Ruan Lanfang sat in the room. Before, she could still think and think about many things, but now her mind is like a mess, and she can no longer sort out her thoughts.

"Ding!" The sound of the door being unlocked again, and she came back to her senses and looked at the door. After a while, the door opened, and a group of people stood in the doorway. There was a beardless Annamite eunuch, and some armoured sergeants, including Annamite soldiers.

Two Ming soldiers walked in with shackles. The eunuch shook his head and said in very jerky Chinese, "No need. So the man in the shackles stood by, and did not come forward again.

The eunuch turned around, looked at Ruan Lanfang, and said in Annan's words: "Miss Ruan, follow me." ”

A group of people took her out of the gate of the Governor's Mansion and put her in a carriage. They went all the way to the palace, and Ruan Lanfang was very confused.

After a long time, she got out of the carriage in the palace and was taken to a chamber. At this time, she saw a beautiful woman wearing a phoenix crown and a cereteenth robe sitting inside, her figure was tall and concave, and her posture was graceful and noble. Ruan Lanfang saw her dress and appearance, and quickly guessed that this person should be Empress Dowager Chen.

The guards in armor left, and the eunuch said to Ruan Lanfang, "Go and salute the Queen Mother." ”

Ruan Lanfang stepped forward, curtsied, and asked directly: "The Queen Mother summoned me to the palace, what is the matter?" ”

Empress Dowager Chen looked at her and said gently, "Save you." I have already spoken to Zhang Fu, the Marquis of Xincheng, before I can take you into the palace. ”

Ruan Lanfang looked surprised, immediately knelt on the ground, and begged: "Please the Queen Mother, save my eldest brother, I will repay the Queen Mother as a cow and a horse." ”

Empress Dowager Chen stood up, stepped forward slowly, helped Ruan Lanfang up with her own hands, and said kindly: "What did Li Li and your brother do, do you know?" ”

Ruan Lanfang froze in place.

"No one can save them. Even if Miss Ruan is alone, if you dare to save you, there is only this palace in the entire Annan Kingdom, just because you are a woman. Empress Dowager Chen said.

Ruan Lanfang asked, "Why did the Queen Mother save me?" ”

Empress Dowager Chen said: "Sympathy." You are innocent, after all, you can't do those things, you are just implicated. ”

Ruan Lanfang's tears suddenly flowed down her face again, "What bad things did my second brother do?" He didn't know anything, and his favorite thing to do was to write poetry. He's never killed anyone, he's so kind......"

Empress Dowager Chen said kindly: "However, this palace can't save the dead." ”

Ruan Lanfang's emotions suddenly got out of control, and she cried: "Why did Ruan Jingyi treat him like that, why did he treat me like that? There is such a terrible person in the world, he asked for a bracelet in front of Li Li, wanted to please me, and told me in every possible way, but it was all fake, and he was so vicious behind his back! I hate him, I hate everyone! ”

Empress Dowager Chen's voice was very calm: "What if he continues to deceive you and tarnish you, and then tell you the truth?" ”

"What?" Ruan Lanfang raised her head with teary eyes and looked at Empress Dowager Chen in a daze.

Lan Fang suddenly remembered what Ruan Jingyi said: I am a betrayer, 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.

At this moment, Lan Fang suddenly understood the meaning of that sentence. What does Ruan Jingyi mean is that he is not too despicable?

Ruan Lanfang's body suddenly trembled, and she shivered.

Empress Dowager Chen looked at her and said, "You have been protected too much before. Compared with the bad guys I've seen, such as Li Li, Hu's father and son, Ruan Jingyi himself is not so bad...... Will you be protected by me, serve me, and be faithful to me? ”

Ruan Lanfang looked at Empress Dowager Chen a little blankly, and after a while, she finally nodded.

Empress Dowager Chen showed a subtle smile and said, "Since you have a chance to live, life has to go on, don't think too much about it first." ”

…… Zhang Fu had already left Thang Long City and went to Songtai Wei Haiphong City in the northeast.

Standing on the wall of the Songtai Guard, he could already see the countless sails of the ships at the mouth of the sea. The Ming army's fleet of ships transporting armor and firearms has arrived.

The Daming fleet eventually wanted to send things to Dongguancheng Thang Long and Hanoi, but did not take the estuary of the Red River; Instead, go to the side of Songtaiwei. This is because the inland waterways to the north are more stable in comparison.

At the mouth of the Baiteng River, where Songtaiwei is located, there are three rivers and one or two tributaries that flow into the sea from this vicinity. These rivers lead to the East River, and from the East River to the Red River. In this direction, there are five Ming army acropolises of Songtaiwei, Hedongwei Haiyang, Zhilingwei, Beijiangwei and Langshanwei, as well as many tunbao and official shops, and there are heavy troops on the route, which is very safe.

This batch of sophisticated ordnance was used to equip the army of Annam, mainly to ensure the superiority of the Annam army on the battlefield of the southern capture of the city. Of course, the ordnance was not given for free, and it was necessary for Annam to pay for this military expense with rice and silkworm cocoons.

The monarchs of Annam had no objection to this, because the price of ordnance was very low; The reason why the Ming army supported them was only because of the alliance. If Daming is allowed to sell, many countries will compete to buy at such a low price. After all, except for the Daming Iron Factory, even if people in all regions have the skills to make armor, the cost is quite high, and the armies of various countries have very little ironclad equipment. What's more, the generals of the Ming army in the Governor's Mansion of Annam will also help the Annam Army train the army.

