Chapter 202 Finale
That night, the moon was dark and the stars were sparse. The wind blew through the mountain walls that were as sharp as swords, and it seemed as if there were ghosts sobbing. The soldier patrolling on the city wall shuddered, as if there were eyes watching him in the woods. He was so scared that he quickly covered his eyes and silently said in his heart, "Don't catch me, don't catch me..."
Suddenly, he was patted on the shoulder. He was so frightened that he almost fell off the wall. Fortunately, a pair of hands caught him. The soldier raised his head in shock and saw the only woman in Jian Ge, Lieutenant Ren, standing in front of him. Next to her was her admirer who followed her everywhere. Oh, now he should be her fiancé...
The soldier realized that the person who had just patted him was not a ghost, and he breathed a sigh of relief. Then he remembered to salute Ren Yao: "Greetings, Captain Ren."
Ren Yao said with a cold face, "Why are you dozing off during patrol?"
The soldier felt wronged: "Captain, I wasn't sleepy. I just saw it was dark down there and was afraid there might be a ghost..."
Ren Yao glanced at the city wall. The mountains were hidden in darkness, and only the Jianmenguan city wall was lit up with stars, like a lonely boat on the night sea, swaying and about to fall, silent and lonely. Ren Yao still had a sullen face and scolded: "You come to join the army, you are not afraid of death, but you are afraid of ghosts?"
The soldier was scolded so much that he dared not raise his head. Compared to the serious Captain Ren, her fiancé was much easier to talk to. Jiang Ling patted the soldier on the shoulder and asked, "How old are you this year?"
The soldier said aggrievedly, "Seventeen."
Ren Yao was startled: "Seventeen, your family let you join the army?"
The soldier nodded timidly: "Yes. My parents are old, and they work very hard every year but can't earn much food. If I join the army, I can at least save some food for my family."
Ren Yao's words of reprimand were stuck in his throat when he learned that the soldier was so young. He didn't know whether to say it or not. Jiang Ling calmly changed the subject and said, "You are still so young, no wonder you are afraid of ghosts. Do you see those two sword-like cliffs in front of you? It is said that they are the swords used by immortals to exorcise demons, so this place is called Jianmenguan. Even if there are ghosts in this world, they can't get close to Jianmenguan, so you can rest assured. You must be more vigilant when on duty in the future, and don't be distracted anymore."
The soldier finally knew the origin of Jianmen Pass's name. He nodded in admiration, finally feeling relieved. He asked curiously, "Captain, it's not your turn to be on duty tonight, so why are you here?"
Jiang Ling said, "Captain Ren and I couldn't sleep, so we climbed up the mountain to look at the stars... Well, actually she was worried about what had happened in the past few days, so she came up to check on us."
Jiang Ling sensed Ren Yao's sharp eyes and changed his words. When Ren Yao and Jiang Ling heard that the throne had changed again, they were both shocked. They had experienced the Junzhou Incident and knew that the Jiannan Jiedushi had already had ulterior motives. Now that the court had a new emperor, would the Jiannan Jiedushi use this as an excuse to stir up trouble?
Ren Yao was worried, and even if it was not her turn to be on duty these days, she would always walk around the city wall. Jiang Ling had no choice but to get up in the middle of the night and risk his life to accompany his wife.
When the soldier learned that Ren Yao had come up to patrol in the middle of the night on his own initiative, he admired him and said, "Captain Ren, you are really responsible."
Jiang Ling responded with a smile: "That's not the case."
Jiang Ling's jokes dissipated the originally serious atmosphere of the lecture. Facing such a young child, Ren Yao didn't know what to say, so he could only remind him coldly to be careful under the wall, and then dragged Jiang Ling away.
After they walked away, Ren Yao rolled his eyes at Jiang Ling and said, "Why didn't I know there was an immortal sword outside Jianmen Pass?"
Jiang Ling chuckled, put his hands behind his back, and hopped on the city wall: "You take what I say to a child seriously? After all, whether there are immortals in the world is decided by humans, isn't it? If you go against it, then Amitabha, if you go along with it, then man will conquer nature. What's the truth in seeking peace of mind?"
Ren Yao was still dissatisfied: "You are lying to him. Although he is only seventeen, he is a warrior on the battlefield. He is afraid of ghosts, so how can he fight in the future?"
"Everything takes time. Besides, weren't you afraid of ghosts when you were seventeen?"
Ren Yao paused, and all the words he was about to say were stuck. Jiang Ling recalled the past and laughed even more. He said, "Do you still remember that when we first met, you were so scared that you couldn't walk when you saw a corpse. When you returned to your room at night, you saw a dead person under the quilt. You were so scared that your legs went limp. When I pulled you up, I had to use all my strength to pull you up."
Ren Yao gritted his teeth and raised his fist to hit him. Jiang Ling laughed loudly and dodged while laughing. Ren Yao and he chased and fought on the city wall, and he was also surprised.
It turned out that they had known each other for such a long time. She still remembered that when they first met, she hated this good-for-nothing dude, but now, she had to be with him for the rest of her life. When Ren Yao thought back to the time when she was seventeen, she felt that everything was so far away, like a dream.
