Because the hour was not early, Mu Qingyuan had already borrowed grain from the barracks before, and Xiang Kejian asked everyone to help temporarily store the grain cart in the vestibule of the government.

"Brothers, I've been suffering you these days!" Xiang Kejian looked at these unkempt and thin-skinned grain carriers, and said with admiration: "Everyone hurry back to the mansion to wash up and have a good meal, and I will immediately go to tell Lord Mu!" ”

When Xiang Kejian rushed to the government to report this great news, it was very unfortunate that Mu Qingyuan had already gone out to check the people's situation, this Mu Daren had never been willing to stay in the government, he always liked to go around, Xiang Kejian had already been used to it, and Mu Daren did not pay attention to the rules and regulations when he visited the people, and he walked around as he pleased, and it was really difficult to find it for a while. looked at the time, thinking that it was almost time, and it was better for him to wait at the palace.

I waited for nearly an hour, and at the end of the unitary time, Mu Qingyuan finally came back. He shook off the falling snow, looked up and saw Xiang Kejian, who was squatting on the threshold of the mansion and drowsy, running over in surprise and unexpectedly, shaking him awake and asking, "How did you come back?" Could it be that the food team has returned? ”

Xiang Kejian, who was supposed to be tired and sleepy, opened up and saw Mu Qingyuan, and immediately came to his senses: "My lord, you can count it back!" Yes, his subordinates met the grain team on the first day of their march out of the city, so they participated in escorting the grain team back to the city, and at this moment the grain cart was already in the courtyard of the treasury, and the brothers who carried the grain had already let them eat and wash! ”

The anxiety of many days was finally let go at this moment, Mu Qingyuan took a deep breath of relief, and said happily: "You did the right thing, they worked hard, and so did you, tonight is the New Year's Eve, go back early to accompany your mother, all the work is left for tomorrow!" ”

"No, the subordinates are not tired! The adults must be going to count the food, and the subordinates will accompany the adults! ”

"You, you still have an old mother waiting for you at home, I'm alone, it's the same when I go back, you don't have to accompany me."

"No, the subordinates are the personal guards of the adults, and it is the responsibility of the subordinates to protect the safety of the adults, if the adults don't return, the subordinates will never return!"

Mu Qingyuan couldn't cry or laugh, this young man was no less stubborn than himself, and it was precisely because of this that he paid special attention to this young man. Since he couldn't be convinced, he could only compromise, and just as Mu Qingyuan was preparing to go to the treasury with Xiang Kejian, he bumped into an old woman at the door of the mansion, dressed plainly, with a thin face, green silk and snow, but a pair of eyes that were bright.

"Aunt Gu!"

"Mother!" Xiang Kejian hurriedly hugged the old woman, "On such a snowy day, why did you come out alone?" ”

The old woman first made a blessing for Mu Qingyuan, and then raised the bamboo basket in her hand, and said: "The old body knows that Lord Mu is worried about the people of Hanzhou, and he will definitely not go back to keep the New Year at this moment, as Lord Mu's personal guard, you naturally can't leave your post without permission, but I am worried that you will be hungry, so the old body made some rice balls with shepherd's cabbage and sent them to you, even if you are busy with official business, you have to take care of your body." ”

Suddenly Xiang Kejian's eyes moistened, his filial piety is famous in Hanzhou City, this New Year's New Year can not be accompanied by the only mother, he is really a little unhappy, a little hoarse said: "The child knows, the mother also went back earlier, don't catch a cold, the child will accompany Master Mu to come back to accompany his mother after ordering the grain depot." ”

Facing this scene, Mu Qingyuan couldn't help but think of his parents, it has been a year since he left the capital, and at this moment they must be in the mansion to keep the New Year, they must also miss themselves! Unfortunately, the snow blocked the way, and the letters could not be delivered, so they could not tell them that they were all right. Looking at the mother and son in front of him, the softest place in Mu Qingyuan's heart was touched, how rare it was for a family to reunite in these difficult years. Mu Qingyuan hesitated for a while, since the grain team has been delivered safely, Hanzhou City has always been safely secure, and it should not hurt to go to the inquest a few hours in the evening, the key is to Xiang Kejian, this young man has a bad temperament, it is better to let the mother and son go home first, and then go to the inquest later.

