Life is impermanent, but it is always unexpected.

Du Huan traveled west with the mentality of generosity to go to the country, but after walking through the mountains and loess of Hexi, and seeing the large green grasslands and towering snow-capped mountains, Du Huan felt indescribable relief and joy.

The land of Tingzhou, the scenery is magnificent, vast and boundless, although there is no prosperity of Chang'an, but there is a kind of majestic atmosphere, moving people's hearts.

Du Huan soon fell in love with this frontier hot land, and devoted himself wholeheartedly to his duties, without any complaints or prevarications.

Du Huan was already smart and extraordinary, and he was born in a solid imperial examination, and in a place where there was a shortage of scribes like the Beiting Metropolitan Protectorate, he quickly stood out.

Du Huan's name soon attracted the attention of Wang Zhengjian, the protector of the capital, and after many contacts, Wang Zhengjian recruited Du Huan as his staff and served as a judge, becoming a middle-level official of the Beiting Metropolitan Protectorate.

After Du Huan followed Wang Zhengjian several times to the east and west, he accumulated a lot of military merits, and within two years, he was transferred to the seventh rank Xuandelang.

And more importantly, Wang Zhengjian trusts Du Huan and often gives him various opportunities to hone and show.

Everyone in the North Court knew that Judge Du was Du Hu's confidant, and Du Huan's actual authority and influence far exceeded his official rank, and he was not far behind Chang Shi Gao Shetun.

Lost the east corner of the harvest of mulberry elm, Du Huan didn't know that fate actually played such a tortuous and obscure joke on himself, he was hit in Chang'an, but he actually got his wings to soar in the sky and the stage in the west of the city.

Two years later, Du Huan went to Beijing with Wang Zhengjian to report on his work, although Wei regretted that Lang Jun was not around, but seeing that he was so used by Wang Duhu, he was very satisfied in his sadness.

In the same year in the past, there were still many people who stayed in the capital and had seniority from the eighth grade, and those who went to Huainan and Yizhou did not exceed the eighth grade, and they were all envious of Du Huan's promotion at this time.

Back in Chang'an, in the face of the hard-working lady, Du Huan was very sorry; Faced with the envy of the same year, Du Huan just smiled.

Du Huan has a deeper understanding of the indifference of the world and the warmth of human feelings, but he doesn't say anything, he still smiles and changes cups and socializes with the same year, and makes an appointment to support and communicate with each other.

It's just that Du Huan is puzzled that he was obviously born in Gyeonggi and grew up in Chang'an, but deep down in his heart, he is more attached to the beautiful snow-capped mountains and vast grasslands in the west of the moraine, but he dislikes the crowding and hustle and bustle of Chang'an more and more.

After returning to Tingzhou, Du Huan was more active in understanding and exploring the land of Moxi in addition to the military and government affairs of the counselor, and became more and more interested in Hezhong, Zhaowu and the distant Great Food Country.

He studied the customs, language and customs of these places in detail. Du Huan faintly felt in his heart that he seemed to be born for the west of the moraine, and his duty was to protect this open and magnificent place of the west for the Tang Dynasty.

The only thing that Du Huan has not changed is his indifference and disgust for the Shangyuan Festival, although he loves his status quo, but he still hates the peaceful Yuan Xi night that broke his heart.

"Rokuro is tired too, isn't he?" Wang Zhengjian's inquiry interrupted Du Huan's contemplation.

"Duhu is also very tired, right?" Du Huan smiled: "It's a matter of fact, but the piece is only unfinished at present." It's just that Fang just looked at the bright moon outside the window, remembered some past events, and inevitably got distracted. ”

"Rokuro rarely wanders his mind, and this time he ponders the past, which means that he is really tired. It's just that I don't know what the past Rokuro remembers, and he is still worried about the lady in Chang'an's family. Wang Zhengjian was very concerned about Du Huan, and he spoke very casually, and he didn't put up his boss's shelf.

"The fire on the Yuan Festival reminds me of the night of Tianbao's fifth year. Overnight, things are people, not people......" Du Huan is still immersed in memories.

"Tianbao's fifth year?" Wang Zhengjian's expression also became solemn: "A lot of things did happen that night......

"The protector is also involved in the events of the day?" Du Huan saw that Wang Zheng was heavy, and asked tentatively.

Wang Zhengjian shook his head and asked rhetorically: "Liulang was born in the Jingzhao Du family, and he is also a well-known family, can you know the origin of the family?" ”

Du Huan was very surprised that Wang Zhengjian suddenly asked such a question, and he didn't know what it had to do with his feelings about the "Wei Jian case".

