The next day, Beigong went to class at Hu Xu's place as usual. Hu Xu talked about 'pro-virtuous ministers, far villains', so he asked Gongziru: "Now the lord has Dazai Han Shitong by his side, and he often serves Youqu and Si Shan Kuying." The lord is fortunate to be fond of these three people, and if he leaves any of them, he will feel inconvenient and tasteless. I have heard that these three men are also loyal to their lords. Han Shitong was originally from Jingguo, but his mother died of illness and did not go back to Ding Wei in order to serve the lord. You Qu was originally a dramatist, and the lord appreciated his talent, so he became a permanent attendant from the palace in order to follow the lord wholeheartedly. There is also Yu Ying, who knows that the Lord can't go a day without eating the dishes he cooks, and hasn't been home to see his wife and children for ten years. These three people can be described as loyal and virtuous? ”

Beigong Ru thought about it, shook his head and said, "Father should stay away from them." The grace of mother's nurturing is greater than heaven, and the mother dies and does not go home to worship, which is unfilial piety. Parents who have suffered from their bodies, who wield knives and self-harm, can be so cruel to themselves, let alone merciful to others. Wives and children are the closest relatives in the world, and it is really unrighteous to ignore them for ten years. How can a person who is unfilial, unkind, and unrighteous be a loyal minister and a wise man? ”

Hu Xu was very satisfied after hearing this, and gently patted him on the shoulder to show his approval. Beigong Ru felt pain in the place where the tattoo was on his shoulder, and he couldn't help but let out an "ah". Hu Xu opened his collar, saw the wound that was still red and swollen, and was taken aback: "This is?" Beigong Ru told Hu Xu about yesterday, and Hu Xu didn't speak for a long time. Finally, he sighed deeply and said, "Over the years, the repression in the palace has distorted human nature. ”

He turned out the medicine box, and when he was giving Beigong Ru medicine, he heard him say: "Teacher, Ru'er wants to learn to ride and shoot, and wants to lead the troops to fight." Like the great Sima Zhao Yuanmin, he is a golden iron horse and fights on the battlefield. Hu Xu nodded and said, "Yes, only in this way can you have any hope of succeeding to the throne." But we need the full support of one person. Beigong Ru asked: "Is it my father?" Hu Xu packed up the medicine box and replied, "It's Zhao Yuanmin." Beigong Ru asked urgently: "What should we do?" Hu Xu frowned and said, "I have to think about it carefully." ”

In the early morning of the next day, Beigong Ru came to Hu Xu's place and waited for Zhong Rong in the study to invite Hu Xu out. Zhong Rong went for a moment, then ran in in with a panicked look and said, "Childe, Mr. is gone." Beigong was shocked: "Take me to see." The two of them took a closer look at Hu Xu's room, and there were a few pieces of clothing and softness, and even the pass certificate to leave the capital was gone.

Beigong thought: The teacher will not say goodbye. asked Zhong Rong: "After I left yesterday evening, what happened?" Zhong Rong thought for a while and replied, "Mr. went out for a while later, and he didn't ask me to follow." After returning, he sent me to the outside of the city overnight to deliver a letter to the presiding officer of Guangyin Temple. I just came back this morning, so I didn't notice that my husband wasn't there. Beigong Ru pondered for a while and said, "Do you know what is written in the letter?" Zhong Rong replied honestly: "I don't know, although Mr. didn't keep his mouth shut, I didn't dare to take out the letter to read it." ”

Beigong Ru nodded, he knew that Zhong Rong had always been honest. He analyzed: "The letter is not sealed, which means that it is not important; But if you are asked to send it overnight, there is only one possibility, the teacher wants to break you away. But what can you do? Either to meet someone at home, or to facilitate his preparation for leaving. Let's go to the city gate and ask, the teacher has taken the pass pass, he must want to go out of the city, maybe someone will see him. Zhong Rong asked embarrassedly: "This capital is so big, which gate do we go to?" Beigong Ru said: "On the fifth day of the first month today, only the west gate and the south gate will be opened, we will go separately to ask, and then meet here." ”

After an hour, Beigong Ru returned to Hu Xu, Zhong Rong had already arrived first, and he was walking back and forth uncomfortably. When he saw Beigong Ru, he said eagerly: "I asked at the west gate that someone saw Mr. walking out of the city at the west gate at dawn. Beigong Ru said: "The guards at the south gate said that there was a person who looked like a teacher, and at ten o'clock at noon, he went out of the city from there." The two of them were puzzled, it was almost dusk, and Beigong Ru had no choice but to return to the palace.