"Aunt Gu, this time you are really busy in vain, I will accompany you home with Kejian to celebrate the New Year now!"

The mother and son stared at the surprised eyes, and without waiting for them to ask, Mu Qingyuan urged: "If it's not faster, this shepherd's cabbage rice ball is going to be cold, and if it's cold, it won't taste good!" Also, Aunt Gu won't welcome me to your house for a meal, right? ”

The old woman grinned happily, "How come? How so? It's too late to welcome the old body! ”

Xiang Kejian looked at Mu Qingyuan gratefully, and after touching the other party's firm eyes, he nodded vigorously, so the two of them supported the old woman to walk towards the home not far away, leaving only a series of footprints.

Liang customs, on the eve of the New Year's vigil to hang the red lantern at the door, paste the peach charm, in order to pray for good luck and peace in the coming year, in the city of Hanzhou, at this moment every household has hung the lantern on the gatehouse, standing on the city wall overlook, you can see the red little by little, and the pure white snow contrasts, but after looking at it for a long time, you will feel that this red is slowly becoming blood red.

At the end of the day, Xiang Kejian hung the two lanterns high, while Aunt Gu was busy heating the rice balls with shepherd's cabbage and cooking some side dishes. Mu Qingyuan looked around at the small mansion that he entered one by one, there was no luxury, and he was simple and simple, not at all like an official eunuch.

"My lord, you sit down first, I'll help my mother go, let us fill our stomachs early!" Without waiting for Mu Qingyuan to speak, Xiang Kejian ran to the back kitchen, and then the sound of cooking came out, Mu Qingyuan had no choice but to smile, sit in place and wait, to be honest, he didn't learn a little cooking skills from Fat Kui in Qingshan Academy, but now he regrets it.

On the side of the barracks, Yan Yuxin was also sympathetic to the soldiers, and changed the original three-hour shift to one hour shift, and at the same time reduced the number of people on duty, so that the soldiers could participate in the New Year's Eve to the greatest extent. There is no doubt that Yan Yuxin understands that this move violates the art of war, but he looks at the heavy snow, and still prays in his heart that he can spend tonight safely.

When the snow stops, the reinforcement army should always arrive, and the pressure on me will be reduced a lot. cough cough, a sudden cough made Yan Yuxin want to take a sip of warm tea to moisten his throat, but accidentally knocked over the teacup and cut his fingers. There wasn't much blood, but looking at the broken tea cup on the ground, Yan Yuxin's brows began to tighten.

"The dish is here!" Xiang Kejian served a plate of steaming spicy roast pork, "This meat, but my mother killed the hen in the house, and she should always eat something good at the end of the year!" ”

Then Aunt Gu served a pot of round taro soup, plus the previously made camellia rice balls, this New Year's Eve reunion dinner for the Xiang family was all right.

"Come on, come on, move the chopsticks!" Xiang Kejian returned home and changed his strict appearance in the yamen, and became cheerful, like a child, "This is the first time in many years that three people in my family have celebrated the New Year together!" ”

Aunt Gu was touched, and the chopsticks she raised were put down again, but after she saw Mu Qingyuan's gaze on the other side, she still put on a festive smile, "Master Mu, don't dislike it!" ”

"Don't call me an adult at home, just call me Qingyuan, Aunt Gu."

"This can't break the rules!"

"Mother, Master Mu is a sincere person, he doesn't do those vain things, there are only three of us in the house, I'll call Brother Mu!"

"Good! I'll call you thrifty! ”

"Okay, well, hurry up and eat, otherwise it should be cold again!"

When that piece of smooth and tender chicken was sent into the mouth, the rush for days was swept away, maybe the taste was not very delicious, but this down-to-earth and cordial feeling really moved Mu Qingyuan, this is the warmth of home, this is the care of relatives, this is the best comfort for the tired body and mind after being busy.

