"Young master, then let me go back and get a thick cloak for the young grandmother." Zhang's mother said softly.

Tao Xiang said: "Grandma has prepared it, and there is it in the car." ”

Jingyi's heart warmed. Zhang's mother didn't say anything anymore and helped Jingyi get into the car.

Zhang Bo drove slower than usual, out of the gate of Tao's house, to the lamp market, all the way was very lively. Although the weather is cold, it does not reduce people's enthusiasm for making lanterns.

Jingyi looked at the lively Xuanhe outside from the car window, and talked to Zhang's mother from time to time.

Tao Xiang sat beside her and listened to her. Jingyi didn't talk much, but after Qiu Wei got married, she talked even less. At this time, it was obviously after being bored at home for half a year, and she was very happy when she went out for the first time.

When he arrived at the light market, Tao Xiang asked Zhang Bo's car to drive more slowly.

Outside was crowded with people and laughter everywhere. You can also hear the noise of gongs and drums, which are the Taiping drums in the distance.

Jing Yi only felt her heart pounding, as if something in her heart had been touched, she turned her face to look at Tao Xiang - he was looking outside, his angular face was reflected by the multicolored lights that gathered over, and he saw a little soft...... He turned his face suddenly, and before she could avoid it, they looked at each other.

Tao Xiang said, "Get out of the car and take a look." ”

"Young master......" Mama Zhang looked at the crowding outside, so she disagreed. Although the car in front of them had already stopped, Tao Si and his wife were holding a child's hand and were strolling around under the protection of Sui Hu.

Jingyi looked at Tao Xiang.

Tao Xiang said: "Don't go far." ”

He didn't ramble any more, got out of the car through the car door, and held Jingyi's hand. Although there is snow on the ground, it is also sprinkled with a thick layer of yellow sand, and it is not slippery to walk. Jingyi was cautious, and so was Tao Xiang. Both walked extremely slowly.

She didn't take a few steps until she came to a large lantern shed, and Tao Xiang asked her to stand down.

Jingyi grabbed Tao Xiang's hand, looked up at the lantern, and said softly: "It's really beautiful." ”

The two stood in front of a beauty lamp, Jingyi looked at the lamp, and a poem was inscribed on it...... It's just that the writing is so small that she can't read it clearly.

Tao Xiang took out a glasses case and gave it to her.

Jing Yi was unexpected, took out the glasses, and exhaled the white vapor on the lenses, and the white vapor in front of her eyes was vast, and she couldn't see anything. Her neck tightened. Bai Qi disappeared, and she saw Tao Xiang tie her cloak again very seriously—the cloak and hat were lifted up, and the long fox fur trembled, and her eyebrows were raised...... She turned her face away and looked at the verses on the lamp, as if she couldn't read them more clearly than before.

Tao Xiang took Jing Yi's hand and walked slowly in the lantern shed.

Suddenly, he heard someone laughing.

The laughter was familiar, and when he stood down, he turned around, and smiled too—he was in a lantern shed greeting guests, wearing a robe and a fox fur hat. At this time, when I saw Tao Xiang and his wife, they came over with their hands dangling and asked with a smile, "Come out for a walk today?" ”

When Jingyi saw Dunhuang, she immediately thought that this was the lantern shed of the Xiao family. So she pointed to the beauty lamp in front of her and said, "This is beautiful." ”

Xiao Dunhuang looked at her face that was rounder than before, with round lenses, and suddenly felt funny, so he looked at Tao Xiang and said with a smile: "Commander Tao, Mrs. said that this lamp is beautiful." ”

Tao Xiang hummed and nodded.

"Don't you pay for it quickly?" Dunhuang stretched out his hand.

Tao Xiang turned his face and said, "Pony, bring the lamp to Mrs., let's go." ”

Ma Xingjian immediately came over and took down the beauty lamp, and Huang Dunhuang made a gesture to stop him from collecting money.

"Dunhuang, you are really stingy." A woman in red came out of the shed, also smiling. approached, and called Commander Tao and Mrs. Tao. It was Ren Xiufang, followed by her husband Zhao Shimin.

"We are a small business, Master Jun!" Xiao Dunhuang said.

"Stingy, drink cold water." Jing Yi said softly.

At this time, even Tao Xiang couldn't help laughing, and a few of them laughed together.