And in this war between Annam and Champa, the Ming army will not directly participate. At that time, the Ming army would only send some civil and military personnel and small teams to the battlefield to observe.

Zhang Fu looked at the sails of the Ming Dynasty, pondered for a long time, and probably understood the distance of the saint.

He stood for a while, then left the city and returned to the acropolis. At this time, the two generals Li Bin and Huang Zhong had already arrived, and in addition to that, there was also a military general who was born.

Li Bin introduced: "Marshal, this is the cavalry that captured Li Li alive. When the last general led the elite cavalry to be stationed in Thanh Hoa, Ma Kang served in the army. ”

Zhang Fu nodded and said: "Ma Baihu has made great contributions, and after this marshal enters Beijing, he will ask for credit for you in front of the saint." You wait for news at the Governor's Palace. ”

Ma Dare hugged his fists and saluted, and said happily: "The last general, thank you for the cultivation!" ”

Zhang Fu looked at Li Bin and said: "This time the Marquis of Fengcheng raided Lili, the concealment of men and horses, the timing of the capture are very appropriate, the use of soldiers is skillful, and the merit is very great, and the commander will also ask for credit for you." ”

Li Bin said: "The last generals are just obeying the orders of the marshal. ”

Zhang Fu looked back left and right, and then said: "Ben Shuai escorted the thief head into Beijing to offer prisoners, and then Li Bin, Marquis of Fengcheng, temporarily replaced the left deputy governor of the Annan Governor's Mansion as the king of Annan, Chen Zhengyuan, and hung a name, and Huang Zhong was the right deputy governor. All military affairs are decided by the Marquis of Fengcheng. You must follow the decrees and instructions of the imperial court, and you must not relax in the slightest. ”

Several people bowed together: "The last general will wait for the order!" ”

Huang Zhong's face showed some loss, but he was not dissatisfied. After all, Li Bin is a military general with a much higher status, and Li Bin is handsome and convincing.

Zhang Fu guessed that Huang Zhong's loss was probably because he felt that Li Bin could be taken away by entering Beijing to offer prisoners, so that the status of the military general of the Annan Governor's Mansion was the highest in Huang Zhong.

But Zhang Fu knew it. This Huang Zhong is Zhang Fu's old department, although he listens to Zhang Fu's words very much, but his ability is really limited; Moreover, Huang Zhong is relatively impulsive, and after being attacked and disturbed several times, he wants to massacre the Annan people to vent his anger, which is not in line with the strategy of the current imperial court. Therefore, Zhang Fu will not let him take power in Annan, so as to save more trouble.

Huang Zhong has been in Annan for a long time, and he really hasn't made much achievements. At first, Emperor Taizong transferred him from Guangxi to escort Chen Tianping, but things went wrong, and Huang Zhong was ambushed and almost wiped out. If Zhang Fu hadn't interceded for him and fished out of the edict to make up for his merits, Huang Zhong would have been beheaded a long time ago. Zhang Fu was not mistaken, in order to survive, Huang Zhong was very desperate when he later attacked the heavily defended Duobang City; That time was almost the only military feat that Huang Zhong could get.

Zhang Fu was silent for a while, and then told Li Bin: "Except for the areas controlled by the officials and the five guards, the soldiers should not go to other parts of Annan without authorization, and do not interfere too much in the affairs of the Annan royal family and local officials. All matters related to the military and political affairs of the Annan Kingdom are subject to the will of the Empress Dowager Chen, and if there is any dissatisfaction, the court will write to the court to explain the situation, and must not act rashly, so as not to conflict with the Annan people. ”

Li Bin said: "The last general will follow the instructions of the marshal. ”

Huang Zhong asked: "Will the marshal go to Langshanwei and Guangxi to return to China?" ”

Zhang Fu nodded: "By land." ”

Not long ago, he took a sea boat to Yanzhou, and personally felt the situation at sea, which was indeed not very stable. There was a small storm, and the ship seemed to be thrown up and would fall apart at any moment. The safety of the sea route often depends on luck, unless it is on a big treasure ship. Zhang Fu still thinks that it is better not to take a boat if he can take the land route.

Huang Zhong asked, "When will Dashuai leave?" ”

Zhang Fu said: "Within five days." ”

Huang Zhongdao: "The last general will set up a banquet for the handsome." ”

Zhang Fu waved his hand and said, "Forget it." ”

Huang Zhong said very reluctantly: "Will the marshal go back to Annan?" Don't know when we will meet again? ”

Zhang Fu suddenly felt a little sad, and parting always seemed to be like this. He shook his head and said, "I don't know yet, Ben Shuai has to obey the arrangement of the imperial court." However, if you can be stationed in Annam, after a while, the commander can ask the Holy Lord to transfer you back to China. ”

After he said that, he walked out of the government office, looked up at the land he had conquered several times, and turned back and said: "When you leave, the banquet is not needed, find a musician to play a song of Pei Shilang's Wanli Jinling." ”

Li Bin and the others' eyes suddenly showed an indescribable emotion, and everyone nodded solemnly and silently.

A gust of sea breeze blew into the Acropolis, making people feel a chill. In an instant, Zhang Fu remembered a song from the Han Dynasty: The wind is blowing and the clouds are flying, and the warriors are guarding the Quartet.