The weather in Thang Long City is sunny and windless. Brilliant clouds float in the air, like brocade, motionless and like a painting.

Empress Dowager Chen stood on the tower of the palace city, looking at the open Thang Long City. Outside the moat, it is flat, and except for Miyagi, most of the castle is relatively low and densely populated, and from a distance, it seems to cover the entire land.

The men and horses of the Ming army are entering the city, and the long dragons and banners moving on the streets are faintly visible. Empress Dowager Chen couldn't see Zhang Fu's car here, and she couldn't see the people over there.

But she was still watching, her expression changing subtly and repeatedly.

"Queen Mother, do you summon the Marquis of Xincheng?" Nguyen Zhi, the prefect of Thang Long on the side, bowed and said.

Empress Dowager Chen turned her head and said, "What do you say?" Ask him why he used the king as bait? ”

Ruan Zhi paused, thought for a while, and said, "The Queen Mother is wise. ”

Empress Dowager Chen glanced at Ruan Zhi and said, "Carefully check the loyal and brave men of the day, those who fought to the death by the king's side, reported to the roster, and were all rewarded and promoted. ”

Ruan Zhi bent down and said, "The minister's order." ”

He thought for a while, and then said cautiously: "It is reported that the Ming army in the south is still clearing out the remnants, saying that they want to recover the looted property. Now that Li Li and others have been arrested, the ground is clear, and the king may be able to continue his southern tour. ”

Empress Dowager Chen said: "Let him come back first." ”

Ruan Zhi answered, and then stopped persuading.

The minister said very reasonably, it is no longer necessary to let Chen Zhengyuan pick up the dragon at this time; The only reason is just because Empress Dowager Chen feels afraid. Therefore, people can guess that the king's southern tour encountered a large-scale rebel attack, and the Empress Dowager Chen did not know about it in advance.

Empress Dowager Chen did not summon Zhang Fu, but Zhang Fu took the initiative to come to the palace to ask for a meeting, and escorted Li Li here. She returned to the palace, ordered to meet Zhang Fu and others, thought about it, and asked the civil and military ministers present to retreat, leaving only the palace attendants.

Na Li Li, who claimed to be the savior of the Annan Kingdom, might say something unpleasant when he saw the Empress Dowager Chen, but the Empress Dowager Chen didn't want the ministers to hear it.

The sound ......of the chain dragging on the ground first reached the palace, and the sound was getting closer and closer. After a while, Zhang Fu and several Ming army sergeants, as well as Li Li, who was wearing shackles, appeared at the door.

Li Li was disheveled, and his appearance was very embarrassed. Empress Dowager Chen looked at the door, she didn't look closely, she could hardly recognize it, but she knew that this person was Li Li.

Zhang Fu was still wearing armor, and he took the lead in stepping forward and said: "Xiaguan has finally caught the enemy of the Queen Mother, and from then on, the Queen Mother and the King can sit back and relax." However, for fear of leaking the news in advance, the lower officials and others failed to inform the Queen Mother of the details, which is really ashamed. ”

Empress Dowager Chen stood up from her chair and said, "Fortunately, the king is in danger, and the matter is over." The results were good all in all. ”

Zhang Fu said: "The Queen Mother is kind-hearted and admired. The lower officials came to see him today, and they also came to say goodbye. As long as the affairs of Dongguan are handed over, the lower officials will escort the thief back to Beijing to offer prisoners; When he left, he stopped coming to say goodbye. The garrison of Annan will be temporarily under the command of Li Bin, Marquis of Fengcheng, in the future. ”

Empress Dowager Chen said: "General Zhang has bothered with the state affairs of Annan in recent years, and the palace is grateful, and I hope that there will be a period in the future." ”

Zhang Fu hugged his fists and bowed, and answered.

Empress Dowager Chen's gaze moved away from Zhang Fu, looked at Li Li behind her, and walked over slowly.

Li Li's hands were cuffed, and he looked up, and he could only shake his unkempt hair from side to side to show his face. He quietly watched the Empress Dowager Chen.

