The high willows are singing cicadas, and the grass hall is quiet.

Zhou Xuan and Yang Xiaofeng sat side by side, looking at Han De, who was sitting opposite, Feng looked at Feng and his eyes were slightly blind, as if he was thinking about the wording, and after a long time, Han Derang said: "Hao'er's mother is from Liao, and her surname is Xiao Mingxuan. ”

"Xiao Wei?" Zhou Xuan glanced at Yang Xiaofeng, Yang Xiaofeng's eyes also showed a blank look, since seeing the two Liao, Yang Xiaofeng has always thought that Han Derang's wife Li Mochou is her mother, although she has no impression of Li Mochou at all, but I heard that Mrs. Han Li Mochou died soon after she was lost, Yang Xiaofeng was also very sad, faintly felt that this was related to her father Han Derang, and heard that Han Derang and the Empress Dowager Chengtian of Daliao were married, Yang Xiaofeng was a little repulsed by her father Han Derang, which was also a reason why she was reluctant to go to Liao.

Han Derang looked at Zhou Xuan's expression, and knew that Zhou Xuan had never heard of Xiao Xuan's name, and said: "Hao'er is five points similar to her mother's appearance, especially the eyes-"

Zhou Xuan remembered the painting just now, immediately unfolded it, and said, "Uncle Han, please see, this is Han Yourong's painting hanging on the wall." ”

Han Derang got up and came over to take a closer look, his face showed a gentle color, and said: "This is what I painted for her when I first met Xiao Wei eighteen years ago, Zhou Xuan, you see, is it very similar to Feng'er." ”

Zhou Xuan saw this painting familiarly, and said in his heart: "I didn't expect my father-in-law to be versatile, this painting has the style of Yan Liben in the Tang Dynasty, the brushwork is round, and the charm is vivid, of course, compared with my painting skills, it is still a little worse, but this is Han's father-in-law made eighteen years ago." He nodded and said, "It's very similar, but how did this painting get into Han Yourong's hands?" ”

Han Derang pondered for a while and said, "This painting is collected in the Imperial Palace of the Liao Kingdom—"

Zhou Xuan was silent, only to hear Han Derang continue: "Xiao Xuan is the half-sister of the Empress Dowager Chengtian, and she died the year she was born. ”

Zhou Xuan thought that there was a follow-up, but he didn't think that Han Derang would stop talking about Xiao Wei after saying this, and he didn't seem to want to say more, Han Derang was originally a person of few words.

Yang Xiaofeng is also a person who doesn't like to talk, only Zhou Xuan said, Zhou Xuan asked: "Uncle Han, don't blame, for the sake of Hao'er, I want to ask, how did Hao'er's mother die?" ”

Han Derang said: "He died of illness." ”

Zhou Xuan asked again: "What about Mrs. Li Mochou?" ”

Han Derang said again: "He also died of illness." ”

Zhou Xuan didn't say anything, but shouted in his heart: "Wow, no, although you are handsome, Father-in-law Han, but your wife, so many beauties die one after another, this is not as good as a son-in-law." said: "Uncle Han, Hao'er is your daughter, what about me, of course I am your son-in-law, I am a close relative, I still have to speak up if there is something, for example, why does the Empress Dowager Chengtian want to take Feng'er first?" ”

Han Derang knew that Zhou Xuan didn't believe that Xiao Xuan and Li Mochou were sick and died, but he didn't want to tell Zhou Xuan about those things now, so he just said: "I don't know how the Empress Dowager Chengtian will know the news first, speaking of which, the Empress Dowager Chengtian is Aunt Hao'er, and she is anxious to see Feng'er." ”

Zhou Xuan said abruptly: "What Uncle Han said, Han Yourong and Shi Ao obviously have a bad attitude, and the Empress Dowager Chengtian is afraid that she will not all have good intentions towards Feng'er." ”

Han Derang said categorically: "Never!" The Empress Dowager Chengtian was very good to Feng'er, after the loss of Hao'er, the Empress Dowager Chengtian cried many times, and I sent the house slave to the south to find it, which was also the will of the Empress Dowager Chengtian. ”

Zhou Xuan was skeptical and said, "No matter what, I won't agree to go to Liaojing." ”

Han Derang raised his eyebrows, slightly angry, but seeing that his daughter was holding Zhou Xuan's hand tightly, he couldn't get angry, and said lightly: "Let's talk about it when those two house slaves come." ”

At this time, it was already noon, Zhou Xuanke didn't look at Han Derang's eyes, and let the tassels and the four idiots go into the grass hall to rest, and Han Derang's subordinates who were sent to the Wulu Inn in the city to find the two Liao people have not come back yet.

