It's been five days since the Dragon Boat Festival. The smell of wormwood that permeated the streets of Tokyo a few days ago finally wafted away in the early summer wind.

On this day, the pomegranate flowers in the yard are blooming.

Under the light of the morning sun, the double-petaled red flowers, which danced on the branches like flames, penetrated into Wang Yan's room through the propped windows. Along with this, there is also a sentence 'The beauties join hands to make Fangfei, green yin and red shadows, and show double patterns together.' The pomegranate flowers are in the shadows, but they are afraid that the fragrance will be reduced. ’

Wang Yan's Hunjia Xiao sat in front of the dresser, groomed in the mirror, held a comb in one hand, and asked her husband-in-law: "This is Uncle Ouyang Yong's pomegranate, right?" ”

"Exactly!" Wang Yan was also dressing up, and a little maid was struggling to hold a heavy official uniform, trying to help Wang Yan put it on.

Glancing out the window, Wang Yan shook his head and laughed. Outside the window was the maid who took care of the courtyard. An old maid in her forties sang this song, and the scene was a little incompatible.

"Ou Jiu is seriously ill, it's been a few days, and I heard that the testament form has been written. I'm afraid that in another month or two, the article "The Drunkard" will become a masterpiece. Wang Yan said regretfully, although Ouyang Xiu is an old party, his poems and articles are excellent, and Wang Yan also likes it very much.

“…… On New Year's Eve last year, the flower market was lit up like day. The moon arrives at the head of the willow tops, and people are about after dusk. Xiao Shi chanted Ouyang Xiu's famous article, unlike her husband who still thinks about party struggle, her heart is pure regret.

"Next year, Shangyuan will really want to 'see last year's people, tears wet spring shirt sleeves'."

Lowering his head and pinching the little face of his son, who was still sleeping next to the bed, Wang Yan said to his wife, who still looked regretful, "You better sleep for a while." Kuiguan cried so hard at night, you didn't sleep well all night. ”

This precious son of his, he doesn't know which way of sinking. Since he entered Beijing with him, he has been crying at night every three or five days, and he has not stopped crying. Relying on the maid and the nurse alone is not reassuring, and the Xiao family gets up three or four times a night to take care of it.

"I haven't been to say hello yet."

"You don't have to care about these customs, your father and mother won't care. When you are tired, you will rest more, and Kuiguan is afraid that he will cry at night. ”

"Official, I heard that there is a monk named Yuancheng in the Great Xiangguo Temple, who is good at talisman spells and is used to curing incurable diseases, so it is better to invite him to come and see Kuiguan."

Wang Yan frowned slightly. He had never believed in ghosts and gods, let alone witchcraft such as talismans. The monk's cultivation of talismans is even more weird. However, his son cries at night, and he will inevitably hurt himself over time. Since a famous doctor can't cure it, it's good to be able to grasp a straw.

"Then invite him to the house, but don't expect too much."

"The slave knows it."

After some gossip with the Hun family, Wang Yan walked out of the small courtyard and walked to the courtyard where his parents lived. He has always been a good handover and has many friends. In order to make it easier to call friends, Wang Yan lived in the east of the Prime Minister's Mansion near the outer wall, and there was a small door that could lead directly out of the Prime Minister's Mansion. Convenience is convenient, but every day to go to your parents' morning and dusk, you have to walk a lot more.

When I walked to the courtyard where Wang Anshi and his wife lived, I saw that the second brother Wang was also walking over, followed by the younger sister-in-law Pang Zi.

The two brothers looked at each other, and Wang and his wife saluted at the same time, "Big brother." After straightening up and looking behind Wang Yan, Wang asked beside him, "What about the sister-in-law and Kuiguan?" ”

"Your sister-in-law didn't sleep well last night, and she is a little unwell today." Wang Yan said a sentence and looked at the sky again, "It's not too early, today is a big living, and you have to enter the court early." ”

As he spoke, he led the way into the courtyard to greet his parents, while Wang followed behind, his face was a little ugly.

Wang Anshi and his wife had already gotten up at this time, and Wang Yi, who lived with his parents, was also there. After asking for peace, the family had breakfast together, Wang Anshi and Wang Yan got up and entered the palace, and Wang Bei, who was not yet a court official and had not even been officially sent, went back to his own courtyard.

Surrounded by hundreds of yuan, the father and son went in the direction of Xuande Gate. More than a dozen pairs of chess and cards drove the idlers in front, and the pedestrians and officials they met along the way immediately avoided the roadside as soon as they saw the prime minister coming.

The ministers avoid the way and pay homage to the hundred bureaucrats, which is the majesty of the prime minister.

The horse's hooves hit the heavy bluestone slabs, crisp as rain hitting plantains. Wang Yan was right away, talking to Wang Anshi: "Zhang Zihou is going out, Zeng Zixuan has already sent four or five at the same time, and Lu Jifu's Ding Wei will not be able to recover until September......"

Wang Yan didn't continue, he believed that his father would understand what he was going to say. Wang Anshi's subordinates are still very few people who can really come in handy now. In addition to Zhang Dun, Zeng Bu, and Lu Huiqing, who is at home, there are also a few people such as Zeng Xiaokuan and Lu Jiawen.

