Although he said that he wanted to go and see the relics of the previous dynasty that he found, Xiao Qiao was an official in office after all, and if he wanted to go out, he could only go out by taking leave or finding some reason.

Because after the power of the Northwest and North Xianwang was absorbed, there has been a vacancy in the northwest, and he has been waiting for the prefect of Huainan Mansion to expire and send it over, but the prefect of Huainan Mansion is still in office and waiting for the new prefect to take office before he can leave Huainan and go to the imperial city to accept appointments. Xiao Qiao invited himself to go to the northwest and take the lead first.

Master Li has always supported Xiao Qiao's decision, even if he feels that the Northwest Land is now a time of chaos and danger, it is not an opportunity. In addition, Xiao Qiao Jiangnan Mansion and his entourage made great contributions, so that the imperial court was able to go out so smoothly to quell the rebellion, and Emperor Huiming also went to a big trouble.

Seeing Xiao Qiao so active, Emperor Huiming allowed him to go to the northwest, and even sent Qin Yuyi, who was gradually emerging in the army, to sweep the battle for him, so as to help him as a prince.

Before leaving, Xiao Qiao took Hu to leave to say goodbye to the old lady, Hu Li hadn't spoken to the old lady for a while because of his cultivation with Grandpa Hu.

happened to be there when Xiao's father was there, Xiao Qiao teased the old lady a few words, and told Xiao's father about the things in the court now, Hu Li didn't understand, so he leaned in front of the old lady to make her laugh.

"It's not safe, you have to be careful." Father Xiao frowned when he talked about Xiao Qiao's going to the northwest, "Hongyong won some military exploits last time because of the first battle in the northwest, and now he also has an official position. This time, I want to follow the Eighth Prince to the northwest with you, you are the eldest brother, take care of him more on the way. ”

"Father, don't worry, my brother's affairs are taken to heart."

Xiao Qiao nodded, and he responded. In the last battle in the northwest, he didn't expect Xiao Hongyong to go, he thought that the Liu family would not agree to him going. That's fine, although he was given some care before, but it was all some news about the army that he got in his previous life, and it was not as useful as the actual military exploits.

"The hot summer has passed, my mother has been recuperating in Zhuangzi for a few months, and I don't know how my body is, my son is busy with official business, and I haven't been to see my mother for a long time." Xiao Qiao hung her head slightly, Xiao's mother has been very moisturized recently. She is the only master in the summer village, although she is not allowed to come out after listening to her grandmother's words, and outsiders are not allowed to enter, but no matter how good the prevention is, there will always be a time when it is negligent.

borrowed a few little girls to go out to buy things, and really let her make a deal with the bandits, just waiting for him to leave the imperial city alone, even if it was only a moment, I was afraid that I would kill myself!

If it weren't for the fact that he suddenly remembered that she was still living in the summer village, and sent Xia Yi to take a look, I was afraid that he would really have to suffer a dark loss.

"Well, your mother's health has been unhealthy all these years. Now that the hot summer has passed, I am afraid that it will be easy to get too cold if I live in Zhuangzi again, so I will send someone to pick it up in two days. Father Xiao heard Xiao Qiao mention Mother Xiao, and he was stunned for a moment. Xiao's mother is not in the house these days, and several concubines don't dare to lose their temper with him, but they make him more comfortable.

"In this case, my son was supposed to leave for the northwest the day after tomorrow, so he should have left the day earlier." Xiao Qiao turned the wrench he was wearing, and said softly, "Early tomorrow morning, my son will take the people in the house to the summer village to send his mother back, and the son will meet His Royal Highness the Eighth Emperor at the summer village." ”

"So, okay?" Father Xiao frowned, although the eighth prince was not a favored prince, he was not a prince who had no sense of zài in the past. Now that he has entered the barracks, no matter whether he is good or bad in the future, he can't be neglected now.

"Father, rest assured, because his son is in charge of the armament of the northwest, he once had a relationship with His Royal Highness the Eighth Emperor who returned from a great victory, and His Royal Highness doesn't care about these trivial matters." Xiao Qiao smiled and shook his head, if he didn't solve Xiao's mother's matter before leaving, he wouldn't be at ease when he left.

At this time, Xiao Qiao decided to go to the summer Zhuangzi tomorrow to see Xiao's mother, if she is honest, she can still be Mrs. Xiao for a while, if she insists on making him angry, Mrs. Xiao is afraid that she will be seriously ill again.

It's just that she pretended to be seriously ill before, and this time it's real.

Over there, Hu Li was coaxing the old lady to laugh happily, and Father Xiao also laughed when he saw it, "Hu Li's family has been here before?" ”

"Exactly, his grandfather and two brothers have been here, but they are all from the rivers and lakes, and they have lived in seclusion in the mountains and wilderness a few years ago. I wasn't used to coming out, and I went back after reading Xiaoli. Xiao Qiao smiled, looking at the old lady smiling and patting Hu Li's arm, he said that he smiled a little deeper.

"You said before that he was your friend's younger brother, which of those two people who came here this time is your friend?" Father Xiao asked casually.

"It's Xiaoli's eldest brother Xiong Ming, they are actually not brothers, but brothers." Xiao Qiao took the opportunity to round off the identity of Hu Li, who had casually said before, "Xiaoli's grandfather is Xiong Ming's master, Xiaoli grew up in the mountains since he was a child, so his grandfather and his two senior brothers spoiled him so badly, so that he still maintains a childlike heart." ”

"He's a good boy." Father Xiao nodded, he didn't see Hu Li much, but every time he saw him, Hu Li left a good impression on him.

Xiao Qiao nodded modestly, Hu Li is naturally a "good boy"!

