Chapter 88
In recent days, at the morning court, civil and military officials were discussing the fall of Yongliang. Wu Zhan once again recommended himself, and even Duke Wu, who was nearly eighty years old, stepped forward and volunteered.
The two men were full of fighting spirit, and seemed determined to overcome all obstacles and burn their boats. Xiao Jie was somewhat affected by the aura of the two, but he did not dare to act on his own. He turned around and asked Queen Mother Wen who was sitting behind the pearl curtain: "Mother, what do you think..."
What the ministers did not expect was that besides the Queen Mother, there was another person standing behind the pearl curtain. This person was wearing the uniform of a fifth-rank official. He was none other than Lin Qingyu, who was in the emperor's favor.
Queen Mother Wen shook her head and said, "General Wu is good at naval warfare, but has never fought in the northwest. Duke Wu is old and has lived in the capital for many years. I'm afraid he is willing but unable to do so."
Duke Wu was dissatisfied: "Lian Po, a famous general of Zhao, was still able to fight on the battlefield at the age of over 80. I am not yet 80, I can still fight!"
Xiao Jie was fidgeting on the dragon chair: "Is there no one else... uh, except General Gu."
"There are no other people. Over the years, many of Dayu's generals have died or become disabled, and a large number have been implicated in the fight for the throne and have been imprisoned. Now Dayu is short of talented generals, and only a few of us can be used." Wu Zhan pulled the corner of his mouth, "Your Majesty, Queen Mother, although I have never been to the northwest, fighting is basically the same. Since General Gu is unwilling to go, let me give it a try."
It is not difficult to hear that when Wu Zhan mentioned "General Gu", his tone was not as respectful as usual. Last year, the late emperor wanted Gu Fuzhou to return to the northwest to replace Zhao Mingwei, but Gu Fuzhou declined on the grounds that the poison had not yet been cleared. At that time, both Wu Zhan and Wu Guogong stood on Gu Fuzhou's side.
However, the situation now is different from the past. The war situation in the northwest is extremely urgent. Zhao Mingwei died and was humiliated. The Western Xia even cut off his tongue as a blatant provocation. The morale of the northwest army is unstable, and the lives of tens of thousands of people in Yongliang are in the hands of the Western Xia bandits. At this time, anyone with the spirit of a military general would rush to the battlefield without hesitation, even if he was still alive. But Gu Fuzhou did the same as last year, using the excuse of being unwell to close the door to visitors and even refusing to attend the morning court.
General Gu...disappointed them.
The Queen Mother hesitated and looked at Lin Qingyu: "Doctor Lin, what do you think?"
Just as Lin Qingyu was about to speak, Xiao Songzi came in from the side door: "Empress Dowager, Doctor Lin, urgent news from the northwest."
The Queen Mother opened the report and read it quickly, her face looking extremely grim. "The capital of Western Xia has issued a declaration of war, vowing to avenge the Western Xia prince who died in Yongliang ten years ago. The declaration demands that Dayu send Gu Fuzhou to the front line, and they can take his head openly. Otherwise, the Western Xia army will massacre everyone in Yongliang City in a month."
Ten years ago, the former crown prince of Western Xia died at the hands of General Gu's Qingyun Jiuzhou spear.
Lin Qingyu took the memorial, and it felt as if his hand weighed a thousand pounds. He said nothing, and his face was terribly gloomy.
The Queen Mother called out, "Doctor Lin..." She hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Qingyu?"
Lin Qingyu uttered "hmm" and then came to his senses, realizing that he was still in the court.
"There are no talented generals in the court. Only General Gu is qualified for the post of General of the Western Expedition. Moreover, if he does not go, will the court abandon tens of thousands of people in Yongliang?" The Queen Mother sighed, "When the nest is overturned, the eggs will be broken. Today, the Western Xia slaughtered Yongliang City, and tomorrow they will slaughter Shangjing City."
Lin Qingyu sneered and said, "Your Majesty, there is no need to tell me these great truths. Everyone understands the truth."
The Queen Mother hesitated and asked, "Should we inform the ministers about this?"
Lin Qingyu found that he could no longer think calmly, and could only say intuitively: "Don't make it public for now."
After the court was dismissed, Xiao Songzi found Lin Qingyu and told him: "Doctor Lin, I just delivered an urgent report and met General Gu on the way. The general has already read the urgent report."
Lin Qingyu's chest tightened and he asked, "Where is he now?"
"The general said he is waiting for you in the Imperial Garden."
When Lin Qingyu found Gu Fuzhou, Gu Fuzhou was sitting by the pond, feeding the fish absentmindedly. The pond in the Imperial Garden is home to dozens of brightly colored koi, adding a touch of color to the monotonous winter day.
Gu Fuzhou scattered a handful of fish food, and the koi fish swam over in a rush, vying for the food. He saw Lin Qingyu's reflection in the water and said, "Look at the fish in this pond. They were born in the palace and are fed so fat. They usually have plenty to eat. Why are they fighting with their companions for food?"
Lin Qingyu said: "It's probably because greed is endless."
Gu Fuzhou agreed: "That makes sense."
Lin Qingyu asked: "Since you are here, why don't you go to court?"
Gu Fuzhou threw out the remaining fish food and said, "There is no seat for me in the Purple Palace. It's too tiring to stand."
"If others hear you say this, they will think you have rebellious intentions." Apart from the emperor, the only person who could sit in the Purple Palace was the empress dowager who ruled the country from behind the curtain.
Gu Fuzhou laughed and said, "You are wronging me. Being an emperor is so hard, I am not interested in it."
Gu Fuzhou's words were humorous. Lin Qingyu wanted to smile as usual, but she couldn't. He asked, "Have you seen the Northwest Dispatch?"
