On the first day of the Lunar New Year, Luo Heyu went to the door on the pretext of visiting the coach, and after handing over the gift to Menzi, he went straight to Mu Zijin's study.

Mu Zijin was accompanying his father and brother in the front hall to receive the guests, and they couldn't be separated for a while. I had to hang people for a while.

This drying is a morning, and by the time Mu Zijin can spare time, it is already time for lunch at noon.

On the first day of the Lunar New Year, the family naturally had to be reunited, and Mu Zijin was helpless, so he hurriedly finished eating and retreated.

As soon as I entered the study, I saw Luo Heyu sitting on a chair with a loveless face, and on the side was a freshly eaten food box, and his tone was extremely resentful, "Little general... I thought you forgot I was still here..."

Mu Zijin hurriedly smoothed his hair, "No, how dare you forget Deputy Battalion Commander Luo?" You know my father's temper, I'm going to leave..."

Luo Heyu was helpless, "Forget it, let's get down to business." ”

Mu Zijin took his robe and sat down opposite him, "Tell me, did you see anything?" ”

Luo Heyu didn't speak, Mu Zijin also understood, and listened with bated breath to see if there was anyone outside the room, and then motioned for him to continue.

"Yes." Luo He bowed, "Last night, a man in black entered Zhu Duan's mansion and left again after staying for less than a quarter of an hour. ”

Mu Zijin narrowed his eyes, "Did you keep up?" ”

"No, I was afraid that Zhu Du'an would have something to do, so I didn't dare to leave, and that person's light skills are above me, so I can't chase after me. But looking at the direction, it was to the south of the city. ”

"The city... South.... Mu Zijin muttered in a low voice.

"Little General, how did you think that Zhu Du'an had a problem?" Luo Heyu asked in a low voice.

Mu Zijin hurriedly waved his hand, "It's not that there's a problem, it's just that I don't know his identity yet, so I have to find out..."

Luo Heyu was shocked, "A person who doesn't know the origin of his identity, how dare you keep him by your side?" ”

Mu Zijin pondered for a while, "Although the origin is unknown, his loyalty does not seem to be a fraud, besides, if he wants to harm me, he had a chance in the previous war." ”

"It's too—" Luo Heyu muttered. Then I'll keep an eye on him again. ”

"No need, so be it." Mu Zijin shook his head.

"But!" Luo Heyu was anxious.

"I believe in Him." Mu Zijin said in a low voice, "If I can't trust a person who went to the battlefield with me, then I don't need to trust anyone else." You go back, it's okay. ”

Luo Heyu couldn't persuade him, and sighed helplessly, "Okay, but little general, you still have to be careful." ”

"I know."

Luo Heyu withdrew from the room, Mu Zijin frowned, I wish you Duan, I wish you Duan, you are really not an ordinary person, don't be the one I think...

The New Year has passed, and all affairs continue to begin in an orderly manner.

In addition to Xiaolin, Mu Changchuan wantonly promoted newcomers to the position, and replaced the officials who had been corrupt and bribed, and formed gangs, which can be said to have returned the political circles to a clean place, and the public security in the city has also improved a lot, and even can not close the door at night.

Mu Xuyun is even more orderly in civil management, Dachen's tax is twenty-five to one, which is already a thin tax, and in the Tianbei fiefdom, the tax is even reduced to thirty-five to one, but the city treasury is also full.

The Prince's Mansion in the capital

A figure took advantage of the night to enter the prince's mansion.

Emperor Chen had three princes, but the eldest prince died early due to illness, so the crown prince who is now canonized is the second prince, Jun Chengze. Jun Chengze is nineteen years old, and he will soon be crowned, and it has been three years since he began to participate in political affairs.

In the past three years, he has been benevolent and loves the people, and he can be said to be a benevolent and righteous prince, so now the prince's voice is very high.

The third prince, Jun Chengling, was only seventeen years old, and generally did not participate in political affairs, did not form gangs, did not form factions, did not form parties for personal gain, and was awarded the title of virtuous king, only as an idle prince. Coupled with the prince's benevolence, there is no brotherly wall.

The dim candlelight reflected in the study, and the shadows of the bookshelves flickered and shortened under the influence of the dancing flames.

