet, and he wants to give it to those who are loyal to Xie Ci.
But after asking Zhang Qing and Zheng Ying, they both agreed immediately.
They were even excited along the way, and people in their twenties and twenties behaved like teenagers.
Zhang Qing whispered, "Don't worry, sir. We all volunteered."
Xie Ci was a little surprised: "Why?"
"When I was a kid, Xie Shuai saved my life."
Zhang Qing whispered, "It was a gray day, and the Northern Rong soldiers surrounded our village." Zhang Qing was still very young at that time, only five or six years old. The Northern Rong soldiers had always been brutal, especially the Kuntu Shuo tribe, who burned, killed, looted, and slaughtered the entire village.
Zhang Qing's hometown is a small border village that has been repeatedly affected by war. He will never forget the night when the cries shook the sky. In the end, when despair and fear reached their peak, Xie Xinzhong led his troops in the dark of night and rushed three hundred miles to meet Kuntu Shuo's tribe and repel them.
The middle-aged general, who was still a general at that time, was wearing a bloodstained iron armor. He said to the villagers gently: "Fellow villagers, there is nothing to worry about. Go home."
No one disliked his murderous aura, and no one cared about the long-handled sword that was still dripping with blood. The flickering yellow light of the torch shone on the blood-stained iron armor, becoming a scene that would never fade in his memory.
Because the small village was in a bad location, it was always the first to be affected. Later, Xie Xinzhong specially allocated funds and ordered his confidants to come in person to help the small village relocate to its original location.
Zhang Qing only had a widowed mother, but the orphan and his widow were well taken care of.
This kind of thing is not an exception, there are many more.
Zheng Ying was relatively quiet. He pursed his lips and smiled, "I am of mixed Hu ethnicity, but the general said I can join the army and achieve great things."
In the north, there were Hu people such as Qiang and Di who surrendered and moved inland. As the Northern Rong became stronger, their ethnic group had long been declining and their numbers were small. The mixed-race people had been discriminated against before, but Xie Xinzhong believed that since the court had accepted their surrender and moved them inland as citizens of the Wei Dynasty, this should not have happened.
He reported the matter to the court, revised the policy, and personally inspected it. Zheng Ying was surrounded by a group of children who were too excited to approach, but Xie Xinzhong came over and encouraged them with a friendly face. Zheng Ying was even lucky enough to have him touch the top of his head.
To this day, there are still many Hu and mixed-race generals and generals in the Northern Army. This is the favor they received back then.
In fact, after Xie Xinzhong was wrongly convicted, many people in the Northern Army were extremely indignant, including the common people in the North, and the army even carried out a purge for this reason.
Zhang Qing and Zheng Ying knelt on one knee again with a "bang", and a thousand words were condensed into one sentence, "We are willing to die for you, sir!"
I will never refuse even if I die!!
Xie Ci dismounted and helped the two men up with one hand. His throat rolled up and down for a moment, and he said hoarsely: "Okay!"
A ray of sunlight poured down from the slowly moving clouds, shining on Xie Ci's front and back. He had never felt the glory of the Xie family so intuitively and deeply before.
Xie Ci's heart was boiling with blood. At this moment, he felt extremely proud of his father and brother.
Zhang Qing and Zheng Ying are just a microcosm of the millions of soldiers and civilians. Xie Ci finally understood more clearly than ever why Xun Rongbi, Xun Xun and the mastermind behind the scenes had to get rid of him and Xie Mingming.
Before today, it wasn't that he couldn't figure it out, but now he truly and deeply understood it.
The spirit of the Xie family army is unforgettable.
The sons of the Xie family will live forever even after their death.
He was a little excited and uncomfortable, with all kinds of emotions surging. Xie Ci felt that this hurdle was not something he could not overcome.
"Let's go!"
"yes!!"
Xie Ci jumped on his horse and without looking back, he whipped his whip and the three of them rode away as fast as lightning towards Lu County.
…
Half an hour later, we arrived in Lu County.
Su Wei had been waiting eagerly for a long time beside the post road. When Xie Ci's horse galloped over, he immediately rode up to greet him, saying cautiously, "Fourth Young Master."
Xie Ci glanced at him and nodded: "Let's go."
"Okay, yes!"
Su Wei was excited and happy. He quickly turned his horse's head and led the way.
The two groups spent more than two days and arrived in Suzhou in the afternoon of the third day.
The sun had already appeared by then, and the visibility was extremely high. From a distance, one could see the outline of Suzhou's city wall.
This city, which Xie Ci once hated so much that he didn't even want to stay for a moment when passing by, was getting closer and closer before his eyes.
Xie Ci stared at him expressionlessly, his face completely blank, engraving it deeply in his heart.
Before arriving in Suzhou, he adjusted his expression and tried his best to relax.
Somber but not oppressive, complex but not hateful.
The sound of horse hooves was getting closer and closer. Su Zhen had already received the express message from his son. At this time, he was staying in the suburban villa that he had carefully selected and rented, pacing anxiously and expectantly.