But he still pondered for a moment, and replied seriously: "The Jingzhao Du family is also a small name, but a certain person is from a partial branch, almost from a poor family, so he doesn't know much about the affairs of the family. However, he has skimmed ancient and modern history books and knows a little about the affairs of the family. The family flourished in the Eastern Han Dynasty, flourished in the Wei and Jin dynasties, and continued to this day. Tracing back to its origin, in the Eastern Han Dynasty, there was no way to take the imperial examination, and the selection of officials was all famous people who worshipped the world. At that time, books were scarce, and there were famous families, and they passed on the scriptures to their descendants. At the end of the Han Dynasty, Wei Xing, the way of the officials, the notes of the scriptures, have gathered in dozens of homes, so there are nine products in the system, distinguish the turbidity, do not be noble and cheap, the family is noble, the cold door is dirty, and the black and white are different. At the time of the southern crossing of the clothes, the Central Plains family and the Jin Emperor ruled the Southern Dynasty together, and the prosperity of the family reached its peak. The nobles of the Northern Dynasty were also contaminated with the habits of the Southern Dynasties, and lived in the land of Guanlong, which was a new wang clan. Longxing in this dynasty also originated from this. Emperor Sui's southern expedition, the unification of the world, the convergence of northern and southern families, Guanlong, Shandong have famous families. Famous families, abundant material resources, and the cultivation of children, so there are many scholars. However, Taizong Tianzong is a talent, and he knows that there are many pillars of talent in the cold door, which is the way to change the imperial examination of Sui, not sticking to one pattern, and opening the door to materials. The road of the imperial examination is gradually valued by the world, but the road of the door is still there, and the children of the family are still better than the children of the poor family or the imperial examination, or the shadow seal. ”

"Rokuro talks eloquently and has a deep understanding of the origin of the family. However, do you know that in this moment, the survival of the family is essential? Wang Zhengjian asked.

"Survival?" Du Huan felt dazed for a while, and he didn't understand what Wang Zheng was asking.

"Emperor Wen of Sui and Emperor Taizong promoted the imperial examination, which is based on the authority of the Son of Heaven and the attack of the family. Although the world is big, in the eyes of those who sit on the throne, only one family is enough. However, today's famous families, those involved in the royal affairs are like carp crossing the river, all of them are lucky to take chestnuts in the fire, and I don't know who succeeds or fails, who wins or loses, it is difficult to eliminate the general trend of the decline of the family. Wang Zhengjian said with emotion.

"That's true!" Wang Zhengjian's assertion shocked Du Huan, his brain spun rapidly, and he thought about it repeatedly, from Emperor Taizong to Emperor Zetian, and then to today's saints, the ups and downs of the family came to mind one by one.

"Rokuro still doesn't believe it? This is the tragic lesson of the deposed second queen of the Taiyuan Wang family! Wang Zhengjian said in a low voice: "Can you know the reason for the collapse of the Wei family overnight?" ”

"Don't take the pain of Webster's punishment, actively run, bet on the prince's ......" Du Huanyue said, his voice became lower, and his heart became colder and colder.

"Can you know why you tried your best to get rid of the prince in the matter of the broken leaf reward?" Wang Zhengjian did not wait for Du Huan to answer, but continued: "In today's world, the children of the family should learn more from Liulang's pragmatic attitude, be active in the imperial examination, concentrate on practice, and never be greedy for merit. Instead, you should keep the door and keep it not far from the palace, if you are about to leave, so as not to fall into the name of the ancestors. It's a pity that a certain clan brother, although he has the talent of the sky, he doesn't understand the survival of the family, gets involved in right and wrong, and is tragically framed......"

Wang Zhengjian's words made Du Huan sweat rain, and at this time he fully understood the purpose of the family.

"After a while, it can be regarded as a rest." Wang Zhengjian gently patted Du Huan's shoulder to relieve his nervousness: "The matter of the country is the most likely to hurt people, although there is no shortage of 'big husbands should not eat Wuding food, and cook Wuding', but this matter is extremely risky, for the sake of his family's life, it is better to stay away from it." ”

"The meaning of a certain knowledge of apologetic teachings!" Du Huan solemnly bowed to Wang Zhengjian.

"As for the cantata, it is enough to tell the truth. Zhang Daobin's side will definitely report to Gao Weng, and other people who are interested will also report information to Chang'an through different channels, and we have nothing to hide. And the strategy of conquering the stone country is determined, at this time, the saint should not be heavily responsible for me, nor will it affect the plan to resist the eastward invasion of the Great Eclipse. Wang Zhengjian changed the subject back to the fire.

"Du Hu is not afraid of Li Xiang to play with this?" Du Huan is still a little worried, which is also the fundamental reason why he has not drafted a plea for a long time.