I don't know when she started to be afraid of ghosts, corpses, or all kinds of weird things. If the current Ren Yao were to return to Feihong Villa, she would definitely not have those embarrassing reactions.
However, the person Ren Yao is most grateful to is precisely the 17-year-old Ren Yao. If the 17-year-old her had not been unwilling to lag behind, charging forward and rushing forward at any opportunity, how could she be what she is today?
It turns out that it's not that she is no longer afraid of ghosts, but that she has grown up.
Ren Yao felt emotional. Just now, Jiang Ling told the soldiers that they were going to the city wall to look at the stars, but Ren Yao refuted him mercilessly. But now, the two of them were walking on the solid city wall. The sky and the earth were vast and boundless. The summer night breeze passed through the mountains, cool and refreshing, carrying the unique moisture of Jiannan. Ren Yao was a little regretful that there was no starlight tonight.
Ren Yao looked up at the sky, trying to find something poetic, but there was only darkness. Jiang Ling noticed her movements and comforted her, "It's okay. Although there are no stars, there are fireflies. Look down, don't they look like stars swimming in the trees?"
Ren Yao followed the direction of Jiang Ling's finger and looked towards the bottom of the city wall. In the dark and green shadows, there were indeed some stars floating around, but Ren Yao felt that the tracks of those light spots were weird.
Why were the fireflies circling around? Ren Yao stared intently at the direction in which the fireflies were flying, and his heart was suddenly startled.
Oh no, the place where they circled was clearly the shape of a person. Ren Yao's heart began to beat rapidly, but she pretended not to notice and quickly pulled Jiang Ling with her other hand.
Jiang Ling was wondering why Ren Yao pinched him again. He turned around to argue, but saw that Ren Yao's expression was not right. The two had been together for a long time, and Jiang Ling quickly guessed from Ren Yao's mouth shape that there were enemies ambushing under the city wall.
The two men were afraid of alarming the people below by turning back, so they pretended to be joking and went back along the same route, chatting and laughing. The soldier was staring at the darkness intently when he suddenly saw Ren Yao and Jiang Ling coming back. He asked curiously, "Captain, why are you back?"
The torchlight flashed across the city wall, and the soldier saw that Ren Yao looked very bad. Ren Yao's face was gloomy, and he said something like a thunderbolt: "There are people ambushing below the city. Can you hold on here until I bring people here?"
The soldier was stunned, his brain was completely unable to react. Jiang Ling patted the soldier on the shoulder, pointed him at the Jianmen Gate that towered into the sky in the darkness, and said, "In the past, the immortals protected this land. Now, it's your turn. You don't have to do anything. Just keep staring at the gate and don't alarm the people outside. Lieutenant Ren and I will go and call for help. We will be back soon."
The soldier looked at Jiang Ling's dark eyes and Ren Yao's cold and resolute face hidden in the firelight. A surge of heat rose in his heart. He didn't know where he got such courage. He said, "Captain, you can go without worry. I will definitely guard the city gate."
At this moment, no matter what language you speak, it will be meaningless. Jiang Ling looked at him sincerely and said as if he was promising: "Thank you for your help. We will definitely come back with reinforcements."
The soldier stood on the wall. After Ren Yao and Jiang Ling left, time seemed to slow down. He stared at the darkness. It was pitch black under the wall, but he seemed to see many human figures crawling on the ground, gradually approaching the wall, and standing up. His fingers unconsciously clenched the gun. The sounds around him suddenly amplified ten times. The cicadas under the wall chirped one after another, making people panic.
The soldier tried his best to concentrate, but the more nervous he was, the more irrelevant thoughts popped up in his mind. He thought about his elderly parents and his sister who had married to a neighboring village. He wondered if his father's leg still hurt, and how his sister was doing in her husband's family...
As he was losing his thoughts, a gust of cold air swept over him. The soldier almost thought it was the wind from when his sister hit him with a feather duster when he was a child. But this time the feather duster didn't fall, because he was suddenly pulled down by a strong force. He fell heavily to the ground, and before he could react, he could only stare blankly at Captain Ren swinging a spear that was almost as long as her. a circle with the spear, and the spear tip turned suddenly, and the arrow just now returned to the downstairs with the force of piercing mountains and splitting rocks.
With a swoosh, a scream rang out from the darkness, and then he fell to the ground with a thud. Jiang Ling rushed up to the tower, pulled the soldier up, and asked, "Are you okay?"
The soldier shook his head subconsciously, then he realized that he seemed to have been saved by Captain Ren just now.
Captain Ren looked pretty and no different from any other woman except that she was a little darker. But when she wielded a gun, she was surprisingly good.
Everything happened in a flash. The people below the city realized that their sneak attack had been exposed, so they stopped pretending and rushed forward shouting in a language they could not understand. Ren Yao stared coldly at the wall and said, "There is an enemy attack. Light the fire and beat the drums."
The news that the former Jiannan Jiedushi Mu Yunping was assassinated on his way back from an inspection spread, and the southwest was shocked. Mu Yunping's former subordinates became suspicious of each other and each went their own way. The once solid Jiannan soon broke into pieces. Prince Yong joined forces with the right Jiedushi, and adopted a dual approach of surrender and siege. Within a month, Mu Yunping's former subordinates surrendered one after another, and the cities and troops of Jiannan Road returned to the control of the court.