When the sound of horse hooves finally appeared, he rushed out of the main hall, and several fast horses bypassed the gate and entered first.
Su Zhen recognized Xie Ci at first sight.
At that moment, the sunlight was unusually dazzling, and tears streamed down his face. The man, who was over forty years old, suddenly fell to his knees and cried bitterly: "Fourth, Fourth Young Master, Fourth Young Master..."
The regret and guilt that had been weighing on his heart for a long time suddenly burst out. He beat his feet and stamped his chest, his heart aching.
After the incident, he smashed all the Buddha statues at home that he had believed in for decades, including the Maitreya Buddha in which he prayed to meet his deceased wife in the next life.
Xie Ci stopped his horse and stared at Su Zhen for a long time. Finally, he turned over and got off the horse, walking towards him step by step.
He helped him up, and he heard himself say, "From today on, I will not dwell on the past."
…
Xie Ci stayed in Suzhou for a few days.
Su Zhen secretly brought him back to the Suzhou Governor's Office.
Without Gu Guan around, Xie Ci did not take the initiative to show off some of the disguise techniques that Gu Guan taught him. Su Zhen took great pains to disguise Xie Ci and brought him into the Suzhou Governor's Mansion carefully and safely.
The Governor's Office was relaxed on the outside but tense on the inside, and was on high alert. During these few days, Su Zhen not only shed tears as he recounted his regrets from the past, but also subconsciously mentioned Xie Xinzhong's old favor, then came to his senses and immediately shut up. He also told Xie Ci in detail about the various relationships and personal opinions of the Northern Army today, as well as his speculation about the mastermind behind the scenes. In this regard, he agreed with Qin Xian's judgment.
Xie Ci went in and out of Su Zhen's outer study, and Su Zhen explained to Xie Ci the military secrets such as Suzhou's troop deployment and war preparations. He also speculated that the thaw in March would be the time for the Northern Rong army to gather and march south to start a war.
Without reservation, I just can't say enough.
But if Su Zhen is the simple case, Liang Shang and Yuan Shaoyin will be more complicated.
In the past, everyone had a good relationship, but Su Zhen had a better relationship with Qin Xian and Zhao Heng, while Chen Yan and Kou Wenshao had a better relationship.
Xie Ci stayed in Suzhou for a few days. Su Zhen knew that he probably had a lot of things to do, so he didn't dare to keep him for long. When Xie Ci left, he personally saw him off and ordered his only son Su Wei to go to Yunzhou with Xie Ci.
The sky is high and vast, covered with ice and snow, and a straight road leads directly to Yunzhou City.
Chen Yan was also waiting in the villa, eagerly waiting and pacing back and forth. Finally, he heard the sound of horse hooves turning into the villa gate. He paused, and finally hurried out to greet them.
"Fourth Young Master!"
He had received both Qin Xian's and Su Zhen's letters, and he certainly understood Su Zhen's intention in ordering his son to come personally with Xie Ci during this time of urgent military duty. Su Wei's previous melancholy vanished, and he eagerly introduced the two men. He said, "My father said that the Fourth Young Master is indeed a great likeness of his father. If we work together, we will surely apprehend the person behind this and redress Uncle Xie's injustice!"
"Meet the Fourth Young Master!"
A thousand thoughts surged through his mind, but Chen Yan still knelt on one knee and bowed in greeting!
But Su Wei's words suddenly touched the nail on the head.
Unlike Su Zhen, he and Kou Wenshao had really made mistakes. He was corrupt. At the beginning, it was because his sons and nephews were not doing well. They owed a large amount of gambling debts when they were on duty in Beijing. The situation in Zhongdu was deep, so he had to embezzle public funds to save his children first.
But once something happens, it will have two sides. In order to fill the gap, he accepted bribes from businessmen. People have two sides, and once something happens, it is easy for it to have two sides. He was really greedy, corrupt, and accepted a lot of bribes.
Although he regretted it deeply after the incident, Su Zhen and Kou Wenshao worked together to empty his family's assets and make up for all the corruption.
But Chen Yan was a famous strategist. Yunzhou was a vital place connecting the north, south, east and west. A single move could affect the entire region and was extremely important. He was able to hold on to Yunzhou even after Xie Xinzhong's death and after he fell out with the people there, which showed his ability.
He had thought a lot. In fact, even though he was kneeling down to return at this moment, he was still hesitant in his heart.
But at this moment.
Xie Ci saw it clearly, his mind racing. He didn't reach out to help Chen Yan, but lowered his eyes and said to him, "If you make a mistake, you should be punished. If you make a contribution, you should be rewarded!"
Xie Ci raised his right hand and pointed to the sky: "I swear here in the name of my father and brother! When the merits and demerits are settled in the future, if you make further achievements, they will offset my demerits!"
In an instant, without anyone to teach him, Xie Ci did not hesitate and swore an oath in the name of his father and brother.
Chen Yan was shocked.
