Chapter 202 Demoted from the Capital
The Left Prime Minister Zhao Pu and the Grand Scholar Luo Ji of Guanwen Hall, who were demoted from the capital, happened to choose to leave the capital on the same day.
Zhao Pu really couldn't delay and couldn't leave. The emperor had issued an order to urge him to leave, so he had to go even though he was extremely reluctant!
Going to Yunnan, a desolate and miserable place where barbarians gathered and filled with poisonous miasma, from the left prime minister who was the head of the ministers to a small county magistrate in a poor mountain and filthy water, was like being knocked down from the high clouds to the eighteenth level of hell. The hope of returning to the capital in his lifetime was slim.
The millions of taels of wealth accumulated over the years were confiscated, and the banknotes hidden by all the family members were less than 20,000 taels. The Zhao family, who were used to a life of luxury, didn't know how long they could survive in that bitter and cold place?
Thinking of that kind of life without a future and suffering, the Zhao family was full of despair! The steps on the ship were as heavy as if they were tied with a stone, and the facial expressions were not much better than going to the execution ground to be beheaded.
However, Luo Ji followed the countermeasures discussed with his daughter and son-in-law, and got what he wanted and was demoted to Chengdu, West Shu, to be a powerful prefect.
It is said that the road to Shu is difficult, and the road to Shu is more difficult than going to heaven!
But West Shu is like a country within a country because of its dangerous terrain, easy to defend and difficult to attack. The West Shu Basin, surrounded by undulating mountains, is actually a place with abundant resources.
Especially the Chengdu Prefecture in the basin, which is a prosperous and comfortable place. Being a powerful prefect in Chengdu is as free and easy as a local emperor.
After knowing the forces deployed by his son-in-law, the Prince of Qin, in West Shu, Luo Ji gladly accepted the suggestions of his son-in-law and daughter. The only thing he couldn't let go of was that his precious daughter had to stay in the capital and face the future dangers with her son-in-law, the Prince of Qin.
Luo Wen'an, the eldest son of the Luo family, resigned from his official position and chose to go to Chengdu to accompany his parents. The second son, Luo Wenhao, chose to stay in the capital and fight with his sister and brother-in-law because he had to take care of the lucrative businesses entrusted to him by his sister!
Luo Li and the Prince of Qin, Zhao Defang, came to the dock to see their parents and family off. Mrs. Luo held her precious daughter in her arms and cried bitterly, not wanting to get on the boat and leave.
"Li'er, it's more than 2,000 miles to Xishu, and I don't know when I can see you again, so you must take good care of yourself! Your
Highness, Prince Qin, Li'er is entrusted to you, so you must take good care of her!..."
Luo Li also felt sad and her eyes turned red!
Holding her mother, she patted her back and comforted her: "Mother, our separation is just a temporary self-protection measure. It won't be long before our family will be reunited."
Luo Ji was also very concerned about his precious daughter and was reluctant to let her go. With red eyes, he stroked his beard vigorously. Little Tianci seemed to know the meaning of parting with his relatives. He stretched out his arms in his mother's arms and cried to his aunt: "No... No no..."
Luo Wenhao looked at his parents eagerly, "Dad, Mom, your son will also stay in the capital. Don't you remember to tell me a few words?"
Luo Ji, who was circling around his precious daughter, turned around and glared!
"Then I will tell you a few words! Without the discipline of your parents, you are not allowed to be idle and lazy anymore. Use your brain and legs to be more diligent and help your sister and brother-in-law more."
Luo Wenhao twitched his neck!
Yes! You get what you want, so why complain?
Next to the big ship hired by the Luo family, there is another big ship that is also used by a family to send relatives on a long journey.
Before Zhao Pu left Beijing, he hastily married his second daughter Zhao Zhiya to Rong Gui, the second son of Rong Shilang, his confidant.
This was so that his daughter would not have to go to that wild land to suffer, and also so that he could have another bond with his former subordinates through marriage. What if the fate of the Zhao family could turn around? That was when the network of relationships in the capital came into play.
Zhao Zhiya, who was once arrogant and extravagant, had not been able to go out for a long time since the embarrassing incident at the Queen's birthday banquet. After
her father Zhao Pu, who was powerful in the government and the country, was dismissed from his position as prime minister and demoted to the wild land of Yunnan, her ambition fell from the clouds to the abyss. The second son of the Rong family, whom she had looked down upon in the past, became her best choice out of helplessness.
Zhao Zhiya watched the handsome and noble Prince Qin and the beautiful silly princess standing together on the boat next to her, looking like a perfect couple.
Then she looked at her newlywed husband with a fat pig head and a silly smile on his face, and she felt so jealous and sad that she almost died!
Zhao Pu was already disheartened at this time. He knew that his fate was probably to be buried in that barren land when he went to Yunnan in his old age!