Han Derang sent two more people, and this time they came back in more than half an hour, but said that the two house slaves had already followed the person who held Zhou Xuan's note out of the city!

Han Derang and Zhou Xuan looked at each other, and they both felt ominous in their hearts.

Zhou Xuan ordered Lihu to take Lu Lu to look for it, and five other personal soldiers and five of Han Derang's subordinates followed.

In less than an hour, Lihu came to report and found the bodies of the two house slaves, headless, the bodies were on the edge of the valley, and there was no head, so it was impossible to identify whether they were the two house slaves sent by Han Derang.

Zhou Xuan immediately said: "I can't stay here, I want to go back to the city with Feng'er." ”

Han Derang said: "Okay, I'll send you two to the edge of the city, and I'll find out what's going on, and send someone to meet you tomorrow." ”

Zhou Xuan and his entourage had just walked out of the gate of the manor, and suddenly saw a team of people on the west mountain road, reflecting the slanting sun, galloping towards the manor.

Han Derang gave an order: "Archers prepare for battle!" ”

Those farmers immediately bent their bows and stood by, and Zhou Xuan and the others also retreated to the manor, watching the group of riders get closer and closer.

The leader shouted from afar: "Put down the bow and arrows, put down the bow and arrows!" ”

Naturally, the peasants would not listen to him, and they aimed more accurately.

The man ran to a distance of thirty feet from the gate of the manor, saw Han Derang in a blue shirt, and said happily: "The prime minister is really here, the prime minister, the Empress Dowager Chengtian has arrived." ”

Before the words fell, a horse with a black mane and white hooves accelerated forward, overtook the first horse, ran to the front of the manor, flew off the horse, lifted the cloak and hat, but saw the snow-skinned appearance, tall figure, it was actually a very beautiful woman, although she was not young, but her posture was not reduced, and she could be called a senior beauty.

When Han Derang saw it, he took a few steps closely, bowed down and said, "Minister Han Derang to see Her Majesty the Queen Mother." ”

Han Yourong, Shi Ao, and those Liao soldiers dressed as farmers suddenly knelt on the ground, prostrate and did not dare to look up.

Zhou Xuan was familiar with it, and was surprised that this famous Queen Mother of Liao was still so beautiful, she was always in her forties, she was the same age as Mrs. Hua Rui, her appearance and figure were not as delicate and slender as Mrs. Hua Rui, and she had more of the pride of a northland woman, and she could also see the shadow of Yang Xiaofeng from this Queen Mother of Liao, which is not surprising, Feng'er's mother is Xiao Xuan, and Xiao Xuan and Xiao Xuan are half-sisters, and it is not unusual for Yang Xiaofeng's appearance to be quite similar to Xiao Xuan, but the temperament of the two is completely different. This Queen Mother of Liao has firm eyes, slightly shrugged cheekbones, and a high and straight nose, obviously looking like a strong woman, but Yang Xiaofeng is elegant and quiet-

Zhou Xuanxin said: "The queen mother of the Liao State actually came to the outside of this famous city, and the powerful prime minister is also here. ”

It seems that Zhou Xuan's idea is really answered, the Empress Dowager Xiao Xuan of the Liao State has not had time to talk to Han Derang, and then heard the sound of footsteps, and a large number of samurai with knives suddenly poured out around the manor, surrounding the manor covering an area of less than 100 acres on both sides, it is estimated that there are about 1,000 people, the southeast side of the manor is a mountain wall, only the northwest two gates.

