In the four years of Chongzhen, the war in the north was repeated, the imperial court continued to recruit soldiers, the military expenditure was excessive, the conscription and taxation doubled, and the people were not able to make a living. The 300-year peace of the Da'an Dynasty was exhausted, and even the imperial examination and the Great Yan Examination were forced to be suspended.

Two years ago, the Yan army captured the city of Dingzhou and stationed in Hebei, and the imperial court suffered another defeat and retreated to Taiyuan to defend it.

In the blink of an eye, it is the New Year, but the people in Anling City are not as happy as in previous years to celebrate the Spring Festival, people everywhere are panicked, I don't know when the army of Yan Kingdom will hit the capital, there are many well-informed people have quietly packed their bags, ready to celebrate the New Year, and go to the south to seek refuge with relatives.

The people were still so frightened, let alone the courtiers who knew better about Dayan's offensive. A few years ago, one after another, the families of officials left Beijing for refuge and did not dare to leave in a blatant manner, so they flaunted the banner of visiting relatives and friends, and even resigned and fled overnight.

When Emperor Chongzhen heard this, he was furious, and on the same day, he ordered to arrest all those who resigned and absconded and put them in prison. He also ordered the Yulin Army to find out the situation, and all officials of the DPRK and China who had family members who left Beijing without reason would be severely punished.

For this reason, a bunch of people were implicated and went to prison one after another, and there was no celebration for the New Year, everyone was a man with their tails between their legs, for fear that the emperor's anger would burn on their heads.

Yu Shu is one of the few ministers who are not affected, in the past few years, the emperor has trusted her, although the rebellious army sent by the imperial court has suffered losses on the battlefield, but with her advice, she has also won a few battles, delaying the pace of the advance of 100,000 Yan troops, otherwise the Yan soldiers and horses should have captured Taiyuan at this time.

Emperor Chongzhen was arrogant. If it is a peaceful year, he may be able to grow into a generation of Ming monarchs in peace, but unfortunately this is a troubled time, he has ruled the already decaying court, how can he resist the great Yan Emperor who has a follower who has been born and died

On the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, there is still a lantern festival in the city. In the evening, the streets are very lively, full of people. Everywhere is violet. It's not at all like the cold days of the year, as if the people in the capital are holding back until today before going out.

Yu Shu originally wanted to stay at home and enjoy leisure, but she couldn't stand Xiao Xiu and her soft grinding and hard bubbles, so she still went out in the end. On the way, I went to the street to have a look.

Three years. The reputation of the forgotten machine building has risen. It is not an exaggeration to say that it is in the capital, and no one knows about it. The business strategies of Youqiutang and Bing Tong have been very successful, and people have gradually become accustomed to this place of rewarding problems. It is common to make money every day, and the sky-high rewards and character rankings that have been changed in turn on the Tianji list have become the most hotly discussed topics after dinner.

When the Dayi Pavilion run by other families found out that they had been robbed of business by the Forgotten Machine Building, it was too late to look back and try to win over the guests again. Even if someone follows the example of the Forgotten Machine Building, and sets up rewards and lists in the Dayi Pavilion exactly the same, it is far from being as good as the Forgotten Machine Building's exclusive initiative and good management, and in the end it is all out of the way and reduced to a decoration.

Forget the machine building for the New Year did not close the door to thank guests, from early morning to unitary, people come and go, in front of the gate is endless. Most of the shops on the street are open, there is no curfew on the two days of the Shangyuan Festival, there are many night tourists, and the nearby restaurants and teahouses are stained with the light of the forgetting machine building, and there are no customers to come to the door.

There were many people on the street, the carriage stopped at the intersection, and Yu Shu and Yu Xiaoxiu got off the car and walked. The streets are lined with colorful lanterns, winding endlessly, rendering the night as if it were day, and the pedestrians who come and go are full of red light, or stop in front of the stalls to choose lanterns, or travel in groups regardless of where they go, and some young women are wearing rouge and holding fans through the flow of people.

Yu Shu walked with a walk, Yu Xiu walked briskly in front, turning back to laugh with her from time to time, which made people look sideways frequently.

Three years have passed, and now Yu Xiu has grown into an outstanding teenager, his height has jumped a little higher, his eyebrows are clear, his eyes are bright and bright, and at a glance he knows that he is the son of a rich and noble family, and he does not see the inferiority complex of his childhood at all.

Yu Shu is dressed in brocade and light clothes, dressed in men's clothes, with a silver-gray fox hat covering the red marks on his eyebrows, and his aura is extraordinary.

Lu Hong and Xu Qing followed behind them not far away, and there were some black-clothed guards accompanying them, all disguised as ordinary people, mingling in the middle of the crowd, protecting Yu Shu's safety anytime and anywhere.

Entering the Wangji Building, Lin Fu, who was walking around the hall, greeted him with sharp eyes, Yu Shu waved his hand to signal that he didn't have to follow, and led people through the hall to the backyard.

Xin Lishan was in the house to calculate the accounts collected in the New Year, there were several piles of silver on the long table, shining under the lamp, and there were two large boxes of copper coins on the ground on the side, as soon as he entered the door, he could smell the smell of copper, but he smiled proudly, and was very happy.

"Fifth uncle, you're counting the silver again," Yu Xiu teased when he met, he has often come to the Wangji Building to play in the past few years, and he is quite familiar with a group of people here.

Xin Lishan put down the shiny ingots in his hand, and deliberately said with a straight face: "You kid, I'm so happy, I'm always teased by you, and I have to stay up for two nights in order to make you a general's lamp." ”

Yu Xiu smiled and leaned in and said good things: "I was wrong, don't be like me, the fifth uncle is the best for me, where is my general lamp?" ”

This general lamp is the same as Kong Ming lantern, can fly, the difference is that the former is more delicate, you can use the thread in your hand, not afraid of it flying away, the pattern on the lamp wall will change back and forth with the rise and fall, endless fun. Last year, Xin Lishan made a lamp for him, which is unique in the capital, no one can copy it, and there is no one to sell it outside.

