The two men looked at each other wordlessly, and neither of them spoke.

There was a crackling sound in the candlelight, and the candle flame jumped slightly and went out. As if the two had woken up from a dream, Gao Su turned around and lit a new candle, while she floated to the desk, turned her head sideways, and looked at him with some unease.

He pursed his lips slightly, and there was a firmness in his low voice that could not be ignored: "No matter what, I have to take a look." ”

It is a vast land west of the river, and has been used as a horse breeding farm since the Han Dynasty. At the end of the Tang Dynasty and the Five Dynasties, a large area was lost, and in the early years of the Song Dynasty, a peace was rashly discussed, and after Emperor Zhao Zhen ascended the throne, the four seas were peaceful, the world was healthy, and the redundant officials in the court could not count the two slaps, everyone was used to prevarication, and they also ignored that place intentionally or unintentionally.

But Gao Su fought there for decades, two whole lives.

She cautiously floated to the desk, reverted to a small ball, and said softly, "You, you must not come nonsense." My father has been in the Northwest for a long time, and he probably has some foundation. I ......" She hesitated for a moment, then slowly, telling everything she knew.

The redundant officials and official expenses of the Song Dynasty have reached a rather dangerous situation.

A few years ago, Yuanhao of Western Xia was proclaimed emperor, and Fan Zhongyan and Han Qi were ordered to conquer him, winning more and losing less, and barely stabilized the situation. However, the military expenditure in the northwest is very large, and there has always been a trend of emphasizing literature and suppressing military force in the DPRK and China, so many people are dissatisfied with the war situation in the northwest.

Moreover, the DPRK is rotten. It is an open secret that defeat breeds.

The sum of these two, three, and four places, although it is not a house leak that happened to rain overnight, is enough to keep the soldiers in the northwest busy. In these years, the status of sergeants is low, even like Han Qi and Fan Zhongyan, who were born as Jinshi and went to the northwest, they have to be cautious in their actions. Even if they know that there may be problems with the DPRK and China, they need to take it step by step.

She is Han Qi's youngest daughter in this life, and she has heard many unknown secrets because she is young.

For example, Han and Fan have made a name for themselves in the northwest, but they need to be cautious and walk on thin ice in the DPRK. For example, there are a few people in the DPRK and China, and even Han Qi has to be careful to avoid them. For example, although Emperor Zhao Zhen was dissatisfied with what Western Xia did, Zhao Zhen now had nothing else to do with Western Xia.

The last time Han Qi sent a letter back, he wanted to tell a close friend of his court that the Western Xia had been exposed to the rumors, and the military spending of the court and China had been slightly reduced. Han Qi guessed that the official family had made up their minds and was ready to negotiate peace with Western Xia.

This kind of victory leads to peace, and there was a precedent in the Zhenzong period.

She picked out some words bits and pieces and said them to Gao Su one by one. But there were some more important things that she didn't know whether to say or not.

Gao Su didn't know the history of the Northern Song Dynasty, but she remembered some vaguely. She had read in a book that the corruption case during the reign of Renzong of the Northern Song Dynasty was not an isolated case. Redundant officials, miscellaneous expenses, and corruption have already smoothed out half of the court's spirit. Even though Han and Fan had a lot of achievements in the northwest, they sometimes had to be constrained by the Beijing officials.

She also once read that Han Qi was dismissed because of the new policy, and Fan Zhongyan was dismissed because of the new policy, which was a matter during the reign of Renzong.

But what year it was, she couldn't remember.

Yun Yao frowned, but in the end she didn't say anything about the new deal and the dismissal of the prime minister. She just reminded Gao Su side-by-side that she must be careful in the northwest, and if something unpleasant happens, don't carry it. Because the Northern Song Dynasty is different from the Western Han Dynasty, the Western Jin Dynasty and the Northern Qi Dynasty, the scholars and doctors here have long been intertwined, and their power is greater than he imagined.

She knew that the Qingli New Deal had failed, but she couldn't say it explicitly.

She also knew that Wang Anshi's change had failed, but she couldn't say it either.

She knew that even if Emperor Shenzong and Emperor Zhezong changed their methods to turn the tide, they could not change the final outcome. Redundant officials, scholars, imperial examinations, and even the most ordinary people have long been twisted into a ball, and whoever wants to move will be met with a crazy backlash.

A thousand words, in the end, only condensed into one sentence: "You must remember to take care of yourself." ”

——————————

Gao Su left and went to the northwest with a simple package and an entourage.

No one minds his young age, after all, a military attache who came out of the examination room had already exerted a dazzling aura in this dynasty with an extremely strong literati atmosphere. Occasionally, someone would mumble a sentence or two in the market, but it was quickly drowned out.

Occasionally, Yun Yao would listen to a tune, go to the tile shop for a stroll, spend some silver taels, and listen to how they praised the king of Lanling.

The Northern and Southern Dynasties, Gaoyang County, and the King of Lanling broke the formation, which had already swept half of Bianliang City.