Jun Chengze sat on the main seat, looking at the man in black hidden in the shadows with low eyebrows, "What's wrong?" ”

"Your Highness, the development of Tianbei seems to be a bit beyond expectations." The man in black was half-kneeling on the ground, his head bowed, with a black scarf on his face, and his eyebrows and eyes were full of obedience.

Jun Chengze's tone didn't hear a trace of emotion, "Got it." ”

The man in black lowered his head, and could only see Jun Chengze's boots, "Your Highness, don't you deal with it?" ”

"No, there's a chance." Jun Chengze crumpled the scrapped paper in his hand and threw it into the brazier that was burning brightly on the side, "Just keep an eye on it, and report any changes at any time." ”

"Yes!" The voice fell, and the person was gone.

Waiting for people to leave, Jun Chengze put down the pen in his hand, and his eyes flashed with light. "Mu Changchuan, Mu Changchuan, you really surprised me..."

The study room on the capital

"Your Majesty, the letter from His Royal Highness King Chen has arrived." The waiter whispered to him that he was sleeping in his chair.

Emperor Chen opened his eyes slightly, took the letter from the person's hand, opened it in a hurry, and after reading it, the color changed slightly, and he put the letter on the table casually, closing his eyes and pondering.

The attendants did not dare to disturb, so they stood aside and waited for orders.

Time seemed to freeze, and finally, Emperor Chen raised his finger, "Burn the letter." ”

"Yes." The attendant replied softly, lit the letter on the candle beside him, and placed it in the brazier.

On the remnants that were burned at the end, two words could be vaguely seen, "Tianbei." ”

In the blink of an eye, three years have passed.

In the past three years, Tianbei has gradually grown, and it can be said that it far exceeds other counties, and it is not an exaggeration to say that it can even compare with the capital.

Although every year, it is the most tribute from the north of the sky, but it is still feared.

"Your Majesty, that Mu Changchuan takes care of Tianbei in an orderly manner, and if it goes on like this, I'm afraid it will be a hidden danger after all!"

This is the sentence that Emperor Chen has heard the most during this time. Originally, Emperor Chen didn't feel anything, but when there were more people talking about it, even he couldn't help but start to waver a little.

Yes, Tianbei is very prosperous now, if he Mu Changchuan can manage a city well, will he be able to manage a country?

When the seeds of doubt begin to appear, it takes root in the heart of the emperor.

The most ruthless imperial family.

Which emperor is not ruthless?

In the twenty-first year of Deqing, a holy decree came from the capital and hit the heart of the Mu family like a heavy stick.

"Feng Mu Zijin is the general of Sanpin Yunlu and the commander of the capital guard; Feng Xia Qingchen was the general of Mingwei from the fourth grade, and served as the deputy commander of the capital guard. Mu Zijin and Xia Qingchen immediately entered Beijing and admired this. ”

This holy decree soon spread from the Mu Mansion, to the ears of Xiaolin Wugoshi, and also to the whole of Tianbei City.

"What? The little general is leaving? ”

"That's right, Your Majesty personally ordered that the little general should go to the capital to be the commander of the capital guard!"

"What can I do about this, little general, how can he go..."

All of a sudden, Mu Zijin received the order and the whole city knew about it.

It was as if the house was shrouded in clouds.

Mu Xuyun was so angry that he threw the wolf in his hand, "Bastard! ”

Mu Changchuan also had an unprecedentedly gloomy face after hearing the holy decree.

Mu Hanan has been worrying about accompanying Mu Zijin.

On the contrary, it was the person in question, Mu Zijin, who had no emotions at all, sitting at the desk copying military regulations over and over again, and only the slightly scribbled handwriting could see that he was actually in a mess now.

"Little boy, little miss, Hou Ye invites you over."

The voice sounded from outside the room, Mu Zijin's hand paused, and the tip of the pen fainted a black dot on the paper. After putting down the pen, Mu Zijin crumpled a piece of paper that he had just finished writing into a ball and threw it into the brazier, and then clapped his hands, "An'er, let's go." ”

In the main hall, Mu Changchuan and Mu Xuyun had heavy faces, while Liu's face was pity.

After seeing the ceremony, Mu Zijin also sat down on the side, without saying a word, his face calm.

Mu Changchuan really couldn't stand Mu Zijin's appearance as if it was none of his business, "Jin'er! What don't you say? ”

Mu Zijin was half sneering and half helpless, "Is it useful to say anything?" The holy decree has been given, is it possible that it is really possible to resist and disobey the decree? ”

"But!"