"On the outskirts of Thang Long City, the manor is goodbye for many years. I didn't expect to meet again. Li Li took the initiative to speak, his voice a little hoarse, but his tone was subsequent

Ran was very calm. He still had a grim smile on his face, playfully.

He spoke Annan dialect, and Zhang Fu on the side should not understand it at all, so he could only silently observe the demeanor of the two of them.

Li Li's eyes looked Empress Dowager Chen up and down, and her eyes were a little unscrupulous, which made her feel very uncomfortable, as if he still dared to covet her posture now.

Empress Dowager Chen took a soft silk silk and gently pressed it in front of her nose. As she got closer, she smelled an unpleasant smell.

At that time, on the wall of the manor, Li Li approached with a sword, and the scene Empress Dowager Chen still remembers, when she stepped back half a step in fear. Now she took the initiative to walk towards Li Li, and she seemed to be a reincarnation in a trance.

"Humph!" Empress Dowager Chen walked up to him and sneered, faintly feeling some revenge-like pleasure and pride in her heart.

Li Li smiled and said, "Actually, I've always been curious, why did you make the Emperor of the Boat Emperor happy?" Unfortunately, I can't enjoy that treatment now. ”

When Empress Dowager Chen heard this, her heart was filled with shame and anger, and her face showed a trace of forbearance. But she quickly held back, still looking at Li Li coldly.

Li Li said again: "You chose the boatman, after all, you are just a lackey; If you don't have a boat to back you up, you're nothing. Thousands of years later, you will be just a sinner to be spit on. ”

Empress Dowager Chen finally spoke: "So you mean, I should take refuge in you?" Let you use my position as queen to enrich yourself, and watch you kill my son, and then become your slave and a slave, so that I can be considered a noble man? ”

Empress Dowager Chen didn't scold him back, but what she said suddenly made Li Li speechless, and he couldn't answer for a while.

The smile on Li Li's face had disappeared completely, and after he was silent, he shook his head and said, "It is really a tragedy for the country that a woman is in power and has no righteousness in her heart. ”

Empress Dowager Chen asked coldly, "What is the righteousness you are talking about?" ”

Li Li said: "Get rid of the slavery of the boat and prosper Dayue." ”

Empress Dowager Chen smiled and said, "Do you want to listen to my righteousness?" ”

Li Li nodded curiously.

Empress Dowager Chen said: "Peace, kindness." ”

Li Li shook his head and said, "Woman's opinion." Da Viet is going to attack the city of Occupy in the near future, so you better ask what happened to the Viet Viet army on the way from Hue to Vijaya (Quy Nhon). ”

Empress Dowager Chen frowned and looked at Li Li. Her emotions were a little out of control, and she said in a strange voice: "Back then, the monarch was murdered, and the country was in chaos. The Hu clan searched for our mother and son everywhere, and ambitious wealthy families from all sides were also looking for them in all directions, but they wanted to use me and get rid of them later. We are precarious and terrified every day, who cares about the situation of our mother and son? The shipwright in your mouth has sheltered our mother and son for many years, and has handed over the royal power to us with one hand; He treated us very kindly, always treated us politely, and let Chen Zhengyuan study and be taught with the prince. ”

She paused and said coldly: "'Kou' can still be like this, why are you so cruel to me?" Who is the enemy and who is the friend? ”

After Empress Dowager Chen finished talking about this call, she didn't want to listen to Li Li's words anymore, she turned her head to face Zhang Fu, and said in Chinese: "Xinchenghou eradicated the traitors in one fell swoop, which is the luck of the Ming Dynasty and Annan. ”

Zhang Fu bowed and said: "May the Queen Mother be safe and healthy, and the country and the people of Annan will be safe." The lower official took his leave. ”

…… It took a few days for Nguyen Jingyi to return to the Annam Governor's Mansion in Thang Long, and he had already received a promise from Zhang Fu. Soon after, Ruan Jingyi would be the governor of Annan, an official of the Ming Dynasty; At the same time, he served as the right secretary of the military department of Annan and the prefect of Qinghua.