"Han Yukun is still too young. If he is allowed to serve as an official in Beijing, he can ignore the shocking things, but his qualifications are too shallow, and it is still difficult to come in handy for a while. Wang Anshi shook his head, "What's more, he won't be willing." This incident in Hezhou, with his temper, he may resign after the trouble. ”

In order to keep Hezhou, Han Gang even sent private messages to Wang Anshi and Zhang Dian in a hurry, if it weren't for Wang Anshi's placement of people in Tongjin Yintai Division, Han Gang's private messages might go straight to the desk of the Son of Heaven. Under normal circumstances, who would dare to commit such a taboo?! However, Han Gang even topped the edict, and judging by the statement in his letter, he even did the same thing. Compared to this, his sin of being in a hurry is really nothing.

"Is Rivers State really irretrievable? …… The one in Lintao Fort won there. ”

Because of Han Gang's recital, there is also Wang Zhongzheng's corroboration. It's been two days of arguing in the court. Whether Hezhou should withdraw or not, after being determined by the Son of Heaven the day before yesterday, has now been put back on the agenda.

"The siege of Lintao Fort is lifted, and Xizhou can be safe, but it has nothing to do with Hezhou. Now it is the most important thing to keep the situation before the battle, and Hezhou can only wait for the future...... Without Wang Shao, Xihe Road can only seek self-protection first. ”

Wang Anshi also wanted to keep Hezhou, but for a while, he couldn't find a suitable person to take over the Xihe Economic Strategy Division. Western Xia advanced into the Deshun army, and the commanders of the Guanxi Zhulu could not move lightly, and even the edict to summon Cai Ting back to Beijing was recovered, where are there other options that can hold the position?

And in the current situation, no one will clean up the troubles left by Wang Shao - if he is unlucky, he will put himself in it. Even if the ministers who have the heart to open the border, they will choose to temporarily withdraw the army and attack Hezhou in the future. This is not only safe, but also leaves a chance for oneself to make meritorious contributions.

This is the reason why the decision to give up Hezhou can be passed for what is going on - the Manchu Dynasty is civil and military, and there is no one who wants to keep Hezhou.

"But with Miao Zhu and Han Gang, there is no need for people to take over Xihe. Wang Shao may have news again, and wait for him for another month or two. When Hezhou is calmed down, even if he doesn't come back, it will be fine. ”

"How is that possible...... Those positions can't be kept. ”

It is simply unrealistic to let Han Gang or Miao Zhu temporarily replace Xihe Road. Along the way, that's a position that everyone wants to grab. Falling into the hands of Han Gang and Miao Zhu, it is like a child holding gold in the market, how can he not arouse the covetousness of others.

Wang Yan was about to argue again, when he heard a call behind him, "Xianggong, Yuan Ze!" ”

It was Zeng Bu and Zhang Dian who caught up.

"How...... What happened? Seeing Wang Anshi's father and son in the back, Zeng Bu caught up and asked.

Wang Anshi sighed, "It's still a matter of Hezhou!" ”

Zeng Bu looked at Wang Yan and said with a smile: "Today, when I go to the Chongzheng Palace, I will discuss it again...... No matter what, Xihe Road can always be saved. ”

"The important affairs of the military state, how can it be sought by everyone!?" Zeng Bu said it lightly, and Wang Yan was so anxious that he became angry. When he was angry, his face turned a little pale. Pressing his panicked heart, he said to Wang Anshi, "Failing to stop Lu Dafang the day before yesterday was a typo, and if you don't correct it in time now, I'm afraid it will be difficult to recover." Would Xifu be willing to abandon Hezhou? ”

Wang Yan is bent on supporting Han Gang, and he said in his early years that if Hehuang can't be soothed, it will be a disaster for the Central Plains in the future. Now, if the army is withdrawn from Hezhou, Hehuang Kaibian will suffer a big setback, which is a scene he does not want to see.

"Xizhou will not give up, no matter who proposes it, it will be suppressed. As for Hezhou...... "Wang Anshi shook his head, the key is still on Wang Shao's body, without Wang Shao, how can he keep Hezhou?

"If you want to keep Hezhou, isn't it just a drag? ......" Zhang Dian sighed, his status was not enough, and he couldn't prevent the issuance of the second edict the day before yesterday, which made him regret it for several days, "If there is no Lu Dafang, Yukun can still hold it back." ”

"But now that Lu Dafang has arrived in Xizhou, the second edict is not as simple as the first, how can Han Yukun resist the edict again? Miao Zhu of Hezhou did not dare to object. Coupled with the previous edict, Han Yukun and Wang Zhongzheng will inevitably be punished. Feng Dangshi chose a palace servant to announce the edict, wasn't it just to catch them all? ”

Han Gang would resist the decree, and everyone expected it at first. Originally, he was relieved on the edict, and Li Xian was chosen, and Han Gang was clearly in the way. At that time, Feng Jing and Wu Chong did not object, who would have thought that it was their trick to capture the old man, and when the second edict was issued, they all knew that Lu Dao had been deceived.

"Always keep him." Wang Anshi said softly.

Zeng Bu said with a smile: "Han Yukun is a young man, and a little setback is not a bad thing. ”

"With Han Yukun's merits, to this day, it is too mean to be just for the first prince Zhongyun. After the feast the day before yesterday, the Son of Heaven also talked about this matter. With Han Yukun's unrewarded merits, what sin can't be worthwhile? Zhang Dian sneered in his heart, he knew that Zeng Bu had always disliked Han Gang. I always thought that Han Gang's temperament was too fierce and he acted recklessly. As everyone knows, how to change the law, such as sailing against the current, retreating if you do not advance, and not extorting severe punishment against the law, how can you suppress a group of opponents.

In the short time on the road, I couldn't fight for a while. As he spoke, he had already arrived at the Xuande Gate.