Sun and Xiao Yiran waited anxiously for nearly two hours before they saw Xiao Guoliang return to the mansion with a worried face. The mother and daughter both looked at Xiao Guoliang, waiting for his explanation. Xiao Guoliang immediately told what happened in the imperial study, Sun and Xiao Yiran, you look at me, I look at you, I don't know if it is a good thing or a bad thing to be transferred to Yanshan Mansion this time.

"Prepare the incense case first, and prepare to receive the order."

Xiao Guoliang broke the silence and instructed Sun.

"Daddy, go to Yanshan Mansion, although it is the border, it may not be a bad thing. Now that the Holy One has given the order, let's get ready. Worrying about it won't help. ”

"Ran'er is right."

Sure enough, before lunch, Gonggong Li came to the Xiao Mansion again with the holy decree. Xiao Mansion had already prepared the incense case, and placed it in the courtyard, Xiao Guoliang, Sun, and Xiao Yiran knelt behind the incense case and listened to Gonggong Li's decree.

"Fengtian carrier, the emperor edict said, Xiao Guoliang, the servant of the ministry, has been conscientious and diligent since he became an official. Due to the restlessness of the northern border of the country, good officials are urgently needed to go to Yanshanfu Road to govern the army and persuade the peasants, resolve disputes for the imperial court, and relieve worries for His Majesty. Xiao Guoliang is specially appointed as the prefect of Yanshan Prefecture, the official residence of the three products, and the military and civil affairs of Yanshan Mansion Road and Kyushu. From tomorrow, the errand of the Ministry of Officials will be handed over, and he will take office within half a month, and there must be no mistakes. Chin this. ”

"Thank you, Lord Long."

Xiao Guoliang took the lead, and after the family of three kowtowed to thank him, he invited Father-in-law Li to the living room for tea. Gonggong Li did not refuse this time, came to the living room with a smile on his face, and sat down in the first place.

"Congratulations to Lord Xiao on his ascension."

"Gonggong Li, Xiao Moujie's scholar, how do you do military things?"

"Lord Xiao, this is the idea of the Holy One, since the Holy Lord thinks that Lord Xiao can be promoted, what else does Lord Xiao have to say?"

After chatting for a few words, Gonggong Li politely declined Xiao Guoliang's invitation to stay for dinner and left.

Sun and Xiao Yiran turned out from behind the screen, and Sun said with concern:

"Husband, the will has only given half a month, which is very short. From Bianliang to Yanshan Mansion, it will take ten days just on the road. ”

"The time is a little tighter, I will go to the ministry tomorrow to hand over the errand, and I will leave in three days, and I should be able to arrive on time."

"Daddy is going to go alone?"

"Time is in a hurry, so for the time being, my father will go to work first. Depending on the situation, we will decide whether or not to take your mother and daughter there. After all, it is a border, and in the event of a war, there is no safety left in Beijing. ”

Xiao Yiran was full of desire to go to work with him, and he also knew that his father Xiao Guoliang's words were reasonable, so he stopped talking.

"Who are you going to take with you?"

"Just take the four of them."

"However, there is no capable person around to serve the husband's daily life, I am afraid that it is not appropriate. Otherwise, let Xiaolian go with her. ”

Xiao Yiran seemed to hear a little other flavor from his mother Sun's tone. It seems that the mother Sun intends to let his father Xiao Guoliang accept Xiaolian as a side room. Xiao Yiran couldn't help but stare at Xiao Guoliang in silence, wondering what his father thought.

"No, don't worry about the good wife."

For his father Xiao Guoliang categorically rejected his mother Sun's suggestion, Xiao Yiran breathed a sigh of relief. In this era, it is common for men to have three wives and four concubines, especially in official eunuchs. For a long time, his parents have been loving and respectful of each other, and Xiao Yiran has seen it in his eyes. If his father Xiao Guoliang accepted his mother Sun's construction, Xiao Yiran would inevitably have some opinions about his father Xiao Guoliang.

Xiao Guoliang left for Yanshan Mansion on the morning of 14 March. On the second day of April, Xiao Fu received a letter from Xiao Guoliang. It is to the effect that on the road, one qiē shun lì, starting from March 14, walked on the road for nine days and eight nights, and arrived at Yanshan Mansion on the evening of March 23. The letter was written on the evening of the arrival at Yanshan Mansion.