There are many lights in the lantern shed, and it is inevitable that they will be crowded next to each other. Xiao Dunhuang asked them to sit inside for a while, and Tao Xiang looked at Jingyi. Jingyi said softly: "We'll go back when we go shopping elsewhere, so we won't delay you." ”

"The lantern shed is set up every year, isn't it just how lively a person is, where can I say that there is no delay." Xiao Dunhuang said with a smile. But he didn't force them to keep them.

Tao Xiang saw that Tao Si and the children picked up a lot of lanterns and asked the pony to give them money. Xiao Dunhuang smiled and really wanted to collect the money, but he was given by the old man.

When the old man sent Tao Xiang and them out, he asked people to bring a pair of lotus lanterns and a five-son Dengke, and said with a smile: "I still think about the fact that Commander Tao and his wife visited the trumpet that year." I haven't been here for a few years, so I still sent a lamp to the commander and his wife to play with and ask for a favor. ”

"Thank you, old man." Tao Xiang smiled and took the lamp with his own hands.

Xiao Dunhuang smiled and complained to his father that he would lose money if he sent it like this, so he hurriedly drove Tao Xiang away.

It was cold outside, and after only standing for a while, Jing Yi felt that her face was wooden. Tao Xiang asked Dalong to talk to Tao Si, and walked to the car with Jingyi.

Xiao Dunhuang watched them go away, rubbed his hands, covered his face, and turned around to see Ren Xiufang and his wife looking at him with a smile, he stared at the boss, and before he could speak, Ren Xiufang said: "Your sworn sister and Brother Duan are drinking too much, why don't you go up and take a look?" ”

When he heard this, he stomped his feet and said, "These people ......" hurriedly got into the lantern shed, went out from the back and ran upstairs to the store......

Tao Xiang and Jingyi got into the car and immediately asked Uncle Zhang to drive home.

Jing Yi looked at the lanterns in front of him and said softly: "The old man has a really good memory, we just played games that year, and he still remembers what lamps we took away." ”

Tao Xiang also watched it. He nodded, silent.

He thought that maybe it wasn't that the old man had a good memory, but that he had a good memory......

In just a quarter of an hour, the car drove across the Qingyu Bridge and into the alley.

It was far from the gate when I saw the guards gesticulating.

Tao Xiang asked Uncle Zhang to stop the car at the gate, and two people immediately ran down from the door, Shi Quan and Cen Gaoying. Tao Xiang frowned, and ordered Uncle Zhang to send Jingyi back to Langyuan, and got out of the car by himself.

"Qishao, something happened." Cen Gaoying said.

Tao Xiang waited for Uncle Zhang's car to drive away before he raised his feet and asked calmly, "What's the matter?" ”

"News from Nanjing, Chief Cheng was assassinated." Cen Gaoying said in a low voice.

Tao Xiang didn't stop, and immediately said, "Find Er Shao back immediately." ”

He walked briskly through the courtyard and towards Tao Shengchuan's study. On the way, I asked Shi Quan if Tao Jun was here. Shi Quan said that Da Shao had already rested, and Lao Shuai meant that the situation was unknown, so there was no need for Da Shao to arrive. He nodded, and when he got to the door of the study, someone had already reported that he was inside, and he entered the door directly.

"Father." Tao Xiang took off his military hat first when he entered the door.

There was still a light snow outside, and the snow fell on the hat, which turned into droplets of water when you entered the door.

Tao Shengchuan was sitting in the house, and when he saw him coming back, he first asked how it was okay to go out? Tao Xiang saw that his father was calm and relaxed, and replied, "It's okay." How's it going, father? ”

Tao Shengchuan said: "This afternoon's incident. They were attacked on the way back to the Seven Star Bridge from the villa. At present, the news is completely blocked, and Cheng Zhichen's life and death are unknown. ”

"I immediately called an emergency meeting and deployed to combat readiness." Tao Xiang said.

Tao Shengchuan nodded and said, "This matter is very strange, so you can't help but be extra careful." ”

Tao Xiang looked at his father.

Tao Shengchuan said, "The assassin has white equipment on his body. ”

Tao Xiao frowned, pondered for a moment, and said, "The Bai family is not in such a hurry, and they will not be silent." This is to blame. ”

"If that's the case, be even more careful." Tao Shengchuan Road.

Tao Xiang nodded.

"You can't act rashly until you have definite news." Tao Shengchuan said, seeing Tao Xiang groaning, "Jingyi will also slow down and say." ”

"Yes, father. That's what I thought, too. Tao Xiang nodded.