"But what? But this time I'm going to the capital, right? Mu Zijin took over, "And then?" Not going? ”

The two of them were speechless at a rhetorical question.

Mu Zijin narrowed his eyes, how could he not understand? went to the capital to serve as the guard of the capital, and he was also promoted in his official position, just to highlight that this is a promotion and an honor. But in reality? put a Mu family in a high position at the border, but the children of the Mu family have to be placed under the nose of Emperor Chen, this is a hostage.

Liu turned his back and secretly wiped his tears.

Mu Zijin closed his eyes and sighed, "At least he was promoted." ”

Liu interjected, and said in a low voice, almost whispering, "The capital is too far away, and it's not convenient to take care of it." ”

Mu Zijin smiled to himself, "Mother, I'm already eighteen, and I will be crowned in two years, so I won't even take good care of myself." Besides, when I arrived in the capital, I didn't have no friends at all. ”

"Do you have friends in the capital?" Liu was surprised.

For some reason, Mu Zijin was almost ready to reply to Zhu Duan, but when the words came to his mouth, he reacted back and swallowed back, forcing a smile to reassure the Liu family, "That kid from the Gu family." Over the past few years, I have been in correspondence with him. ”

"Gu family? You mean Mrs. Gu's son? ”

"Well, that's him." Mu Zijin bowed.

Mu Han'an, who was beside him, sat up straight suddenly, and suddenly realized, "Oh~, so the second brother, you come from him every month?" Hmph, don't show me every time! ”

The four of them were amused by Mu Han'an's puffed up appearance, Mu Zijin reached out and rubbed her head, pretending to be serious, "Adults, don't interfere with children." ”

Mu Hanan slapped Mu Zijin's hand away and turned to Mu Changchuan, "Dad! The second brother bullied me! ”

Mu Changchuan waved his hand, "You children will solve the children's affairs by themselves." ”

Mu Zijin snickered on the side, Mu Hanan stood up and stomped his feet angrily, "Second brother, you are still laughing!" Big brother, don't you care? ”

Mu Xuyun turned his head away, pretending not to hear.

Mu Zijin was about to suffocate his internal injuries, so he hurriedly dragged the person over and made the person sit on his lap, "Okay, don't make trouble." ”

Mu Hanan pouted and ignored people.

Mu Zijin sighed and said in a low voice, "An'er, this is the last time." ”

In the early morning of the second day, in order not to disturb the people, the Mu family set the departure time at Mao Shi.

Before it was dark, Mu Zijin, Xia Qingchen and Sky Wolf Rider had already packed up and arrived at the south gate of the city.

The Liu family was originally holding back tears, but now that Mu Zijin was about to leave, he couldn't hold back his emotions and cried, and Mu Xuyun and Mu Hanan had been comforting him.

Mu Changchuan gave Mu Zijin a whole armor, patted him on the shoulder, and choked. Mu Changchuan was originally a rough man, not to mention that he was emotionally agitated now, and he couldn't say a thousand words, and in the end he just said, "Don't embarrass my Mu family." ”

Mu Zijin whispered.

Mu Changchuan looked at the sky, estimated that it would be dawn soon, and took a step back to distance himself, "Be careful on the road, remember to report the news." ”

Mu Zijin responded again.

Looking at the Mu family who were standing side by side, and then looking around at the family members who came to see off the Sky Wolf Rider next to him, Mu Zijin took a few deep breaths and calmed down.

With a flick of his robe, Mu Zijin knelt down on his knees, bowed to the ground, and when he bowed his head, he covered the tears that overflowed his eyes.

"Dad, mother, wait for me, one day, I will definitely come back."

When he got up again, Mu Zijin became the young general again, his eyes were firm, his steps were steady, and his heart was unchangeable.

"Let's go!" Mu Zijin spit out these two words from between his teeth, in order to hide the voice that was already slightly crying.

The farewell crowd stood at the gate of the city, watching dozens of people turn on their horses, turn their horses' heads, and go into the distance.

Mu Changchuan looked at the direction of Mu Zijin, who had been blocked by everyone, and could only vaguely see the helmet of Fengling's helmet.

Jin'er, you must, take care.