He looked up and happened to meet the pair of dark pupils like glass. The tall young man had broad shoulders and a straight back, standing in the sun like a javelin. His eyebrows and expression were surprisingly similar to his father's in an instant!
Chen Yan's heart was in turmoil for a moment. If it was anything else, he might not believe it, but he would never go against the oath Xie Ci made in the name of his father and brother!
Chen Yan has been following Xie Xinzhong since he was young. At this moment, this strong young man is so similar to Xie Xinzhong.
The same powerful words, the same swift and decisive actions, the same proud standing in the world!
In an instant, tears welled up in his eyes.
Chen Yan choked up and said hoarsely, "Yes! I will definitely make more achievements! My merits will atone for my sins!"
"Your Excellency will surely make more achievements! Your merits will atone for your sins!!"
He burst into tears.
…
Xie Ci stayed in Yunzhou for three days. Chen Yan personally wrote a long letter and sent his two sons, along with Su Wei, to Dingzhou with Xie Ci.
Finally, Kou Wenshao was successfully recaptured.
…
On the seventeenth day of the first lunar month, Xie Ci returned eastward from Dingzhou.
After leaving Dingzhou, Xie Ci finally released the emotions that he had been suppressing.
He rode his horse in the middle of the night, whipping it repeatedly. The cold wind whistled in his face. He wanted to let out a long roar, but he suppressed it.
My eyes were hot and two lines of tears finally flowed down without anyone seeing.
No matter how determined Xie Ci was, or how much he thought this hurdle was no big deal, he was in the situation himself and had to personally forgive these people whom he once hated for betraying his father and brothers, causing them to fall into the abyss of death and destroying the entire Xie family. Only he knew how it felt.
Xie Ci knew that what he did was right. When his father and brother were alive, they had taught him that the best strategy in military books was to weigh the pros and cons and avoid minor harms to achieve greater success.
Life is not perfect in every aspect.
But Xie Ci was really feeling uncomfortable. He ran all the way, rushing through the frost, rain and snow.
Only the howling cold wind made him feel a little better.
"Sir, there is a guesthouse up ahead. Shall we stay the night?"
Zhang Qing and Zheng Ying probably knew how uncomfortable he was and were a little cautious.
At this time, they had already flown past the Lingzhou boundary marker, and Xie Ci nodded slightly.
The 20th day of the first lunar month had passed, the snow had stopped, and only a few fine raindrops fell on their hats and raincoats.
As night fell, Xie Ci whipped his horse with a gloomy face. The old guesthouse in front was getting closer and closer. He looked up inadvertently and was stunned.
I saw the small window of the attic on the second floor of the guest house was slightly opened, and a familiar face with a faint smile appeared behind the half-open window.
She is wearing purple clothes, has beautiful eyebrows, and looks bright, free and easy, with a lively spirit.
A bit of yellow light was cast on her profile, adding a warm halo to her stunning eyebrows and eyes.
She smiled slightly and winked at him.
——Gu Guan didn’t know about Zhang Qing and Zheng Ying’s surrender yet, so even if he was thanking her, it was impossible for her to reveal any information about her family all at once.
Xie Ci dismounted, but Zhang Qing had already ridden forward and booked a guest room.
He went upstairs, washed, ate, and lay down.
Zhang Qing and the other person had already gone to bed in the guest room next to him.
After the night fell and everyone was asleep, Xie Ci quietly got up. Without turning on the light, he dressed in the dark and walked down the wooden stairs to the first floor in silence.
The waiter in the guesthouse dozed off on the table.
He slowly walked along the lobby and the corridor connecting to the backyard, all the way into the quiet courtyard.
Suddenly, a warm yellow light caught my eye.
He felt something in his heart and walked quickly along the corridor to a small guesthouse at the end.
Suddenly, there were lights everywhere.
He saw many smiling faces, familiar yet unfamiliar.
"Xiao Si is back!"
The sound was like a silver bottle breaking, suddenly breaking away all the cold indignation and loneliness. The warm yellow light covered every corner of the courtyard. Xie Ci even saw a tenacious little grass emerging, a touch of the freshest green.
But he couldn't care less. Xie Ci was at a loss. He exclaimed: "Mother! Sister-in-law, sister-in-law, sister-in-law, sister-in-law, Wulang, and Mingming Rouniang, why are you all here——"
The whole family, big and small, smiled broadly under the warm yellow light.
He heard Mrs. Xie say with a smile: "We are a family, of course we should be together!"
The author has something to say:
Surprise or not, accident or not, hahahaha
Su Zhen and the other two must have been on guard deep down, but Qin Xian still let Xie Ci do it because he was confident.
Su Zhen and the others had already fallen out with him. After all, they were forced to do this. Apart from the three of them, Qin Xian would not let Xie resign if there were any other true betrayers.
Here I come, giving you a huge kiss! See you tomorrow, babies, haha! (づ￣3￣)づ
Finally, I would like to thank "Wang" for throwing the mine, pen refills, pen refills!
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And the big babies who irrigated Wenwen with nutrient solution! Muahmuhmu~
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