"Master, Seventh Young Master, Second Young Master is back." The servant outside the door reported it.

As soon as Tao Xiang turned around, he saw that Tao Si had already come to the door of the study......

It was late at night, and when Tao Xiang returned home from the headquarters, he found that the lights were still on in the upstairs rooms.

There are lantern ribbons in the yard, and when you enter the door, in the conspicuous place in the living room, there is a delicate and unique lamp of the family that you take back from the lamp market at night, and it is covered with electric lights, which is very beautiful.

He remembered that because it was an emergency meeting, Xiao Dunhuang walked into the conference room wearing a robe and a fox fur hat, and he was sweating profusely. Before the others came, the two of them talked to Tao Si for a while. Dunhuang's judgment of the situation coincided with his. The assassination of Cheng Zhichen is confusing, but the development of things will probably take the opportunity to set off a scuffle. The big war is imminent, and we must be prepared. After the meeting, he didn't say a word, and immediately returned to the Qiyun camp.

Tao Si sighed, where did these heavenly soldiers and generals be recruited?

The most commendable thing is that the longer we work together, the more we trust and understand each other, and treat each other with all sincerity......

Zhang's mother opened the door for Tao Xiang and said that the young grandmother hadn't rested yet.

Tao Xiang stopped for a while before going upstairs, but saw Jing Yi leaning on the sofa and falling asleep.

His eyebrows furrowed.

Yue'er was frightened by his appearance, and hurriedly said that the young grandmother refused to go to bed, and she had no choice.

Tao Xiang couldn't help but get angry when he saw her like this, so he bent over to look at her for a while, and stretched out his arm to pick her up. The hug startled her, but she didn't wake up immediately, shrunk into his arms, and fell asleep as usual—she seemed to be very tired, and indeed a little worried. I don't know if she guessed that something was going on, or if she was just worried about him...... He hugged her like this, and felt that she did seem to be heavier than before.

When he put Jingyi on the bed, Jingyi shrunk into the quilt and found a very suitable position to lie down. He remained by her side and watched her.

Jingyi opened her eyes and saw Tao Xiang beside the bed.

Tao Xiang reached out and touched her forehead, and said in a low voice: "Sleep, nothing happens." ”

She was really sleepy, and since he said so, there must be nothing wrong......

·

·

Jingyi waited several days before hearing the news of the assassination of her third brother Cheng Zhichen. Fortunately, when I heard this shocking news, I also learned that he had only suffered minor injuries. The radio broadcast of the local radio station sent a recording of Cheng Zhichen's speech when he appeared in front of the public a few days ago. The voice was sonorous. Although the voice on the air waves was very different from the voice of the third brother in her impression, she was very sure that he was indeed safe and sound.

She understood that Tao Xiang had come back to see her that night, and why he had suddenly disappeared in the past few days. It was not difficult for her to know the sensitivity of the matter. Cheng Zhichen's position is not stable enough at this time, and there are many people who want to take this opportunity to overturn him...... The assassination was full of rumors. On the surface, there are many opponents of Cheng Zhichen. There are suspicions, including the Tao system. The perpetrator caught at the scene was too obvious because he was carrying the equipment of the Bai family, and it looked more like he wanted to cover it up. Although Cheng Zhichen repeatedly tried to keep the situation under control, accusations against the Bai family and their allies Tao and Duan were loud. Especially in the northern Guizhou area on the border between the Central Army and the Bai faction, the two sides were tense and saw that a conflict was about to break out. The Tao system in the northwest and the Duan system in the north are also ready for war at any time.

In this case, Tao Xiang seemed to relax instead.

He came back every day without mentioning anything outside, nor did he hinder others from talking about it.

Jingyi occasionally listened to him chatting with Tao Si, and only said lightly "I can't fight" and left it. Tao Si smiled and said, Isn't that all the things that were arranged earlier are all wasted work? But he laughed and said that it was not necessarily. Tao Si also laughed, and the two talked about something else, easily.

As he spoke, Tao Xiang found that Jingyi was also listening. However, his and Tao Si's words did not avoid Yamei Jingyi. It's just that Yamei doesn't care, Jingyi doesn't interject, only the brothers chat.

Jingyi didn't know what Tao Xiang's judgment was based on. But she couldn't agree more with his judgment. Her third brother has never been an impulsive person. Not to mention, this may seem like a trivial matter, but in fact, if it is not handled properly, the scene can get out of control. The third brother would not make such a mistake...... She knows the third brother.