The next day, there was still no news from Hu Xu. On the third day, Beigong Ru waited until the sun was setting before he saw Hu Xu walk in. Beigong Ru rushed over happily, hugged Hu Xu's waist with both arms, put his head on his body, and said happily and aggrievedly: "I thought the teacher didn't want Ru'er." Hu Xu touched his head and said in a low voice: "How can the teacher let it go." "After more than three years of getting along day and night, the two have developed a relationship like father and son, which is not easy to give up. Hu Xu told Gongzi that if he went to an old friend's house in the countryside outside the city, this old friend's mother used to be the maid of Zhao Yuanmin's family, so he told Beigong Ru some of the childhood stories of Zhao Yuanmin that he heard about them.

A few days later, Hu Xu came to the mansion of Da Sima Zhao Yuanmin in the capital. Hu Xu handed over the name post, and it took a long time before the family came out to lead him to the side hall. Hu Xu looked at this room, it was a delicate little flower hall. The pineapple wood coffee table is antique, and the red sandalwood circle chair back is embedded with Yunwen Li stone, which is simple and elegant, and even a few pots of spring orchid on the case in this house seem to show the master's outstanding taste. Hu Xu thought: This Zhao family has been the Qing family for generations, and the mansion is really extraordinary.

After another half an hour, Zhao Yuanmin walked into the hall, and after greeting him, he reprimanded his subordinates for not serving tea. The two sat down and chatted for a while, and an entourage came in to tell them that there was an urgent military situation and asked Sima to make a decision. After hearing this, Hu Xu immediately stood up and said with a smile: "General, please wait." "Wait, until sunset, and no one came to add water for Hu Xu to change tea. Hu Xu was not stunned, and sat there calmly.

A family member had already reported Hu Xu's every move to Zhao Yuanmin. It turned out that Zhao Yuanmin was not entangled in official affairs, and he deliberately neglected him several times, because he had guessed the intention of Hu Xu and deliberately tested his sincerity. Zhao Yuanmin heard about Hu Xu's reputation a few years ago, and thought: Such an arrogant character will be so busy with his son, and this son must be extraordinary. I thought of Beigong Ru's insightful words at the spring banquet that day, and I felt that this master and apprentice should not be underestimated. So he invited Hu Xu to dinner, and the two talked about it and talked happily.

After the meal, Zhao Yuanmin branched out again, and asked Hu Xu to talk at night, and Hu Xu said straight to the point: "I will ask the general to be a teacher for my son-in-law, teach him martial arts strategies, and help him achieve a great cause." Hu Xu saw that Zhao Yuanmin did not answer, so he said: "Looking at the prince's sons, the eldest son of Di is congenitally deficient, and it is difficult to become an heir. The second son, Moyu, and the third son, are green, feminine by nature, and their mother Yue Guifei is from an ordinary background, so it is difficult to convince the public. The fourth son, Gongzi Hua, the son of Zhen Ji, is a little talented, but Zhen Guo has always been a thief to our country, and sooner or later he will fight, and when the time comes, Gongzi Hua will inevitably be in an embarrassing situation. ”

Zhao Yuanmin nodded, and then asked, "What about the fifth son, the son of Yanji, Yong?" In terms of eldest and youngest, he ranks before Gongzi; In terms of qualifications, he is not inferior to the sixth son; In terms of background, Yeonji has always been honored. Hu Xu calmly responded: "That's right, Gongzi Yong is what everyone wants, and there are many people who want to climb this high branch, so why should the general put icing on the cake?" Gongzi is different, he is brilliant and ambitious, and with the help of the general, he will be like a sleepy dragon in water, and he will rise when he hears the thunder and soars into the sky. The general's charcoal in the snow is commendable, and their mother and son will inevitably be more grateful to Your Excellency after gaining power. Zhao Yuanmin, who said this, was convinced, but out of caution as an official in the court for many years, he still said: "Listening to your words is like seeing the sun through the clouds, but this matter needs to be carefully considered." Hu Xu was not disappointed, he knew that the first step was successful.