After his father Xiao Guoliang arrived at Yanshan Mansion, Xiao Yiran stayed at home, and even went to Lord Wang's Mansion to find Mr. Di to practice chess. Because he was worried that his mother Sun was worried about his father, Xiao Yiran accompanied Sun almost every day for the first period of time. Considering Xiao Guoliang's absence, Xiao Yiran asked his mother Sun to move to the backyard and live next room with him. All the things in the house were handed over to the housekeeper Cai Xu, as well as Xiao Qing and Xiaoxi husband and wife.

Due to the turmoil since the end of the Tang Dynasty, after the sixteen states of Yanyun in the north were invaded and occupied by Liao and Western Xia, Yanshan Fulu undoubtedly became a battlefield for the three to fight. After Xiao Guoliang came to Yanshan Mansion, what he saw was the scene after many years of war, the fields were barren and sparsely populated. The commander of the Song Dynasty army stationed on Yanshan Fu Road was the famous general Yang Ye and his son Yang Yanlang, that is, Yang Yanzhao and Yang Liulang.

Yang Ye, formerly known as Chonggui, also known as Yang Jiye, was a native of Taiyuan, and was the envoy of the Datong Army. Under its defense, the Song, Liao, and Western Xia kingdoms were temporarily balanced. After Zhao Kuangyin, Taizu of the Song Dynasty, released the military power with a cup of wine, the Great Song Dynasty implemented the strategy of governing the military with literature, that is, the highest local governor, such as the prefect to which each road belongs, is located above the local garrison generals. Therefore, Xiao Guoliang, as the prefect of Yanshan Mansion on Yanshan Mansion Road, has a higher status than Yang Ye, the envoy of the Datong Army. After bringing Xiao Guoliang to his post, Yang Ye had to come to visit.

"Yang Ye, the envoy of the Datong Army, meet the prefect."

Yang Ye came to Yanshan Mansion and saluted Xiao Guoliang with a fist. Although according to the arrangement of the imperial court, Yang Ye's Datong Army was also under the command of Xiao Guoliang, but Xiao Guoliang knew that he didn't understand military affairs, so he was not arrogant, and hurriedly stood up and returned the courtesy.

"The festival makes the adults polite. Xiao is a scholar and does not know anything about military affairs. The safety of Yanshanfu Road, and even the entire northern border, depends on General Yang's Datong Army. In the future, the two of us will work together to share the worries of the court. ”

Historically, civil officials have despised military attachés, especially after the Great Song Dynasty implemented the national policy of emphasizing literature over military force, the civil officials of the imperial court were even more arrogant in front of military attachés. Yang Ye saw that Xiao Guoliang was a little different, and he was not like other civil officials, so he felt a lot more comfortable.

"The food of the king, the worry of the king, Yang Ye is duty-bound."

Yang Ye had already received the emperor's will, and he did not agree very much with the emperor's personal conquest. Immediately, the two exchanged some of their own views with each other, especially Xiao Guoliang, because he had just arrived, he was not clear about the people's situation on Yanshan Fu Road, so he could only ask Yang Ye for advice.

In the end, Xiao Guoliang made it clear to Yang Ye that although the normal state of the imperial court was that the prefect coordinated the local garrison, Xiao Guoliang did not intend to interfere too much in the affairs of the army, and only managed the civil affairs of the Kyushu under his jurisdiction. In view of Xiao Guoliang's attitude, Yang Ye, who was in a happy mood, was naturally very cooperative, not only giving Xiao Guoliang a detailed introduction to the local customs and folk conditions, but also explaining the surrounding military situation to Xiao Guoliang one by one.

The first meeting of Yiwen and Wuwu finally ended in a harmonious atmosphere. After that, they were busy with the matter of welcoming the emperor's personal expedition.

Although Xiao Yiran wants to push away all the entertainment, as the saying goes, the tree wants to be quiet and the wind does not stop. Some socializing still can't be pushed off.

