On the twenty-eighth day of the lunar month, Changren Houfu is already full of lights.

In two days, it will not only be the thirtieth year of the Chinese New Year's Eve, but also the birthday of Mrs. Fan.

This is, of course, a very coincidental thing.

Old Mrs. Fan was born in the thirtieth year of the Chinese New Year's Eve, and when she was telling fortunes, she was called a good omen, and Mr. Fortune Teller concluded that Old Mrs. Fan was rich and noble all her life.

There is obviously nothing wrong with the fortune teller's hexagram.

The old lady was born into a family, married into the Fan family is one of the three major families in Xiling, not only the husband was awarded the title of marquis by the imperial court, after the death of the husband, his son Fan Ziqi also successfully inherited the position of marquis.

Fan Ziqi is extremely filial and obedient to his old mother, and people have to admit that Mrs. Fan has indeed cultivated a lifetime of blessings.

After the beginning of the year, the Fan family will move into the customs, and the Fan family did not hide this matter, although the major families knew about it, and the peddlers and pawns also heard about it.

So this year is the last New Year spent by the Fan family in Xiling, and it is also the last birthday of Mrs. Fan in Fan County.

And this year is Mrs. Fan's 80th birthday.

In this way, Fan Ziqi had to arrange a lively birthday for his old mother.

The Fan family is about to move into the customs, and many families in Fan County have also sent people to send congratulatory gifts, but the Fan family only wrote down the list of guests who gave gifts, refused to accept gifts, and repeatedly explained to each family that this year's birthday and Chinese New Year's Eve are on the same day, and the Fan family will never delay other families to have a good Chinese New Year's Eve because of the old lady's birthday.

So the Fan family was not prepared to receive too many guests except for inviting a very small number of relatives and friends.

The families were surprised, but they also understood Fan Ziqi's worries.

A while ago, Zhonglang General Su Changyu came to Fan County to reorganize the army, Changren Hou set up a banquet, and invited the wealthy gentry of Fan County to come to accompany him.

Who knew that at a good reception banquet, there was an assassin who appeared, and at this moment it was the Changhe Liu clan of Fan County.

Although Fan Ziqi was not seriously injured, this incident also cast a shadow on the Fan family.

Since that day, the Hou Mansion has not held a banquet again, except for a very small number of wealthy family heads who have a close relationship with Fan Ziqi, Fan Ziqi does not even receive other guests.

Everyone knows that Fan Ziqi must be worried about another accident at the birthday banquet, since this is the case, the fewer people who attend the banquet, the fewer.

Although not too many guests will be invited to the birthday banquet, Mrs. Fan's birthday is naturally still lively, so Fan Ziqi sent someone to invite a big opera troupe early in the morning to set up a stage to sing on the birthday day, in addition, a lion dance team was specially arranged, and the lion dance increased the festivities at that time.

At dusk that day, a carriage stopped in front of the Hou Mansion, and four guards dressed in flowing cloud suits and black sè sages rode in front of and behind the carriage, and the sabers at their waists were pitch-black scabbards.

After receiving the report, Changren Hou Fan Ziqi almost trotted to the front of the mansion and welcomed the distinguished guests into the elegant hall.

The guest of honor who came suddenly was naturally Pei Shiqing of the North Courtyard.

"Lord Squire, I really didn't expect you to come in person." Fan Ziqi was a little excited: "Mother."

If you know, you will rejoice. ”

Pei Shiqing smiled: "Master Hou is too polite. If I don't come to congratulate the old lady on her birthday, it really can't be justified. Picked up the teacup, looked around, and sighed: "Master Hou, they all say that you live frugally on weekdays, and it really deserves your reputation." The furnishings in Yuwenhou's Mansion are much more luxurious than those you have here. ”

"My lord, Fanjun is thin and sparsely populated, and it has always been a bitter cold place." Fan Ziqi sighed: "The lives of the people are not easy, how can I be extravagant and indulgent? And since childhood, he has developed the habit of diligence and thrift, which is also the style of the Fan family, and he dare not forget it. ”

"Not bad." Pei Shiqing said with a smile: "By the way, the old lady's birthday, prepare a little courtesy, and ask the Hou Ye to smile!" He glanced at the guard on the side, and the guard stepped forward with a box, Fan Ziqi got up and took it with his own hands, and said repeatedly: "Lord Shiqing is really too polite, it is already the glory of the Fan family that you can come, so why bother to spend so much?" ”

Pei Shiqing said: "Master Hou, if it's someone else, it's fine, you are your own person, there are some things you can't say to others, and you won't see outside." I'll tell you the truth, this birthday gift is a white jade pixiu, Cheng sè is good, it should be a little valuable. I eat the food in the palace, and Her Royal Highness the princess is very strict, and we people just live on some money, and we don't have some ways to get some money than other officials. If it were just me, I wouldn't have been able to save up money to buy this white jade pixiu in ten years. ”

"Oh?" Fan Ziqi was stunned.