The development of events really confirmed Tao Xiang's judgment.

Cheng Zhichen asked people to investigate the matter thoroughly, intending to severely punish the murderer. Soon after, the murderer was brought to justice, but there was no mention of finding out who was behind it. The matter was handled decisively and quickly, and the situation gradually subsided.

Cheng Zhichen's move seems to be intended to stabilize the situation and calm people, and has won a lot of praise. Even some of those who opposed him before thought that he had handled the matter properly and that he had the air of a general in the face of a complicated situation. Cheng Zhichen once again got through the danger during the transition of power...... However, the nerves that were once tense on all sides are not so easy to relax completely. As Cheng Zhichen gradually pushed forward his reform plan, the confrontation between various factions inside and outside the government and the opposition continued uninterruptedly, and the Congress, newspapers, public opinion, and popular opinion were ...... Everywhere is like a battlefield without gunsmoke.

At the same time, Cheng Zhichen also stepped up his actions to return military power to the central government. With the subtle changes in the situation in the northeast, Duan Fengxiao, who was guarding the pass, was under increasing pressure. The alliance of the Bai and Tao factions formed an encirclement of Cheng Zhichen, intending to force Cheng Zhichen to change the domestic policy pursued by Suo Youan while retaining military power, and to support the Northeast with the strength of the whole country and expel the Japanese from the Northeast. Cheng Zhichen ignored such a suggestion and quickly mobilized the elite troops of the Central Army to confront the three parties, thus opening the prelude to protracted negotiations and disputes.

Cheng Zhichen first contacted Duan Fengxiao. Tao Xiang reminded Duan Fengxiao to be careful of Cheng Zhichen's delay on the grounds of negotiation. Duan Fengxiao has hope for Cheng Zhichen. However, Cheng Zhichen sat in Nanjing and sent his descendants to raid Duan Fengxiao's department. Duan Fengxiao was really caught off guard, and lost control of Beijing and Tianjin in just a few days, so he had to lead the remnants of his troops to retreat outside the pass, and then surrendered to the Central Army and officially handed over military power. After Cheng Zhichen took over the Duan system, he took a break and turned his attention to the white and Tao systems. Cheng Zhichen first put the Bai family aside, intending to negotiate with the Tao family.

With Duan Fengxiao's lesson in front of him, Tao Xiang naturally prevented Cheng Zhichen from making another move to repair the plank road and secretly Chen Cang, so he exchanged voices with Bai Huanzhang and advanced and retreated together. Cheng Zhichen also did not have the ability to win the Taobai Alliance in one fell swoop. The two sides tested each other, and the situation fell into a stalemate for the time being.

At this time, it was the beginning of March, and Jingyi was waiting for labor at home.

Under the clouds of war, she did not feel relaxed in the warm spring season. At present, the two sides of the confrontation are Cheng Zhichen's Central Army, Tao Xiang's Northwest Army, and Bai Huanzhang's Southwest Army. Her only hope was that the negotiations would succeed.

The envoys from Nanjing arrived in Lanzhou one after another, and traveled back and forth between Nanjing and Lanzhou again and again, and returned again and again in vain. Even the envoys on the lobbying mission included figures like Kong Yuanxuan's father, Kong Zhixiao, who had deep roots with both sides, and still failed to bridge the differences between the two sides.

When Kong Zhixiao met Tao Xiang as an elder, he fully expressed his understanding of Tao Xiang's proposition, and at the same time deeply persuaded Tao Xiang to give up this proposition, change his banner and return to obedience, and conspire with great things.

Tao Xiang also bluntly explained to Kong Zhixiao his opposition and worries about Cheng Zhichen's policies.

He said: "Uncle Kong, Tao Xiang is the life of hundreds of thousands of soldiers of the Northwest Army, and he can't act hastily. Nowadays, the Japanese are committing murder in the northeast, and the British and Germans covet the northwest, and they have never stopped coveting Xinjiang and Tibet. Not to mention anything else. If he Cheng Zhichen still blindly uses his personal will and insists on going his own way, he will have to encircle and suppress the white bandits, eradicate dissidents, and resist foreign insults. ”

Kong Zhixiao's persuasion failed, so he had to set off and return. Before leaving, he handed over several handwritten letters written by Suo Yanlin, Zhao Wujian and others to Jingyi that he had been entrusted to Tao Xiang. Tao Xiang makes people hand over to Jingyi.

Jingyi did not reply after reading it.