Two months later, it was the birthday of the king's grandmother, and as usual, all the ministers and their mothers were invited to the palace to celebrate. The palace is full of lights, so lively. At the beginning of the banquet, the musicians played the 'Son of Heaven', and the princesses and princesses of the princess and the princess ordered the ladies and daughters to toast the birthday of the Queen Mother, and the Queen Mother praised her again and again. She is more than sixty years old this year, her demeanor is serene, her demeanor is dignified, and a nobility from the inside out makes everyone naturally obedient in front of her.

After three rounds of drinking, Sima Zhao Yuanmin's mother got up to change clothes. Concubine Pinggui walked forward, Ying Ying bowed, and said tactfully: "As the queen mother's birthday, the concubine specially prepared a dance to cheer up. Please don't dislike the queen mother. Xian Gong was already a little drunk, and said with a smile: "I haven't seen Concubine Ping dance for a long time, it's very good." Concubine Ping happily went down to prepare.

After she left the crowd, she quickly caught up with Zhao's mother who was walking to change clothes. Mother Zhao was very surprised when she saw her, and Concubine Pinggui led her to a secluded place in the garden, so she knelt down and worshiped Mother Zhao. Mother Zhao was shocked, and hurriedly helped her up, saying, "Why should your concubine be like this? Is there anything old can help, just ask. Concubine Pinggui sobbed and said: "Old lady, the concubine is immoral, and she is from a low background, so she can't win the favor of the lord, and even my Ru'er can't be pitied by his father, and the concubine feels deeply guilty." Ru'er has great ambitions, but it's a pity that I, as a mother, can't help him. Ru'er has always figured out the art of war and can ride and shoot, if she can ask General Zhao for advice, the concubine will be satisfied. ”

When Zhao's mother heard what happened to her, she remembered that she was also a servant girl back then, and after years of suffering with her son Zhao Yuanmin, the old general slowly appreciated Yuan Min, and finally made him the head of the Zhao family. All these things seem to be still vivid. Mother Zhao couldn't help sighing: "The concubine's intentions, the old body understands, and she should do her best." "Concubine Pinggui bowed deeply and left.

After a while, the palace people put on a large bronze lotus, and everyone's eyes were attracted here. The music sounded, the lotus petals slowly stretched, and a beautiful woman inside seemed to have just been awakened by the morning light. I saw her getting up lazily, dressing up near the water, her body was soft and enchanting, moving like a weak willow supporting the wind, and her beauty was breathtaking. A pair of eyes are as clear as autumn water, looking back and smiling, pouring all beings. Xian Gong was fascinated, and couldn't help but walk down and hold the lotus fairy, who was Pinggui's concubine. Xiangong was overjoyed, and that night, he stayed in Caige Garden.

But said that the next day, Zhao's mother invited her son to come to the house and talked about the conversation with Pinggui's concubine, and at the end, Zhao's mother said sadly: "Looking at this mother and son, I remembered our hardships back then. Mother, I can empathize. "Zhao Yuanmin used to rely on his mother for his life, was bullied in Zhao's mansion, endured humiliation and burdens to this day, and was extremely filial to his mother. Secretly thought: If the son can bend and stretch if the mother and son can bend and stretch, the future will never be a thing in the pool.

In the next six years, Zhao Yuanmin sent his confidant Duan Yunshen to take Gongziru and his eldest son Zhao Jingzhi to ride horses and practice every day. Every few days, he will personally teach the two children the art of war and tell them their experience in leading soldiers. Beigong Ru and Zhao Jingzhi are of the same age and have similar temperaments, and a tacit understanding between the two has been established in a few years.