"Master Hou should have also heard that the Yuwen family wants to donate all their belongings to the imperial court." Pei Shiqing said: "The antique calligraphy, painting, gold and silver jewelry of Yuwen Hou's Mansion have been sent to the treasury, and this is a treasure that I dare to choose from. ”

Fan Ziqi's face changed slightly, and he hurriedly said: "Lord Shiqing, since it is a treasure from the Yuwen family to the imperial court, I will never accept this congratulatory gift." ”

"Listen to me." Pei Shiqing motioned for Fan Ziqi to sit down, and said with a smile: "Even if I have the courage, I don't dare to take away the things of the imperial court." Master Hou, in fact, when I set off from Kyoto, the princess summoned me and told me that the three major families of Xiling have different situations and cannot be treated equally. The Fan family is different from the other two, you have already sworn allegiance to the imperial court many years ago, and cooperated with General Hei Yu's deployment plan, not only let the other two families fall off the horse, but also let General Hei Yu return to Xiling smoothly, so that Xiling can return to the control of the imperial court, such a credit is not trivial. ”

Fan Ziqi immediately said: "When the Wutuo people entered the customs, the Fan family was deceived by the Yuwen family, and they failed to help the Duhu army in the first place, and they failed to be loyal to the imperial court, and they have always felt very guilty in their hearts. Being able to assist the black-clothed general to return to Xiling, and being able to make up for his merits is already grateful, and he dare not take credit. ”

"That's not the case." Pei Shiqing said with a smile: "Just a few days ago, I received the will of the saint, Yao Duhu personally tried the case of the Zhen family, and the evidence is conclusive, and it has been determined that the Zhen family has committed treason against the enemy. However, the sage Bodhisattva was heartfelt and didn't want to be implicated too widely, so he only disposed of the Zhen family's descendants severely and confiscated his family property. ”

Fan Ziqi's lips moved slightly, and he stopped talking again, but finally did not speak.

Pei Shiqing waved his hand, and the guards and servants in the Yiya Hall all retreated, and when everyone retreated, Pei Shiqing asked, "What does Master Hou want to say?" ”

"Lord Shiqing, the sage should know that those two secret letters were forged by Bai Jingzhai." Fan Ziqi lowered his voice: "The purpose is to let the Yuwen family hold the evidence and attack the Zhen family, and now those two secret letters .....!" ”

"If those two letters are fake

, the implication is too wide, even if you are Hou Ye, you will also be involved. Pei Shiqing said calmly: "So the best way is to make those two secret letters true, and the Zhen family will bear this charge, and the others will no longer be implicated." ”

Fan Ziqi bowed slightly, and said, "Lord Shiqing, with all due respect, has this matter been planned from the beginning?" ”

"Yes." Pei Shiqing did not deny it: "Master Hou, there is no one else here, I will say a word to you, since the imperial court wants to do something to Xiling, it will not show mercy." Those two secret letters not only wanted to make the Yuwen family fall down, but also directly became evidence of the Zhen family's treason against the enemy, killing two birds with one stone. As for the Fan family, Hou Ye, you took refuge in the imperial court early, it can be said that you are wise, the saint is very satisfied with the merits of the Fan family, and Her Royal Highness the princess knows the mind of the saint, so before I leave Beijing, the princess will tell me to protect the Fan family. ”

Fan Ziqi arched his hand and said: "The saint is wise, His Royal Highness is wise, thank you Lord Squire!" ”

"The Yuwen family migrated into the customs, and from now on, the Yuwen family will not be officials." Pei Shiqing said: "So the Yuwen family has become a grass people, and they can't turn over anymore." However, the Fan family and the Yuwen family are different. ”

Fan Ziqi said: "My lord, after the New Year, the Fan family will also move into the customs, and the sage has given a fief that can give the Fan family enough food and clothing. ”

"Wrong." Pei Shiqing said with a smile: "It's naturally good for you to migrate into the customs, but the meaning of the sage is not only to retain the title of the marquis, but also to select outstanding children from your Fan family to enter the court as officials." ”

Fan Ziqi was a little surprised: "My lord, this ..... Is this true? ”

"How dare I deceive Master Hou?" Pei Shiqing smiled: "You don't want to thank someone else, but the princess." Her Royal Highness the princess said that the Fan family has made great contributions to the imperial court, and if it is the same as the Yuwen family, give you a fief to enter the customs and treat you equally, it is really sorry for your Fan family. The princess persuaded the saint to reuse the people who promoted the Fan family, and if you are loyal, you should be loved by the imperial court. ”

The corners of Fan Ziqi's mouth trembled, and he sighed: "I can't imagine that Her Royal Highness the princess still thinks about the Fan family, the princess's kindness, and the Fan family is really unrequited." ”

Pei Shiqing held the teacup, gently stroked the tea foam with the tea lid, and asked, "Master Hou, I heard that your Fanjun family donated 500,000 taels of silver to General Hei Yu, is there such a thing?" ”

Fan Ziqi bowed his head and said: "This is indeed the case." The Fanjun family got together to discuss, the general returned to Xiling, to recruit troops and buy horses, what was missing was silver, and we pooled together 500,000 taels of silver, one to reduce the burden of the court, and the other to reduce the burden of the general. ”

"Sure enough, it is dedicated to the country." Pei Shiqing said with a smile: "But Master Hou is kind, I'm afraid he made a big mistake." ”

Fan Ziqi was stunned for a moment, and said a little puzzled: "Lord Shiqing, I don't know what mistakes we have made, please give us advice!" ”

"General Hei Yu sits in Xiling, and the imperial court has given him the power to manage all the soldiers and horses in Xiling." Pei Shiqing said slowly: "But the imperial court has never handed over the money and grain of Xiling to the general, the will of the imperial court is very clear, Yao Mubai, the capital of Xiling, is responsible for logistics and financing, and the general is responsible for soldiers and horses, in other words, every tael of silver that the general needs needs needs to be transferred from the capital protection mansion." Putting down the teacup, he looked at Fan Ziqi and said: "I heard that Hou Ye directly handed over 500,000 taels of silver to Su Changyu, I am afraid that this matter will backfire, not only will General Hei Yu be in danger, but Hou Ye may also be in a predicament." ”