"Gao Xianzhi has openly defected to Li Xiang, and that person is almost the same. Although the sage has not been very concerned about state affairs in recent years, he has not been so confused as to entrust tens of thousands of elite soldiers in Anxi and Beiting to Li Xiang. Don't forget, a certain person still carries the label of the East Palace Party, and for the sake of balance, the saint will not easily remove me, at most it will be a fine. ”

"I know the meaning of the capital protection, but if the cause of the fire can be found out, and the matter is explained in the recital, it should be more beneficial to the capital protection. In addition, what Wang Peizhong reported that Pei Niangzi wanted to call on the ladies of the North Court to go to the Xida Temple to pray for incense, and she could also agree to it to show the compassion of the protector. Du Huan insisted on his position, trying to minimize the political risks faced by Wang Zhengjian.

Before Wang Zhengjian could reply, a few crows suddenly came from outside the window, and then he heard a report from the tooth soldiers outside the door: "Report to the capital, Xiao Langjun asks to see!" ”

"Didn't Fei'er just wake up, why did she come to the front office so soon? Didn't you let him recuperate? Once Wang Fei was involved, Wang Zhengjian immediately became a kind father who chattered in pieces.

"I've seen my father, and I'm in a hurry to explain the cause of the fire in the Ruyiju Lantern Tower!" When Wang Zheng saw that he was talking to himself, Wang Fei had already run into the official office quickly, followed by Ayi Tenggna, who was also panting.

Du Huan looked at this pair of children, his eyes became gentle, and he remembered the tranquility and warmth of that Shangyuan night, when he and his wife chatted through the car window veil.

"Don't be in a hurry, rest for a while, why do you run so fast!" Wang Zhengjian was even more gentle to Wang Fei: "Little lady Yiyue, sit down too." ”

At this time, in the Beiting Metropolitan Protector's Office, several servants were examining the charred corpses in the fire.

An old man suddenly found that there was a burly and powerful-looking corpse with no dust in his mouth, and he hurriedly compared it carefully, and found that there were three similar corpses.

A closer examination revealed that the four bodies had thin and deep wounds, and one of them showed signs of being scratched by sharp weapons such as throwing knives. Although the body was charred, the traces were still there.

The old man quietly kept the relevant information in mind, and then found an excuse and left the official office ahead of schedule.

After leaving the official office, Lao Zuozuo deliberately walked around a few detours, and after finding that no one was watching, he quietly came to Wang Peizhong's house.

At the same time, in the Ruyi Ju in Chengnan City, Tingzhou, Shopkeeper Liu gently knocked on the door of a certain room and asked cautiously: "Dare to ask Thirteen Niang, who set the fire has ever been identified." ”

There was a cold snort in the room, and then Su Sanniang was heard to say: "Who else can there be, it must be the people of Wenxitang who can't compete with us, so they used such indiscriminate means, and they didn't hesitate to hurt the innocent, it's really hateful!" ”

Shopkeeper Liu muttered: "Then why doesn't Thirteen Niang leave a living mouth as a witness!" ”

I only heard Su Sanniang smile coldly: "Wenxitang has her back to the Pei family in Hedong, and Mrs. Pei, who is even more dependent on the Beiting Protectorate in Tingzhou, has always been vicious and arrogant. The four gangsters who set fire to the fire were either dead soldiers or wronged people who had been deceived, and they couldn't ask anything, so there was no need to stay alive at all. Besides, what if you really have a living mouth and ask for some fur? Is it to be escorted to the Metropolitan Protectorate Facao? Or is it tied to Jinman County? I promise that if you go in with your front foot, you will die in prison with your back foot. ”

Shopkeeper Liu, who was busy with business dealings, obviously lacked enough understanding of the darkness of Wenxitang: "Then how should we deal with it?" ”

"I'm sick of it! If it weren't for the fact that Master owes you a favor to Ruyiju, I wouldn't have bothered to care about the rags between your shops! Thirteen Niang was very impatient with Shopkeeper Liu's question: "But for the sake of this fire allowing me to find a good seedling, I'll help you come up with an idea." Others use three indiscriminate means, but we can't defile our identity, don't you Ruyiju have a lot of money, then use the means of shop competition to directly crush Wen Xitang. If they come up with three more indiscriminate methods, don't worry, there is me! ”

Shopkeeper Liu accompanied him carefully and talked for a long time, in fact, he just wanted to get Su Sanniang's guarantee.

Pure business competition, shopkeeper Liu, who has been immersed in this way for many years, is a real expert, so he doesn't need the guidance of a swordsman! But he needs this sword to protect the peace of Ruyiju.

After Shopkeeper Liu left, Su Sanniang pushed open the window, looked at the bright moon and said: "The affectionate and righteous little Langjun, the unwilling little lady burning in his heart is really interesting." Knowing such a teenager is worth the trip! ”