Occasionally, Gao Su would ask someone to bring her some small things, sometimes it was a cluster of arrows covered with patina, sometimes it was a beautiful pebble, and sometimes it was a dignified "Guan Ju". But without exception, he did not leave his name.

He knew she could guess who had sent them.

She's just a little doll now, and if she leaves her name rashly, it will probably arouse suspicion.

This small intermittent gift lasted for about half a year, and when it was her fourth birthday in the spring of the following year, he brought her a birthday gift from the northwest. And this gift was sent along with Han Qi's letter.

The sergeant who delivered the letter said: "Lang Jun (Han Qi) has an extra New Year's friend in the northwest, and the two of them have to study the art of war together every day. Lang Jun said that the young man was the smartest man he had ever seen in his life. And he is not only smart, but also brave and good at fighting, and he single-handedly picked half a hundred troops of Western Xia - not only Lang Jun, but also several generals in the northwest praised him. ”

The so-called "several generals in the northwest" were the defenders of the Song Dynasty in the northwest.

The sergeant who delivered the letter said: "That little Langjun heard about the birthday of the little lady (Yun Yao), so he made a personal favor and personally carved a walnut and sent it over. Lang Jun said that the northwest is barren, and the courtesy is light and affectionate, so let the lady (Yun Yao's mother) put it away carefully. ”

But Mrs. Han didn't see the walnut carving, it had already been put away by Yun Yao's treasure.

Yun Yao nestled in the nurse's arms, listening to the sergeant report to her mother one by one, and was both surprised and surprised.

Unexpectedly, Gao Su stayed in the northwest for half a year, and it actually became Han Qi's New Year's friend.

The sergeant who delivered the letter finally said: "Lang Jun said that the northwest has been peaceful, and he wants to take the old lady (Old Lady Han) to live for a while. Lang Jun also said, please stay in Bianliang City and don't go anywhere. The words are full of meaning.

Mrs. Han was stunned.

Old Madam Han was also stunned.

Old Madam Han didn't say a word and began to pack her things. In order to relieve her boredom on the road, Mrs. Han even brought her youngest granddaughter, Yun Yao, who had just passed her fourth birthday. Before Yun Yao could react, she got into the carriage to the northwest.

Until Mrs. Han sent her away in tears, Mrs. Han held her to comb her bag and wrap her hair, she was still stunned.

That's it, to the northwest?

————————————

After three months of turbulence, the old lady took her to the northwest.

Han Qi was not there, but near his official residence, he bought a big mansion, and the old lady and Yun Yao were taken to the mansion and stayed. In addition to them, there are two and a half children in the house, Han Qi's children.

That night, Han Qi came back wrapped in a cold air. He was accompanied by a half-year-old boy.

After nine months of not seeing each other, Gao Su looked a little taller, and there was a man's perseverance in his face. When he saw the little girl doll beside the old lady, he was stunned for a moment, and then he looked away casually, his expression was still faint.

Han Qi pointed to the little girl doll and smiled, that was his youngest child.

The little girl doll blinked, took two steps forward, and stretched out her hand towards Gao Su.

Gao Su slowly bowed down. Body, as if confirming something, hugged the little girl doll. He held her cautiously, like a fragile white porcelain vase, and did not dare to move.

The little girl doll put her arms around his neck and winked at the old lady with a smile.

The old lady pointed at her and smiled: "A-Yao is not afraid of life. ”

Ah Yao, Ah Yao, her milk name in this life, is also called Ah Yao.

Han Qi smiled, didn't say anything, lifted the hem of his clothes, and sat down on the couch next to him.

"The official family has decided to negotiate peace." Han Qi said slowly, "I brought you here precisely because of this. It is not comparable to Bianliang, desolate everywhere, and decadent everywhere. Well, it won't get better in three or five years. ”

Gao Su gently stroked the female doll's back and was silent without a word.

Han Qi brought him here because he trusted him very much. He vaguely guessed Han Qi's intentions, the official family negotiated peace, Han and Fan were most likely to be recalled to Bianliang, Han Qi was not at ease, so he left his mother and three children here.

The female doll nestled in his arms, her black and white eyes looking at Han Qi quietly.

Han Qi continued: "I have discussed with all of you, and when the peace is over, I will ask the official family to change the law. ”

The female doll was stunned, and there was a slight fear in her eyes.

Gao Su gently put her down and whispered two words. Han Qi was stunned when he heard this, and his brows furrowed deeply.

After a while, Han Qi spoke, "You come with me." ”

Gao Su bowed slightly, saluted the old lady again, and left with Han Qi. Yun Yao stood in place, looking at their backs, and didn't speak for a long time.

————————————

Early the next morning, Han Qi left the northwest.

Not long after, another envoy, Fan Zhongyan, also left.

Two people were sent to Bianliang City to sign an agreement with the Western Xia Kingdom, and the two have been at peace ever since. The undercurrent began to become turbulent, and a new policy in the Northern Song Dynasty finally kicked off.

As for Gao Su, he chose to stay in the northwest.

Yun Yao is also there.