After the wars in Jiannan Road subsided and letters could be communicated normally, people learned that a month ago, Tubo took advantage of the chaos in Jiannan Road to attack Jianmen Pass at night. Jianmen Pass held out for a month without any reinforcements or support.
Pingnan Hou Ren Yao killed countless enemies with a long spear. The Tibetan soldiers organized dozens of charges, but failed to enter Jianmen Pass. On the most brutal day of the battle, the thirty-li corridor outside Jiange was piled with corpses. There was almost no place to stand. The walls were thousands of feet high, and the sky was open. Even the seams of the stones were stained with red. Ren Yao initially guarded the break in Jianshan Mountain, and then fought and retreated. But even when she retreated to the gate of Jiange, she did not let a single Tibetan soldier break through the defense line. Occasionally, there were fish that slipped through the net, but they were all killed by the soldiers behind.
Jiang Ling was her most reliable comrade behind her. He covered her during the charge and helped her out during the retreat. No matter whether they were advancing or retreating, they were always by her side.
The battle situation at Jianmen Pass once again shocked the court and the public. Some old people gradually remembered that the first Marquis of Pingnan was famous for his refusal to retreat after being shot by hundreds of arrows while defending the city. After many years, the reputation of the Ren family spear once again made its way on the battlefield. Even people who had never learned spear skills knew that the Ren family spear was sharp when advancing and fast when retreating. It was as still as a mountain and as powerful as thunder when moving. It would rather break than bend, and become stronger when facing a strong enemy.
This time, the Marquis of Pingnan became the granddaughter of the old Marquis of Pingnan, Ren Yao.
Such a fierce spear technique was actually performed by a woman. For a time, the court and the public praised Ren Yao for his loyalty and righteousness, and he lived up to his ancestors' reputation. At this time, Chang'an finally had a chance. The emperor announced the evidence of Mu Yunping and Prince Qiao's collusion in rebellion, and dismissed Mu Yunping's relatives from their military posts, and conferred honors on the heroes of the battle of Jiannan Pass. At this time, Jiannan was powerless, and Ren Yao's military rank was rapidly promoted, with a tendency to take over Mu Yunping's power.
After receiving the imperial edict, Ren Yao took her grandmother from Jianmen Pass to Yizhou. The imperial edict came in a hurry, and she did not have time to say goodbye to her comrades and hurriedly embarked on the journey. When she walked out of the Jianmen Pass, she couldn't help but look back and look at the cliffs and the majestic Jianmen Pass behind her.
In just half a year, he went from being a criminal exiled to the border to a chivalrous and heroic official. What a ridiculous life experience.
Grandma was right, a blessing in disguise. She didn't need to worry about the gains and losses of the moment, she just needed to always do her best and get up from where she fell.
"Ren Yao." Jiang Ling helped Madam Ren get into the car and waved at her from the front, "It's time to go."
Ren Yao made a gun flower, hung the gun behind his waist like an old friend, and quickly caught up with him: "I'm coming."
She ran briskly towards her family and partner, fearlessly heading towards an unpredictable future.
·
In June, the chaos in Jiannan was basically settled. During the past six months, Chang'an was busy with the succession of the throne and the elimination of the remaining forces of Empress Wei and Princess Anle, and had no time to manage the outer states. It was only because of Li Huazhang's control that Jiannan did not have a major chaos.
When the imperial court finally took action, they had time to pay attention to the problem of the Jiannan Jiedushi. The situation in Jiannan had basically stabilized. The emperor looked at the dense war reports and sighed, "Erlang is a good boy. If it weren't for him, I don't know how many people would have been harmed by the rebellion of Prince Qiao. He has worked hard outside these years. Call him back quickly. My uncle is enjoying a peaceful life in Chang'an, but the young man is running around outside. How can this be possible? Chang'an has some places to use people. If he comes back, he can also share some of the work for Sanlang."
The imperial summons was quickly delivered to Shangzhou. Since the emperor had given the order, Li Huazhang could not neglect it. He arranged the aftermath of Jiannan and set off with Ming Huashang back to Beijing.
The journey was very tiring. Li Huazhang did not want Ming Huachang to be too tired, so he planned to go back to his residence to rest for a night and then go to the palace to meet the emperor the next day. Therefore, they entered the capital very low-key, and no one was alarmed. After the convoy entered Changxia Gate, it quietly drove to Prince Yong's Mansion.
However, they still underestimated how well-informed Chang'an was. The two arrived at the mansion at noon, and in the afternoon, the concierge reported that a distinguished guest had come to visit.
Li Huazhang didn't want to pay attention at first, but Ming Huashang persuaded him, "She is your aunt after all. It's not appropriate to turn her away. Go ahead and meet her."
Li Huazhang saw that she looked pale but was still thinking about him, so he said helplessly, "Okay. I'll go meet her. If you don't want to meet her, you don't have to come out."