These promises could only be implemented after the approval of the Ming court. Because Zhang Fu does not have the power to seal the official, he can only express his merits and make suggestions.

No

Guo Ruan Jingyi felt that all the returns were certain, and it was just a matter of time.

In the days that followed, news spread from the Governor's Mansion. Through the guidance of Ruan Jingyi and the guidance of rebel prisoners, the Ming army leveled a number of rebel stronghold villages, and arrested some people in Le Li's manor and recovered some stolen goods.

Today, a military general of the Ming army suddenly came and asked Ruan Jingyi: "General Ruan, do you know the sister of the traitor Ruan Xuan, Ruan Lanfang?" ”

Ruan Jingyi nodded and said, "Yes." ”

The military general said: "She said she wanted to see you, how to respond?" ”

Ruan Jing thought for a moment and said, "General Lao is tired of introducing you." ”

Under the guidance of the Ming army generals, Ruan Jingyi walked to a courtyard in the governor's mansion and walked to a locked door. The sergeant guarding the door unlocked the lock and lifted the door.

The general of the Ming army said: "After General Ruan finished speaking, he told the guards to close the door and leave." ”

Ruan Jingyi thanked him and walked into the room.

Seeing that Lan Fang was arranging her hair in a panic, she glanced at Ruan Jingyi, and then came up and saluted respectfully.

Ruan Jingyi saw that there was a bed and a stool in the room, so he found a stool and sat down by himself, and said, "Miss Ruan, sit down and talk." ”

Lan Fang said a little embarrassed: "I was not good to General Ruan before, you weren't angry, right?" ”

Ruan Jingyi shook his head.

Lan Fang said softly again: "I later remembered that General Ruan was very good to me...... It's me who is wrong, I shouldn't have done that to you. General Ruan, can you plead for my eldest brother and the others? ”

Ruan Jingyi looked at Lan Fang with interest and did not say a word.

Lan Fang glanced up at him a little fearfully, and hesitantly approached: "If you can save our family, I will definitely be grateful to General Ruan, and, ...... Don't you want me? ”

Ruan Jingyi said: "My plea, it may not work. ”

Lan Fang said: "I heard that you can speak in front of Xinchenghou, can you try it?" ”

A flattering smile appeared on her face, and although it was reluctant, it was a beautiful smile.

Ruan Jingyi looked at Lan Fangjiao's fair face again, and his heart couldn't help but feel a sense of happiness.

He hesitated for a moment, and suddenly sighed: "I'm a traitor, and to be honest, I don't care too much about the lives of others. But my family is finally a nobleman, I dare to admit it, I can't be too despicable. ”

"What do you mean?" Lan Fang was puzzled.

Ruan Jingyi said: "Your second brother Ruan Qi was killed by me with my own hands, how can I be good with you?" ”

"What?!" Lan Fang took two steps back, stared at Ruan Jingyi in shock and shook her head.

Ruan Jingyi said: "If you don't die, sooner or later you will know the inside story." If I don't kill Ruan Qi, how can I report the news to Xinchenghou? ”

"You...... Ruan Jingyi, you ......" Lan Fang shook her head vigorously, as if she didn't know how to describe and scold this person, and tears immediately burst out of her eyes.

Ruan Jingyi said calmly: "At that time, Ruan Qi jumped from a tree and ran for a while. When I caught up, I stabbed him first, but instead of stabbing him to death, I went up and cut off his head, and he screamed so badly that he was like a pig. I burned his head, and the headless body was probably gnawed off by the wild dogs of the mountains. ”

"Why are you saying that?" Lan Fang cried, "Where did Ruan Qi offend you, where am I sorry for you?" ”

Ruan Jingyi said seriously: "It's really not necessary. But I couldn't help but want to say it, and I felt very comfortable when I said it. ”

(End of chapter)