Gu Fuzhou nodded and sighed: "What should I do, Qingyu, this time, I seem to have to go."
The word "maybe not" was stuck in Lin Qingyu's throat and he couldn't utter it.
"In the past few days, people in the court have complained about me. Wu Zhan even found me yesterday and pointed at me and scolded me for being a coward in a hurry - it's so funny." Gu Fuzhou actually laughed out loud as he said this, as if it was an extremely ridiculous thing. "Although, this is my own fault, but to provoke Wu Zhan like this, there must be someone who exaggerates it."
Lin Qingyu also thought of this: "Indeed."
"Whoever it is, he has achieved his goal. If I don't go to the northwest, I will lose the support of the people in the court. How can those passionate men still serve me wholeheartedly in the future? A general who is unwilling to go to the battlefield, if he has no prestige in the army, can't even protect his wife." Gu Fuzhou pressed his eyebrows, "Now, Xixia is threatening the lives of Yongliang people again - it's so annoying."
Lin Qingyu listened to Gu Fuzhou in silence and said, "So, you want to go."
Gu Fuzhou said: "It's not that I want to go, but I have to go."
Lin Qingyu said indifferently: "You care about the common people."
"Because you are also one of the common people." Gu Fuzhou said without hesitation, "I protect them, and I am also protecting you."
Lin Qingyu slowly lowered his eyes and whispered: "I don't want your protection, and I don't want to be a saint who cares about the people. I just want to be with you."
Gu Fuzhou patiently explained: "How many Xixia souls died under General Gu's gun? It is obvious that Xixia is coming for me this time. Unless Xixia is completely defeated, I can hide for a while, but can I hide forever?"
Lin Qingyu said sarcastically: "You also want to preach to me."
"I am not..."
Lin Qingyu interrupted him coldly: "Have you ever thought about what I would do if something happened to you?"
Gu Fuzhou was stunned.
Lin Qingyu's voice trembled slightly: "On a snowy night two years ago, I knelt in front of your wheelchair and watched you gradually die. I felt you getting colder and colder in my palm. At that time, I had not yet figured out my own feelings, and perhaps I could still endure the pain of losing my husband. But now, if I have to go through it again..."
Gu Fuzhou's Adam's apple rolled, and he said in a hoarse voice: "Qingyu..."
"Losing is not scary, what's scary is getting it and losing it again." Lin Qingyu looked at his hands and murmured, "This is too cruel even for me."
Gu Fuzhou whispered, "I'm sorry, Qingyu. But this time, I will definitely try my best to come back. Look, I have written a letter of guarantee for you."
Lin Qingyu said woodenly: "Didn't you also try hard to live longer at that time? What was the result? Before you died, you apologized to me, saying that you were sorry and that you had tried very hard but still didn't live to see the day Xiao Cheng died - have you forgotten all this?"
"I haven't forgotten. But I was so sick at that time that it was useless no matter how hard I tried. But now it's different. I have a healthy body and my efforts should be able to produce miracles." Gu Fuzhou smiled, "By the way, Qingyu, I haven't even set out yet. It's too unlucky for you to think so much."
Lin Qingyu couldn't help but ask: "Are you really not worried at all?"
Gu Fuzhou thought for a moment and said, "Actually, I'm still a little scared."
Lin Qingyu stared at him.
"I'm afraid that I won't do well, and that people who trust me will die because of my wrong decisions. I'm afraid of being tired and hurt. I also hate the feeling of losing, and I'm even more afraid of..." His voice suddenly stopped, and Gu Fuzhou swallowed the words back. He said leisurely: "So, people like me can never be the protagonist."
Lin Qingyu knew that Gu Fuzhou was trying to ease the atmosphere with his old tricks, but he couldn't help but follow his words and asked, "Why do you say that?"
"Because the male protagonists in the novels are either extremely powerful and can easily crush their opponents, or have a pure heart and do things even though they know it is impossible. And I," Gu Fuzhou spread his hands, "have neither much strength nor are I lazy and timid. No wonder I can only play a supporting role in the book."
"Wrong." Lin Qingyu said, "Lu Wancheng and Gu Fuzhou may be supporting roles. But now that you are here, they have become the protagonists."
Gu Fuzhou smiled, "You are so good, Doctor Lin. But you are also wrong. It is because I came to your side and got the help of the great beauty that Lu Wancheng and Gu Fuzhou became the protagonists of this book. Qingyu, do you still remember what the protagonist is?"
Lin Qingyu repeated word for word what Gu Fuzhou had said: "The so-called 'protagonist' is the one who will always be the most brilliant one no matter how many swords and swords, blood and rains he has experienced, even when he has crawled out of the mud."
Gu Fuzhou snapped his fingers and said in a relaxed tone: "That's right. Xiao Cheng is dead, and we have replaced him as the protagonist. The halo is on us, so it is not that easy for us to die."
Lin Qingyu does not agree with this statement. He was silent for a moment, then suddenly looked at Gu Fuzhou and said, "Xu Junyuan."
Gu Fuzhou said: "Qingyu, are you crazy? I am your husband, not Xu Junyuan."
Lin Qingyu was unusually anxious: "Back then, it was Xu Junyuan who used your birth date to calculate that you were not destined to die. We can ask him to do another divination to see if you can achieve a complete victory on this trip and return to Beijing safely."
Gu Fuzhou said "Oh", as if he felt that it was useless to look for Xu Junyuan, but in order not to spoil Lin Qingyu's fun, he still said: "That makes sense."
Lin Qingyu immediately said: "There is no time to lose. I will order someone to prepare the car."
Gu Fuzhou smiled and said, "You and I are both powerful officials. Why do we need to go to Changsheng Temple to find him? Come here, announce that Xu Jun is willing to enter the palace and say that the emperor wants to see him."
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