Ming Huashang's eyes moved slightly. How did he know that she didn't want to see Princess Taiping? Ming Huashang looked at Li Huazhang. Even though he had just returned from a journey, his skin was still white and dust-free. His figure was tall and straight. A jade belt held up his round-necked azure robe. He looked like jade in still water, and snow in the wind.
He was also looking at her, his eyes were as calm as a lake, and there seemed to be a look in them that she couldn't understand. Ming Huashang didn't investigate further and smiled and said, "Okay."
Li Huazhang changed his clothes and went to the front hall. Princess Taiping had already drunk half a cup of tea. With Princess Taiping's current power, few people dared to keep her waiting, but Princess Taiping was not impatient at all. When she saw Li Huazhang coming in, she stood up and greeted him with a smile: "Erlang, you are back. Come and let your aunt see you. You seem to have lost weight again. You must have suffered a lot outside these days."
Li Huazhang avoided Princess Taiping's hand and bowed politely: "Greetings, aunt. It's not hard to obey the imperial order."
Princess Taiping's hand fell empty, and she was stunned for a moment, then she calmly withdrew it and said with a smile: "Child, you are still so polite. We are family, why do we need to be so distant with each other?"
"I don't deserve it." Li Huazhang remained distant and cold, saying, "Aunt, please take a seat."
Princess Taiping smiled and returned to her seat leisurely. After the two of them were done, Princess Taiping picked up the teacup, brushed her slender nails across the water, and casually asked, "Erlang, what are your plans for coming back this time?"
Li Huazhang said: "I don't have any plans. Everything will be arranged by the court."
Princess Taiping smiled and said, "Child, the court is arranged by people. If you come back this time, you should not leave. The other states are nothing like Chang'an. When Queen Wei transferred you to Shangzhou last time, I was very unhappy. But my third brother was foolish and blindly trusted his wife and daughter. In the end, they really killed him, right? After this experience, I finally understand that power should be in the hands of trustworthy people. If something happens, there is no need to ask for help."
Li Huazhang fell silent, no longer playing meaningless games with Princess Taiping, and asked directly: "Aunt, what do you want to say? Just say it. My wife is not feeling well, and I want to go back early to accompany her."
Princess Taiping's smile froze slightly. Li Huazhang was still the same character, straightforward and unsympathetic. She lowered her eyes and smiled, and decided not to waste any more time. She said leisurely, "I still say the same thing. What are your plans for the future? Are you really going to be a vassal king who goes through life and death and solves problems for the court for the rest of your life?"
Li Huazhang raised his eyebrows and asked, "What's wrong with that?"
Princess Taiping raised her eyes, the light in her eyes was sharp and shrewd, and said: "Are you really willing? Your talent is not inferior to anyone else, why do you want to be inferior to others and obey orders all your life? Your grandfather was the emperor, your grandmother was the emperor, your father was the prince, and your two uncles were both emperors. Have you ever thought that you can also rule the world?"
Li Huazhang stared at Princess Taiping quietly. Princess Taiping thought he was moved and continued to encourage him, "Don't worry, I will help you. If I'm not mistaken, Xuanxiaowei should be in your hands, right? I originally thought that my mother was dead and the tiger talisman was missing, and Xuanxiaowei would become a pile of scattered sands. I just wanted to use it for my own use. I didn't expect that although Xuanxiaowei was low-key, it had its own order. That's when I guessed that the tiger talisman had changed hands. Even I don't know my mother's confidants very well. I have been looking for who is behind the scenes. I didn't expect that person to be you."
Princess Taiping chuckled and said self-deprecatingly, "My mother actually trusts you so much. I have been so confident for so many years and thought that my mother relied on me the most. Maybe this is fate. I founded Xuanxiaowei, but now it is in your hands. It seems that God has destined us to cooperate. My mother left Xuanxiaowei to you, which means that she regards you as her heir. We should unite and take back the throne to live up to my mother's expectations."
Princess Taiping became excited as she spoke, her eyes gleaming with ambition and passion that almost became physical, making it impossible to look directly at her. Li Huazhang retracted his gaze and laughed sarcastically.
What a familiar situation. In the first year of Jinglong in Shangyang Palace, Empress Wu Zetian had said something similar to him. Different people, different time, different place, the only thing in common was that they didn't really recognize him, but wanted to use him.
Empress Wu Zetian wanted to use him to restore the throne, and now, Princess Taiping wanted to use him to overthrow the crown prince. A man who had no right to inherit, but had a father with a great reputation and the legacy of the former crown prince, who was highly praised by the whole court, was such a handy tool.
Li Huazhang suddenly felt extremely bored. When he read history books, he thought that those who were in power and did not care about the survival of the country and only knew how to fight for power and profit were people with bad personal character, not well-educated, or had no loyal ministers around them. Now he understood that no matter what the moral character was, when that person ascended the throne, he would be transformed into a power monster.
He had seen his grandmother and uncle follow this path, and now it was his aunt's turn.
Princess Taiping was still chattering in her ears. She became more and more excited as she spoke. She grabbed Li Huazhang's arm and said, "You have made great contributions in Jiannan this time. This is the best opportunity. Tomorrow I will go with you to the palace to see my brother. You don't need to say anything else. I will help you get the title..."