Just as the soldiers and civilians of Hanzhou were immersed in the atmosphere of keeping the New Year, the roofs of the twenty grain trucks that stayed in the granary of the treasury pushed open the doors from the inside, and dozens of black figures quickly hid into the night like ghosts, and the whole process was fast and quiet, without alarming anyone.

"It's a shift change!"

The four right-rank guards completed the change of guard, just in place at the north gate of the city, a few people looked around, quiet and peaceful, and then looked at the city wall hundreds of miles away from the Tang Qingzhi City, still as usual, no change, everyone finally put their minds at ease.

"If only I could spend this night safely!" One soldier muttered to himself, but was heard by another soldier, and he comforted: "Lord Wen Youmu, Wu Youyan commanded the envoy, you can rest assured!" After saying that, he walked to the other side of the city, and suddenly a dark shadow floated in front of him, and before he could react, his head had been rotated one hundred and eighty degrees, and the last scene that came into his pupils before death was the disbelieving eyes that stared at him after his robe fell to the ground.

In a moment, all the guards at the north gate were killed, and the black figure slowly opened the city gate, and the same black figure suddenly appeared one after another from the snow-covered land, and also quietly dodged into the city, and soon the snow outside the city left a hollow, like a beehive.

There were more and more black figures, and they headed towards the barracks of the right guard, not in a hurry to attack for a while, but hid in the shadows and surrounded the barracks, dug up near the barracks and half-buried objects that resembled wine jars into the soil, and the mouths of the objects were filled with black particles.

The snow in the sky was still drifting, Xiang Kejian touched his stomach, burped with great satisfaction, and said with a red face: "It is an experience I have never had to have my eldest brother to keep the New Year together this year, for more than 20 years, it has always been me and my mother, and tonight is very happy!" ”

"Since I took office, you have been my personal guard, for a year, I have been busy with affairs, and I haven't had time to ask about your family affairs, dare to ask Ling Zun ........" Without waiting for Mu Qingyuan to finish asking, Aunt Gu said: "Lord Mu, the old body knew that the adult was sympathetic to the old body and let Kejian come back earlier, and at this time, the reunion dinner was also eaten, so let Kejian accompany the adult to finish the matter." ”

"Yes! Didn't the adults go to inspect the grain cart before, and they delayed some hours for their subordinates, so why don't you set off here! As soon as it came to business, Xiang Kejian resumed his title, Mu Qingyuan didn't care, he was planning to do this, it would be exactly what he wanted, so he gladly agreed.

"When you're done, go home early, and your mother will wait for you to celebrate the New Year." When the two of them walked out of the small courtyard, Aunt Gu still shouted at Kejian with some reluctance, nodded to Kejian and accompanied Mu Qingyuan to disappear at the end of the alley.

From the rice lane where Gu Daniang's house is located to the granary of the treasury, it is necessary to cross the entire national area of Hanzhou City, which happens to be one in the south and one in the north, and it takes a lot of time on the road. The two walked on the street in the snow, looking at the red lanterns hanging from the houses and shops on both sides; Listening to the laughter and conversation of the family reunion faintly in his ears, Mu Qingyuan was very relieved.

"I just wanted to ask about Ling Zun" Mu Qingyuan was the first to ask, he had already felt that Aunt Gu didn't seem to be willing to talk about Kejian's father, so he asked again when there were only two of them.

"My father, I don't know, my mother never talks about my father, I only know that before I was born, my father passed away." Xiang Kejian said calmly, "I also asked my mother, but she always said that my father died of illness. As soon as the young man spread his hands, Mu Qingyuan also understood that what he knew was really limited to that.

"I asked casually, don't you care."

"My lord's words are serious, and it is also my honor to follow adults, and there is nothing to hide from adults from my family background."

So, the two changed the topic, from the customs and customs of Hanzhou to the possibilities of fighting against the Tang Dynasty, the journey became shorter, and when it was just over, the grain depot was already in sight.

"Hey, my lord, we're here!"

"Wait!" Mu Qingyuan single-handedly stopped Xiang Kejian, who was about to continue advancing.