Xin Lishan is also stubborn, Yu Shu asked him to go out of the mountain several times, but he refused to enter the Heavenly Prison, but he was willing to hide in the Wangji Building as a miser and study his strange inventions.

"Well, put it in there, let's play with it."

Yu Xiu looked for a big general lamp, so he happily went to the courtyard to put the lamp, only Shu and Xin Lishan were left in the house, and the two chatted about serious things.

"I heard that the emperor lost his temper because some officials had taken refuge in Beijing. You're not affected, are you? "Don't look at Xinli Mountain, you don't leave home, but you are very well-informed.

"It doesn't bother me to do anything, my family is staying in the capital and not going anywhere." Yu Shu shook his head and smiled: "But Xin Zuoju quietly sent the two children out of Beijing, and the emperor pursued it, so scared that he said he was sick at home and didn't dare to go out." ”

Now Anling City is calm on the surface, but it is actually chaotic inside.

Xin Lishan glanced at her worriedly and said, "The Yan army is about to break through Taiyuan and hit the capital." Why aren't you in a hurry at all? ”

"What's the hurry?" Yu Shu said calmly: "Even if they occupy the capital, can they still kill all the ministers of the court, Emperor Yan wants to seize the country, not to slaughter the world." ”

Xin Lishan fell silent. Over the years, he has become more and more unable to see through her as a person. Even if he sensed her attitude. But I didn't know what she thought. As a powerful minister. She also plays with power, and she also forms a party for personal gain, but he doesn't feel how obsessed she is with power. It doesn't matter if you're loyal. It seems that what she has done over the years is just to do her duty and play the role of the good priest, not out of her own will.

"It's strange, when you say that, I don't have anything to be afraid of," he touched his chin and said, "Originally, I planned to take the money from the Forgotten Machine Building and run away overnight." ”

Yu Shu's eyes flashed with a smile, "Then I have to send two more people to watch you, if you run away, where can I find a second God of Wealth?" ”

Xin Li Mountain ha, the solemn atmosphere disappeared in an instant

That night, the sister and brother returned home at night, and then they entered the door of the North Chamber, and a small round cannonball rushed over from the opposite side, hugged Yu Shu's thigh, raised his head to reveal a white and chubby big face plate, deflated his small mouth, sucked the tip of his nose that was red from the ground, and blinked his eyes aggrievedly-

"A-Niang and Uncle go out to play, and don't take the little ones."

The first two maids caught up panting, calling the little ancestor in their mouths, and when they saw Yu Shu, they stood timidly and said with a dishful face: "The little boy woke up and clamored to find you, and the slaves and maids ran out as soon as they didn't pay attention." ”

A few years ago, Yu Shu adopted such a godson, although he was not deliberately spoiled, but he was naughty and mischievous than ordinary children, he was only five years old, he could climb trees and dig birds' nests, and he took He Xiaochuan and two people to play with the maids in the house on weekdays, and he was the number one little devil in the house. It's just that he can sell obedient and sweet, coax Zhao Hui and Mrs. He, and cover for him every time, even Yu Shu has a headache for him.

Yu Xiaoguo was greedy for play yesterday and had a cold, sick, and was more clingy than usual, and slept in Yu Shu's room last night, and the fever only subsided this morning.

"If you are disobedient, I won't take you out," Yu Shu reprimanded him, but he quickly untied his cloak in his hand, wrapped his son, picked him up from the ground and walked inside.

Yu Xiaoguo obediently hugged her neck, his eyes rolled slightly, and when he turned his head and saw the tiger lamp in his uncle's hand, he called out sweetly: "Uncle." ”

Yu Xiu reached over and pinched his face, handed him the lantern with a smile, and said very dotingly: "When you get better, my uncle will take you to the street to play, and I will buy you whatever you want." ”

Yu Xiaoguo's face was full of hope, but he didn't forget to look up at his mother's face.

"I'll talk about it when I'm sick." Yu Shu said with a straight face, Yu Xiaoguo lowered his head, and didn't dare to bargain with her, he would observe words and emotions at a young age, and know who is in charge of the family and who is the most effective one.

Yu Shu carried him back to the room, stared at him and drank the medicine, listened to him muttering nonsense, and after a while, the child couldn't hold back and fell asleep, she touched his head, covered him with the quilt, looked at his innocent sleeping face, and never regretted it.

She presided over the ancestor worship ceremony for the first time in the second year of Chongzhen, and she did not take the child to the secret room of the tomb to verify whether he had the Heavenly Destiny Bone, but kept him. Ji Xingxuan couldn't stay up and died of illness in the dungeon two years ago, except for the King of Xiang in this world, she is the only one who knows his life background, outsiders only say that he is the child of her adopted deceased, and there are some unpleasant rumors in private that Yu Xiaoguo is her unmarried child, but no one suspects that she is raising the flesh and blood of the enemy.

It's ridiculous to say, it is precisely because of this living child that she has been pampered and pampered in the past few years, but she has not been consumed by the desire for power, she has not been fascinated by greed, and has become a different look, and his storage zài reminds her all the time not to forget her original intention. No matter how high she sits and how powerful she is, what she wants is still to keep her family safe, but she wants peace of mind.

I don't know if the person who made an alliance with her in this life that day has not changed his wish. (To be continued......)

PS: - Two days ago, Carvin, today is smooth. Arrange for the male and female protagonists to meet tomorrow.