Li Huazhang interrupted Princess Taiping and said, "Aunt, that's not necessary. The solution to the Jiannan Jiedushi was the result of the joint efforts of many people, not just my own efforts. If Xie Jichuan hadn't spoken for me in Chang'an and sent me the imperial edict to mobilize troops in time, if Ren Yao and Jiang Ling hadn't blocked the foreign enemies in Jiannan, if Gan You Jiedushi hadn't helped me, and if my wife hadn't eliminated my worries, Jiannan would have been a disaster. The current situation would not have happened if the situation had not been solved. It is fortunate that Mu Yunping and Prince Qiao did not cause a big disaster, but such luck will not always favor the Tang Dynasty. After all, if Prince Qiao had not colluded with foreign officials, Mu Yunping would not have participated in the prince's fight for the throne, and he would not have been forced to rebel later. This disaster was caused by the Li family. The Li family is ashamed of the people. How can I have the face to ask the court for rewards? "
Princess Taiping raised her eyebrows, unable to understand Li Huazhang: "This has not caused any irreparable consequences, why do you feel guilty? This is the first time I have seen someone who is not even active in asking for credit. Don't worry, I am here, and I will never let anyone take away your credit.
The "other" mentioned by Princess Taiping can be specifically referring to the crown prince. Li Huazhang lost his patience and said with a cold face: "Aunt, I am sorry that I cannot enjoy your kindness. Although the crown prince is young, he has a strategic mind and a methodical way of doing things. He will be a very good king. I only wish to stay with my wife for the rest of my life. I don't want to waste my time on irrelevant people and useless things. Tomorrow, I will ask the saint for permission to go to Youzhou. My wife is still not feeling well, so I won't keep you any longer, aunt. Please."
Princess Taiping left in anger. Ming Huashang heard what happened in the front hall from the backyard. She paused and said to Li Huazhang, "Your words are too unpleasant to hear. After all, she is your aunt."
"So what?" Li Huazhang reached out and touched Ming Huachang's forehead. He was relieved when he was sure she didn't have a fever. He brought her some hot soup to relieve the heat. "I've said before that if anyone harms you, I will fight him to the death. She once wanted to assassinate you to protect me. She trampled on the one I love so much, why should I still maintain the face of a relative with her?"
Ming Huashang was stunned and looked at Li Huazhang carefully, almost thinking that he knew that she had had a precognitive dream. But she felt that it was inappropriate. She had not told anyone, so how could Li Huazhang know?
Ming Huashang was thinking about something and took a big gulp of medicine without noticing. She almost vomited it out. She drank the water from Li Huazhang's hand and said, "Isn't it okay? Her Highness Taiping has great power in the government and it's definitely not a good thing for you to offend her."
Li Huazhang gently brushed away the wet hair on her temples, his eyes far away, as if he was relieved but also afraid: "Fortunately you are okay. Sometimes I dream, and often feel that I have lost you once."
Ming Huachang's eyebrows twitched fiercely, and she continued to drink the medicine, pretending not to hear Li Huazhang's words. Fortunately, Li Huazhang did not go into it, and continued to patiently feed her the medicine.
After finally finishing a bowl of medicine, Ming Huashang lay on the couch, pretending to be sick and negotiating with Li Huazhang. He asked for a big bowl of smoothie, when suddenly a servant came to report that a guest had arrived in the East Palace.
Li Huazhang was unmoved. Just as he was about to ask his servant to thank the guest, Ming Huachang sat up straight and said, "You go quickly. I need to rest."
Li Huazhang frowned and looked at her. He didn't even hold out any hope, so he reiterated, "You almost got a heat stroke. You should eat a light diet and don't eat anything cold."
Ming Huashang nodded vigorously: "I understand."
Eat something cold.
Li Huazhang walked away, looking back every few steps. He was worried about Ming Huashang, and couldn't help but feel a little annoyed with this uninvited guest. He turned around the corridor and saw a green figure drinking tea from a distance. The person heard the sound and turned around. Seeing Li Huazhang's face, he raised his eyebrows and smiled, "I know I'm not welcome, but you don't have to be so bitter and resentful."
Li Huazhang didn't even bother to say polite words and asked directly: "What can I do for you?"
"You can't come if you have nothing to do?"
Li Huazhang stood up and was about to leave, but Xie Jichuan quickly stopped him: "No, no, it's so hot outside, it's not easy for me to go out, at least let me pass on the message, so I don't have to come again next time."
Li Huazhang glanced at him and said calmly, "You don't hide anything at all."
Xie Jichuan sipped his tea calmly and said, "I came here just after Princess Taiping left. Even if I come up with a dozen excuses, can you still not guess why I came?"
Li Huazhang stood still: "I thought we had made it clear last time."
Xie Jichuan took a sip of tea and said nonchalantly, "Last time I asked, this time it's the prince who wants to ask. What kind of tea is this? In the Yong Palace, you use this kind of tea to entertain guests?"
Li Huazhang knew that this conversation would not end for a while, so he slowly walked to the main seat and sat down, patted his sleeves, and said calmly: "It may be to entertain you, so there is no need to use too good tea."