On April 13, Xiao Yiran was gossiping with his mother Sun in the room, and the next person came to report:

"Madam, Miss, Young Master Yang from Tianbo Mansion has arrived."

"Hurry up and ask Yang Gongzi to wait in the living room in the front yard."

Because Yang Zongbao was still a child after all, the mother and daughter just cleaned up briefly, and then came to the living room in the front yard, where they saw Yang Zongbao and Meng Rong sitting there drinking tea. After Sun and Xiao Yiran arrived in the living room one after the other, Yang Zongbao pulled Meng Rong to stand up and salute.

"Yang Zongbao has seen Mrs. Xiao, Miss Xiao."

Meng Rong beside her also did the same, saluting the two. Sun hurriedly stepped forward, grabbed Er Xiao one by one, and asked gently:

"Young Master Yang, Miss Meng, why do you have time to come to our house?"

"Mrs. Xiao, Miss Xiao, Zong Bao is here to be entrusted by his mother to give an invitation to Mrs. Xiao and Miss Xiao, and invite Mrs. Xiao and Miss Xiao to Tianbo Mansion to enjoy the lotus flowers on April 15."

"The county lord is polite, an invitation, send someone here, why bother Yang Gongzi and Miss Meng to come in person."

"It's me and Brother Zongbao."

Xiao Meng Rong told the truth in one sentence. Xiao Yiran also felt that it was impossible for Tianbo Mansion to send Yang Zongbao to personally send invitations to them. Xiao Yiran saw that Yang Zongbao was a little embarrassed because Meng Rong told the truth, so he relieved him and said:

"I'm afraid that Sister Rong wants to take this opportunity to come out to play, so I encouraged Brother Zongbao to ask for this errand, right?"

"How do you know?"

Meng Rong looked up childishly and asked Xiao Yiran. This question, even Yang Zongbao couldn't hold back a little and wanted to laugh out loud.

Sun and Xiao Yiran left Yang Zongbao and Meng Rong to play in Xiao Mansion for a long time, and wanted to leave them after lunch, but Yang Zongbao decisively refused. After sending off the second child, the mother and daughter sat in the living room and talked.

"Mother, won't it be like last time, the Lord of Cheshire is entrusted by the third prince, right?"

"Whether it's or not, since Yang Gongzi and Miss Meng came to invite in person, we have to go."

"Could it be that after my father arrived in Yanshan Mansion, he became a colleague with Yang Jiedu of the Datong Army, and Tianbo Mansion made this move?"

"There are both possibilities, but don't bother to guess, by the fifteenth, you will naturally know."

Sure enough, after breakfast on the fifteenth, after the mother and daughter came to Tianbo Mansion at the end of the Chen hour, Princess Yinghui and the third prince Zhao Heng were already here. Lin Chen, Mrs. Wang, and the Lin family also came. Because they are more familiar with each other, they are not as restrained as the first time. In addition, the Lord of Cheshire is much more enthusiastic than last time, and the atmosphere is very harmonious. Especially Meng Rong, the little girl is very lively and cute, and makes everyone laugh from time to time. This time, Meng Rong's mother, Mrs. Meng, was also present.

First, he went to the back garden of Tianbo Mansion to enjoy the lotus flowers, and the Cheshire Lord led everyone to visit the Tianbo Building, and finally left everyone for lunch, and then made an appointment to drink tea in the living room.

"Sister Xiao, six days later will be Sister Xiao's good day, shouldn't we all be invited to Xiao Mansion for a gathering?"

Princess Yinghui's sudden words made Xiao Yiran a little unexpected. was stunned for a moment, and then replied with a smile:

"It's hard to see that Princess Yinghui actually knows Yiran's birthday."

After speaking, he looked at his mother Sun, and then at the Lord of Cheshire, and then continued:

"Since the princess has ordered, it is better to be respectful than to obey the fate, on the twenty-first day, Yiran will no longer give invitations, and when the time comes, Yiran will welcome you at home."

Xiao Yiran didn't explain who he invited, after all, there was a princess, a prince, and the Lord of Cheshire, and these three people were not invited by their own identities. Besides, Xiao Yiran really didn't want to have too much handover with Zhao Heng, the future emperor. So, I had to vaguely agree.