This time, Xiao Qiao's time to go out was not short, and the old lady was not at ease, so she called Xia Yi over and instructed her, and when she left, she gave Xiao Qiao a dagger to help him defend himself.

As the sky dawned, a carriage drove out of Xiao's mansion.

Xiao Qiao didn't bring too many people this time, except for Hu Li, who was still asleep, who was carried into the carriage by him, only Shuzhu and Xia Yi followed. Oh, and that ever-present eagle, the red halberd.

The sound of horses' hooves "clicked", and Xiao Qiao moved Hu Li's sleeping position to make him sleep more comfortably.

Shuzhu also dozed off on the side, leaving only Xiao Qiao and Xia Yi who were awake. Xia Yi was dressed in a Confucian shirt at this time, with a medicine box next to him, looking like a doctor.

"Big young master, you only said that the Gu worm you wanted is ready." Xia Yi took out a small iron box and placed it on the low table on the carriage.

"Well, is it good to control?" Xiao Qiao opened the box, and two blood-colored flesh worms were lying on their stomachs in a corner of the iron box, one large and one small, motionless.

"Don't worry, no matter how far away you are, as long as you kill the mother worm, the child worm will definitely die." Xia Yi put away the Gu worms, although he preferred all kinds of poisons to Gu worms, it could not be denied that many Gu worms that could not be done by poison/medicine could do it.

Thinking of the grotto that he would go to this time, which was said to be full of poison, Xia Yi felt that the blood in his body was about to burn.

The summer resort was not very far away, but it was not too early when they arrived, and the steward already knew that Xiao Qiao was coming, so he prepared a comfortable room and a delicious meal early.

Hu Li slept all the way, and his energy was extremely strong at this time, even if he saw that Xiao's mother didn't have a good face for him, he didn't care.

After dinner, Hu Li jumped up the mountain with the red halberd, followed by two subordinates from the Zhuangzi.

Xiao's mother wiped the corners of her mouth with a wet handkerchief, rinsed her mouth with tea, and looked at Xiao Qiao, who was sitting in front of her casually, and the handkerchief in her hand was pinched tightly.

"Why did Qiao come here at this time?" Mother Xiao brushed the hair of her sideburns, "I heard that I am going to the northwest, isn't it tomorrow?" ”

"Now that the hot summer has passed, if my mother stays in this courtyard any longer, it will be Qi Ao's fault if she gets into the cold." Xiao Qiao looked up at Xiao's mother, and suddenly smiled, "Mother, what if I go out of the imperial city tomorrow and meet robbers?" Hearing that robbers have been rampant lately, Qiao didn't dare to take the risk. ”

Xiao Mu's pupils shrank, he knew!

She knew that Xiao Qiao must have known early on, he was estranged from herself before, although he didn't have anything to do with the slut of the An family, but who knows what it was like in private?

It must be like this, otherwise why did the slut of the An family never go to the Qi Mansion to visit Shu'er, Shu'er is still her nominal daughter!

Xiao's mother completely forgot that she had grounded the An family in the Qi Mansion under the pretext of visiting Xiao Jingshu before.

"Mother, you're really brainless!" Xiao Qiao's fluttering words made Xiao's mother suddenly angry, and her face turned red.

"Young Master, how can you talk to Madame like this!" Mama Liu was afraid that Xiao's mother would be angry and say something she shouldn't have said, so she hurriedly spoke.

"Mama doesn't seem to know," Xiao Qiao sighed, but there was still a smile on her face, "Shuzhu, go and bring someone." ”

"Yes, young master."

"Who?" Xiao Mu frowned, had some bad premonitions in her heart, and asked sharply.

"Mother doesn't remember, that's a coincidence." Xiao Qiao picked up the teacup and took a sip of tea, the bitter taste made him put down the teacup suddenly, this tea is really unpalatable!

"What the hell are you talking about?" Xiao Mu stood up suddenly, the expression on her face was sharp, "Xiao Qiao, you are disrespectful." ”

"Honorable?" Xiao Qiao stood up, tapping his toes, as if he had walked in front of Xiao Mu in one step, "You are also worthy?" ”

"Xiao Qiao!" Xiao Mu snorted, and before she could say the following words, Shuzhu had already brought someone over. Xiao's mother suddenly widened her eyes, this was the one who served by her side back then, or the palace maid who came out of the palace, she remembered clearly, it was because of her beautiful color that she sent her away by changing her son.

"Madame is fine, young master is well." The man knelt on the ground and said softly.

"It's you, aren't you dead?" Xiao Mu took a few steps back and sat down on the chair all of a sudden. The person who came lowered his head respectfully, and could only see the top of her head with her low hair in a bun, "Madame said and laughed, the slave maid is alive and well, how can she die?" ”

Mother Xiao gasped, and even Mama Liu, who had always been calmer, was a little flustered. They watched the people in front of them be dragged to mass graves, and now they are in front of them again.

"You already knew, didn't you?" Xiao Mu sat back in the chair and asked weakly with her eyes down.

"No, it's not too early." Xiao Qiao waved his hand and asked Shuzhu to take the person down, "Mother, I will always be the concubine of the Xiao family, and Xiao Jingshu will always be a concubine, even if I know about this matter, it will not change." ”

"Ha, hahaha, you won't be the son of the Xiao family." Xiao's mother's eyes lit up, as long as Xiao Qiao was no longer a sister-in-law, she would be able to hold her in her hands again.

Xiao Qiao shook his head and said with a smile: "Mother is confused, I am naturally the sister-in-law of the Xiao family, but my mother may not be the housewife of the Xiao family." ”

"What are you going to do?" Mama Liu suddenly stood in front of Xiao's mother and blocked Xiao's mother, Xiao Qiao stood up and walked out.

"Mother suddenly fell seriously ill, please call a doctor immediately!"