Xie Jichuan's eyebrows twitched, he put down the teacup, and chuckled, "You are still so good at talking. No wonder His Highness Taiping looked so bad when he left."
Li Huazhang replied calmly: "You are really well-informed."
"I dare not show off my skills in front of an expert, but His Royal Highness Prince Yong is going back to Chang'an. The East Palace has to pay attention to such an important matter."
"You don't need to test me. What I said to you last time came from my heart." Li Huazhang said, "Although the rebellion in Jiannan was quelled smoothly, I was always afraid when I wrote to the governor of Ganyou for help in sending troops. What if he disagrees? What if he colludes with the governor of Jiannan and turns against us in battle?"
"Langyou Jiedushi is a loyal minister and would not disagree," Xie Jichuan said, "otherwise, Empress Wu Zetian would not have placed him in Langyou."
"But having to rely on one Jiedushi to control another is the biggest danger," Li Huazhang said. "What if one day the imperial court becomes weak and they no longer obey the imperial court's orders?"
Xie Jichuan raised his eyebrows, his expression still calm and indifferent: "We can form alliances and provoke them to fight each other. The court can mediate and keep the country peaceful."
"The country that is saved in this way is the country of the emperor and the prime minister, not the country of the people." Li Huazhang said, "When that day comes, the military governors will fight each other, and the people will never have peace. In this battle of Jiannan, I deeply felt that I was controlled by others. Instead of expecting outsiders to lend a helping hand every time, it is better to hold the right to choose in my own hands."
Xie Jichuan was a little surprised and raised his eyebrows and said, "You want to..."
The wind blew through the window, and a long-standing scent of ink diffused. Li Huazhang was sitting in this subtle fragrance. The plaque behind him that read "Ming De Wei Xin" was written by Prince Zhang Huai himself. He was casual, his eyes were like snow-covered mountains, stars hanging over the fields, clear and unrestrained: "Shangshang and I discussed on the way, even if we have no intention of competing for the throne, as long as we stay in Chang'an, the ambitious people in the world will not give up. Rather than letting all the officials in the court dare not to surrender to the prince, it is better to leave the center of this vortex and go far to Youzhou in the north. As long as we leave, with the ability of the prince and your talent, we will surely unite the world, and the government orders will be passed, and everyone will obey. When I meet the emperor tomorrow, I will personally ask the emperor to go to Youzhou as a governor. If Chang'an is in trouble in the future, I will rush to help thousands of miles away."
Xie Jichuan pursed his lips. He was sent by the Crown Prince to test Li Huazhang, but he was not happy when he got the result they expected. Xie Jichuan said, "But your family is in Chang'an. If you leave now, what will happen to your family?"
"Shangshang and I have already discussed this. She grew up with the Duke of Zhenguo and was loved by her father and brothers, while Ming Yuji has been living outside and has experienced the fickleness of human nature. From now on, it will be her turn to go out and wander around. The title and property of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion will all belong to Ming Yuji, and how to deal with them will all be decided by Ming Yuji. If Ming Yuji wants to stay in Chang'an to take care of the Duke of Zhenguo, then she can stay in Chang'an. If she doesn't want to, then Shangshang and I will take the Duke of Zhenguo to Youzhou to take care of her father until his death."
Xie Jichuan moved his lips, wanting to say something, but in the end he felt it was meaningless. In order to win the hearts of the people of the country over to the prince, Li Huazhang took the initiative to travel far away to Youzhou to show his position. This is the best situation, neither of them will die or get injured, the prince can take the throne with peace of mind, and the border can be stabilized, and the face of the East Palace will benefit. If he keeps him, isn't it hypocritical?
Why does he still feel uncomfortable in his heart even though he thinks it is the best thing intellectually?
For the first time, Xie Jichuan felt speechless. He was silent for a long time, then stood up, bowed to Li Huazhang, and could only say a simple "Take care."
After saying that, Xie Jichuan turned around and walked out. Li Huazhang stopped him and said through the shadows of the trees in the corridor: "Don't forget what you promised before. From now on, I will be a general outside to guard the border, and you will be a prime minister in the court to assist the king, implement policies and benevolent, and create a peaceful and prosperous era. In this way, we will not let down the ten years of hard study and acquaintance we have had."
Xie Jichuan paused slightly, and the leaves rustled above his head. He suddenly remembered that in Shangzhou, in a deserted corridor, Xie Jichuan persuaded Li Huazhang to become emperor, but Li Huazhang wanted to give up. Xie Jichuan was a little angry, and said angrily: "But how do you know that others will appreciate your initiative to withdraw? If you don't hold a high position, you are doing these things only out of your own will. What if the next person in power is absurd and suspicious, you can't even protect yourself, how can you talk about peace in the world?"
Snow was falling. Li Huazhang stood in front of the carved railing with his hands behind his back, watching Ming Huashang and Jiang Ling quarreling. A gust of wind blew the snow across the courtyard. He turned his head at this moment, and a snowflake landed on his eyelashes. He looked more serious than ever before, and said to Xie Jichuan, "So I'm asking you to choose another wise master after returning to Chang'an, and display your talents. You must occupy a high position in the court, so that the children of poor families can have a chance to succeed, the wise ministers and talented people can have their own positions, and the good generals stationed in other places will not endure unwarranted suspicion."