With Zhou Xuan's eyes, he also saw that these warriors were not Song Jun, these people were dressed as traveling merchants like Han Derang and Chengtian Empress Dowager Xiao Xuan's subordinates, but they were clearly Liao, and a few hats fell off, revealing a round head with braided hair.

Han Derang's face changed, and his tone was still calm: "Is the Queen Mother sending someone to arrest me?" ”

The Empress Dowager of the Liao Kingdom, Xiao Xuan, just frowned and said in a low voice, "Han Lang, why should I arrest you?" ”

Han Derang didn't speak, just stared at Xiao Xuan.

Xiao Xuan didn't seem to care about the approaching warriors, but asked, "Where is Feng'er?" Stepping into the manor, more than 100 people from her entourage rushed into the manor, and Xiao Sui also turned around and said: "Don't close the door of the village." ”

Shi Ao rushed to the gate with a knife and shouted, "Where did the people and horses come from? ”

The sword-wielding warriors rushed to a distance of twenty feet from the manor and stopped, not stepping forward, nor retreating, nor answering, but just holding their swords against each other.

Xiao Xuan, the Empress Dowager of Liao in the manor, asked again: "Where is Hao'er?" ”

Zhou Xuan pulled Yang Xiaofeng forward and said, "Next Zhou Xuan, meet the Empress Dowager Xiao, this is Yang Xiaofeng." ”

Xiao Xuan's eyes barely stayed on Zhou Xuan's face, only staring at Yang Xiaofeng, his eyes were hot and strange, maybe it was love or hate, the hand holding the horse whip trembled slightly, but he didn't say anything, and he didn't come too close.

Han Yourong ran over and shouted: "The Queen Mother, the Great Prime Minister, the one who surrounds the village is the general of the Southern Courtyard King Gao Ba. ”

Han Derang was shocked when he heard this, Yelu Gaoba has always been on bad terms with him, and at this time he actually led troops to surround the village, what did he want to do?

Another farmer came to report that Yelu Gaoba, the king of the southern courtyard, and Yelu Gaoba, the commander of the soldiers and horses of the northern courtyard, invited the queen mother to meet outside the village.

Xiao Xuan said "oh" and said, "Yelu is also involved." Riding on a black-maned and white-hoofed horse, he came to the gate of the manor under the escort of everyone, and said majestically: "Where is the question of Yelu Gaoba, Yelu?" ”

Twenty zhang away, two people rolled the saddle and dismounted, bowed and saluted: "Chen Yelu Gaoba (Chen Yelu title) See the Empress Dowager Chengtian." ”

Xiao Sui said: "Why did you two bring troops here and want to do something rebellious?" ”

Yelu Gao said: "How dare the minister, the minister is the Great Liao clan, loyal to the queen mother and the emperor, and can be expressed every day." ”

Xiao Sui said: "Then what are you doing in the village?" ”

Yelu Gao said: "The minister is guilty of Yan Zhizhi, and he wants to punish the traitor, and the Qing monarch is on the side." ”

Xiao Sui immediately asked, "Who is the traitor?" ”

Yelu Gao said: "Han Derang is the biggest traitor in this dynasty, everything is copied from the Han system, reuses the Han people, and weakens the power of my Khitan nobles, in the long run, is my Da Liao Khitan or Han?" The minister risked death and admonished directly, please punish Han Derang. ”

Zhou Xuan saw Yelu Gaoba and understood, this Yelu Gaoba must have known about Yang Xiaofeng in Kaifeng, and after returning to Liaojing, he revealed it to the Empress Dowager Xiao Xuan of Chengtian, I don't know why Xiao Xuan came to the Daimyo Mansion to see Yang Xiaofeng, and fell into the trap of Yelu Gaoba, now Han Derang is in trouble, Han De is in trouble, he Zhou Xuan can't escape, he must find a way to help Han Derang through the crisis, but looking at Xiao Xuan's calm appearance, it is estimated that he has a deep affection for his father-in-law, Han Yuezhang is handsome and handsome, and he is very popular with women, Xiao Xuan shouldn't give up on him easily, right?