The millions of Guan family fortunes accumulated over the years were confiscated, and the two sons and young grandchildren were sentenced to exile with him. It was good enough for the descendants of the Zhao family to save their lives, and it would be difficult for them to make a name for themselves in the future.
He was filled with regret at the moment! Why did he go against the supreme emperor? But the only thing in the world that money can't buy is regret medicine!
Madam Zhao hugged her precious daughter and cried, "Ya'er, live a good life with your husband, and don't be arrogant and conceited in the future. As long as you can stay in the capital and live a comfortable and easy life, just keep your tail between your legs and be a good person!"
From a phoenix on a high branch to a hen on the ground, this sudden change of identity is really hard to accept! His father, who was once a towering mountain, also collapsed, and his family members had to stay away from him.
Zhao Zhiya also cried miserably: "Mother!... Your daughter has remembered. You and Dad must take good care of your health!..."
Two groups of people who came to see their relatives off, bid farewell to their relatives with tears, and reluctantly watched the two large ships lift anchor and leave the river bank!
Luo Li turned around, and her eyes happened to catch a glimpse of Zhao Zhiya's eyes full of jealousy and hatred. She smiled at Zhao Zhiya arrogantly and unkindly!
She took the arm of Qin Wang Zhao Defang beside her, and walked towards the carriage of Qin Wang's mansion with intimacy and love.
Qin Wang Zhao Defang's beautiful lips curled up a sweet smile. When he arrived in front of the carriage, he stretched out his hands to hug the princess's slender waist and lifted her into the carriage. He took great care to send the princess to the luxurious carriage, and then jumped into the carriage.
Zhao Zhiya's jealous eyes were about to burst into flames!
Standing in front of the carriage of the Rong Mansion, she ordered her husband Rong Gui beside her with a fierce tone of jealousy: "Carry me into the carriage!"
The second son Rong, who was able to marry the beautiful and once high-ranking Miss Zhao, was like a toad eating the swan meat. He doted on his arrogant and domineering wife and obeyed her every word.
Young Master Rong agreed with a big smile on his face, half-knelt down with his fat body, picked up his wife's legs, and finally lifted her onto the carriage, pushing her buttocks with great effort to get her into the carriage.
He stepped on the riding stool with his fat body, climbed onto the carriage with the help of the servant of Rong Mansion, and rolled and crawled into the carriage.
This unaesthetic and uncouth appearance of showing affection made Hong Gu, who was sitting on the carriage of Qin Wangfu, laugh!
I wonder which of the sentences, "Xi Shi imitates the beauty, Handan learns to walk, and trying to draw a tiger but end up drawing a dog", is suitable for the newlywed Zhao Zhiya and his wife? I just don't know if the two toilets awarded by the Empress were put in Miss Zhao's dowry and taken to Rong Mansion?
……………
The old apprentice of Ghost Hand Poison Doctor is still quite talented. Luo Li looked at the grains of gunpowder in her hand and praised in her heart.
The two small triangular eyes on the ugly face of the Ghost Hand Poison Doctor were full of fiery light of admiration!
"Master, I, your disciple, have made this kind of granular gunpowder according to the secret recipe you taught me. It is extremely powerful!
The same three-jin charge of porcelain pots made of thunder bombs can blow out a big pit after the explosion, and the iron nails inside can fly dozens of steps away to kill people."
Luo Li smiled faintly: "Ghost Hand, you can try to use an iron can to hold this kind of granular gunpowder. The iron can cast from raw iron has several lines carved vertically and horizontally, and after the explosion, it can be divided into dozens of sharp weapons!
That kind of killing power is really powerful!"
After hearing this, the Ghost Hand Poison Doctor's eyes flashed with a hot and sneaky light!
"Master! I'll go back to the Mo Yun Cavalry Camp to try to make a few!" When the words fell, the figure disappeared.
Luo Li shook her head helplessly and amusedly at the Qin Wang Zhao Defang beside her, "This impatient old man, I haven't finished speaking yet!
This kind of gunpowder particles can not only be made into thunder bombs that are thrown out to kill the enemy, but also can be made into landmines buried underground. When the horse's hooves step on them, they will explode and kill the enemy and the warhorse. It is most suitable for ambushes."
Qin Wang Zhao Defang helped Luo Li tidy up her cloak and held her slightly cold hand, "Princess, there are still a few days before the Northern Expedition. There is no need to rush to research and make that kind of landmine.
In this Northern Expedition, we must protect ourselves and hide some strength. The real danger is after this Northern Expedition!"
Luo Li stretched out her right hand, caught a few falling snowflakes, and watched them melt in her palm. In this era of supreme imperial power, human life is sometimes as fragile as a snowflake falling into the palm of the hand of the ruler. It may melt away without a trace after blooming and flying for a moment.
Zhao Defang is right. It is good to save lives and preserve strength in this Northern Expedition.
If too much strength is exposed for a great victory, it will arouse the jealousy and urgent murderous intention of the dog emperor! It will not be easy to gain more space to develop strength.