Xie Jichuan narrowed his eyes. The two of them had been chatting for so long, and many of the contents were not pleasant. Only at this moment did he feel a little angry: "Are you, drawing a line?"
"No way." Li Huazhang smiled with his hands behind his back, patted his shoulder like he did when they were children, and said, "Remember when you were writing articles, you always wanted to be a famous official, but I wanted to travel thousands of miles. Maybe this is destined in the dark. Chang'an does not need King Yong, but the vast foreign states need many capable officials. Only when you are in the court, I dare to stay at ease outside and defend the borders for the Tang Dynasty."
Ming Huachang was unable to defeat Jiang Ling and gradually fell into a disadvantage. Li Huazhang openly sided with him. When the two passed by each other, Li Huazhang whispered, "From now on, I'll leave everything to you."
His safety was now entirely in the hands of Xie Jichuan.
The words from that day were still ringing in his ears. Xie Jichuan thought he was just joking, but he didn't expect that he was really leaving, and the destination was far away Youzhou.
Without turning back, Xie Jichuan said coldly: "Whose safety is responsible? I can't control it. Youzhou is far away and there are many wars. Be careful and don't die outside."
Li Huazhang smiled lightly and said, "Okay."
In the East Palace, the prince was stunned when he heard that Li Huazhang wanted to go to Youzhou to be the governor. Then he understood Li Huazhang's intention. He was silent for a long time and sighed: "Second brother is so noble, but it turns out that I am a mean person."
The prince was very touched by Li Huazhang's concession. He had the legal authority and Xie Jichuan's support. As long as Li Huazhang did not get involved in the fight for the crown prince, Princess Taiping would not be his opponent. The prince was very ashamed of his actions and said, "My second brother has made great contributions to the country, the state, and the Li family. In the future, we must not neglect the needs of Prince Yong's Mansion. After my second brother leaves, please take care of the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion."
Xie Jichuan followed the officials of the Eastern Palace, lowered his eyes and crossed his hands: "Yes."
Li Huazhang kept his word and went to the palace the next morning to tell the emperor that he was going to Youzhou. The emperor was very reluctant to let Li Huazhang go again: "You haven't lived here for a few days, why are you leaving again? If you want to practice in other places, I will find a place for you around Chang'an. Why go so far to Youzhou?"
Li Huazhang bowed and said, "It is precisely because of the remoteness that I am needed to spread the culture of the Han family and implement the policies of the Tang Dynasty. Your Majesty, we must be on guard against the example of Mu Yunping. Please pay more attention to the governors of various regions and do not raise tigers that will eventually become disasters."
The emperor knew that Li Huazhang did not want to get involved in the dispute over the crown prince, so he took the initiative to make way for his son. He had mixed feelings. This child was too much like his second brother, who had always practiced the virtues of a gentleman but had a bad ending. Now, he could not let Li Huazhang follow the same path as his second brother.
Perhaps going to Youzhou, far away from Chang'an, a place of trouble, is the best ending for a gentleman, where he can show his talents and realize his ambitions.
The emperor no longer insisted on letting Li Huazhang stay in Chang'an, and sighed: "You are such a child, you always have such ideas. Now that you have figured it out, then go. When do you plan to come back?"
Li Huazhang raised his hands and bowed solemnly to the emperor on the high throne: "The prosperous era will return."
·
The sage agreed, and the prince told the six ministries to put the request of Prince Yong first, and Li Huazhang's transfer order was quickly obtained. On the day of leaving the city, the prince took the civil and military officials out of the city to see him off. Li Huazhang greeted them in front, and Ming Huashang avoided socializing and came to say goodbye to Zhenguogong.
Ming Yuji supported the Duke of Zhenguo and complained for several days: "Why did you go to such a far place? It's all Li Huazhang's fault. If I had known, I would not have let my second mother marry him."
Su Xingzhi also came here with the Duke of Zhenguo today. When he heard Ming Yuji's words, he felt helpless: "Yuji, they are husband and wife, don't mess around."
Ming Huashang smiled and said, "Don't blame him. I just want to go somewhere far away. Sister, I will rely more on you and Brother Su for the family affairs in the future."
Ming Yuji rolled his eyes at Ming Huashang and said, "Why rely on him? Isn't there anything in the family that I can decide on?"
"I was wrong, I was wrong." Ming Huashang apologized quickly, "From now on, I will have Sister Lao. When Yu Shitai is not busy, you and Brother Su can take father to Youzhou, and we will go to the grassland outside the Great Wall together."
At the beginning of the year, after Xie Jichuan, Ren Yao, and Jiang Ling left one after another, Ming Yuji stayed with her for a few days, and then hurried back to take care of the Duke of Zhenguo. Since then, Su Xingzhi has often been with Ming Yuji, and the two of them are like husband and wife, as well as siblings. Ming Yuji did not take the initiative to tell Ming Huashang, and Ming Huashang did not ask what their relationship is now. I think when Ming Yuji is willing to admit it, she will tell her.
Su Xingzhi was about to agree, but Ming Yuji sneered and said disdainfully: "Why should we wait for him? My father and I are free all year round and can go whenever we want. Why should we take up his time and burden him for nothing?"
Even someone as tactful and changeable as Ming Huashang was blocked. Su Xingzhi was neither angry nor annoyed, and took the initiative to say, "Yu Ji is right. Yu Shitai has little free time. If he waits for me, I'm afraid many things will be delayed. If Princess Yong misses home, please write to me at any time. I will ask someone to escort Duke Zhenguo and Yu Ji to Youzhou."
Before Ming Huashang could interrupt, Ming Yuji asked, "Why do you have to treat me? Can't I treat you?"
Duke Zhenguo laughed and said, "Alright, alright, this is not something you youngsters should worry about. I'll come and ask you. Shangshang, the Crown Prince and Erlang are waiting there, you can go now. When you get to Youzhou, govern well and solve the case well. Your father will be at home, waiting for you to become famous all over the world."
Ming Huashang had said goodbye to her family long ago, and knew that this was only a temporary separation and that they would definitely see each other again in the future, but when the moment came, she still choked up. She tried hard to hold back the tears in her eyes, raised her hands, and saluted Zhenguogong and Ming Yuji solemnly: "I'm leaving. Father, sister, take care."
Duke Zhenguo gently touched her hair and urged her to get in the car. Ming Huashang turned back every three steps and left. Ming Yuji supported Duke Zhenguo and waved to her. Su Xingzhi stood silently by Ming Yuji and watched her leave. Suddenly, Ming Huashang's hand was grasped by a slender and powerful hand. She turned around and saw Li Huazhang. with golden light. He was extremely elegant and handsome.
Li Huazhang looked at her patiently and gently, his eyes seemed to tell her not to rush, if she couldn't bear to leave, she could stay with her family for a while. Ming Huashang took a deep breath, raised her head and looked at him with a smile, and said firmly: "I'm fine, let's go."
Li Huazhang responded in a low voice, turned his head to look in the direction of the Duke of Zhenguo, and bowed solemnly. Ming Huashang followed Li Huazhang in bowing and bidding farewell to her father.
Duke Zhenguo watched this scene, his eyes moistened uncontrollably. He still remembered when he first brought Li Huazhang back home, Li Huazhang was not even as long as his arm, and he was placed side by side with Ming Huashang. Both children were weak and cried softly like cats. In the blink of an eye, they grew up to be a man and a woman, with wings and ideals, enough to explore the sky that belonged to them, and no longer needed his protection.
It was great that all three children grew up to be the most beautiful. In this way, he did not let down the prince.
Duke Zhenguo's eyes were already wet, but he still smiled and motioned Ming Huashang to get in the car quickly. Ming Yuji and Su Xingzhi stood by, silently accompanying Duke Zhenguo.
Li Huazhang helped Ming Huashang get on the carriage, and after counting the troops, he got on his horse. He looked back at the city gate, and the prince, Xie Jichuan and others were standing under the city wall, majestic and silent.
He recalled what Xie Jichuan had asked him just now when no one was around. Xie Jichuan asked him, "After you give up your power, aren't you worried that I or the crown prince will go back on my word and send someone to hunt you down?"
Someone came very quickly, and Li Huazhang had no time to reply. Now he was on his horse, and he bowed to the prince from a distance. The prince quickly returned the greeting and bowed as well. Everything was self-evident.
Li Huazhang's answer is, don't worry.
The Tang Dynasty had been in chaos for too long, from the end of Emperor Gaozong's reign, to Emperor Wu's usurpation of the Tang Dynasty, to Emperor Zhongzong's restoration, to Empress Wei's chaos, and finally Prince Xiang ascended the throne, but Princess Taiping started a dispute over the crown prince. Too many ambitious people appeared on this stage, one after another, but Li Huazhang believed that there were still people of insight who could transcend their own selfishness and party interests, and truly serve the country and the people, and make decisions that benefit the entire country.
Even during the long period of turmoil, there was still no shortage of such people in the court, such as Di Gong, Xie Jichuan, Ren Yao, Jiang Ling, Su Xingzhi, Han Jie, Yu Qiong... There were only more of those nameless and unknown people.
Empress Wu Zetian was really good at judging people. She discovered and reserved many talents for the court. The Tang Dynasty had no shortage of talented people or politicians who cared about the country and the people. The only thing it needed to achieve prosperity was a relay race of concerted efforts.
If his departure could bring this day closer, he would be happy with it.
Li Huazhang and the prince looked at each other. Li Huazhang smiled lightly and rode his horse forward. The prince did not put on any show either.
This was a silent covenant between the two. A gentleman's covenant, the two would never meet again, each living in peace, the crown prince would be the emperor, leading the Tang Dynasty into a peaceful and prosperous era, and the four seas would be at peace. As long as he could do that, Li Huazhang would be willing to be a minister and guard the northern border for the rest of his life.
Li Huazhang believed that an emperor in a prosperous era would have such magnanimity.
When will you come back?
The prosperous times are coming.
——The main text of "Twin Bi" is finished.
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