Chapter 65: Human Affection

The hoopoe man said: "If I don't take revenge, I swear not to be a man." But before I get started, I'd like to tell you a story. ”

Xie Xiangcun said: "I will listen to my ears. ”

The hoopoe man said: "Once upon a time, there was a family living in the mountains, and the man supported the whole family by hunting. He had a hunting dog, which followed his master all day long, hunting down prey. Finally, one day, the hound was too old to chase the prey, and the man closed the door and beat the dog, wanting to kill the dog for the whole family to eat. The hound howled miserably, wagging its tail and begging for mercy, it thought that many years of loyalty could be exchanged for a trace of mercy from its master, but it was wrong, and it was finally beaten to death by the master's whole family, and even the children of the master's family stoned it. Xie Xiangcun, this is what happened to you as a lackey for Qian Hongzuo! ”

Xie Xiangcun looked at the hoopoe man deeply and asked, "Miss Dai, do you want to see with your own eyes 'the fate of my lackey'?" ”

The hoopoe man said: "Naturally, I want to see it." ”

Xie Xiangcun said: "Since you want to see it, then you can put down your blade." The Queen Mother doesn't want to be difficult for you, as long as you put down your arms and change your surname to Qian, although it is impossible to be the queen again, the Queen Mother said in front of the Manchu Dynasty that she can be a 'talented person' for the saint, and she is still a concubine. ”

The hoopoe man scolded: "Don't think! Even if I die, I won't be a talented person for this cruel and faint king! ”

Xie Xiangcun said: "Your martial arts are not as good as mine at all. What is the difference between you challenging me today and seeking death? Your half-brother Dai Feng was killed by me, is your martial arts stronger than Dai Feng? One of your half-sisters has hanged herself, and the other has been missing for many years, but I am afraid that she will die a long time ago, and you are the only child born to your own mother. Are you in such a hurry to find them, instead of waiting to see what happens to me? Miss Dai, I overestimated you, you don't deserve to be my enemy at all. ”

The hoopoe man laughed loudly: "I avenged my family, and I have already put life and death aside, what is the joy of life?" What is there to fear from death? I fight with all my might, even if I die, I will die a glorious death, better than survival! ”

Xie Xiangcun said: "Okay, I will fulfill your filial piety." I'll let you make thirty moves, and within thirty moves, only defend and not attack. If you can seize the opportunity, you may be able to kill me and avenge my family. After thirty moves, don't blame my subordinates for being ruthless, I killed so many people in your Dai family, not just you! Miss Dai, please make a move. With that, Xie Xiangcun stood up and slowly pulled out the blood-drinking Shang Fang sword.

The hoopoe man gathered all his strength, shouted, and rushed over. The blades intersected, and immediately sparks flew everywhere, and in an instant, the two had already exchanged five or six moves, Xie Xiangcun just parried, but did not fight back.

Zhen Jinshu was shocked to see on the rockery, she didn't know martial arts, but she could also see that it seemed that the hoopoe man was more powerful, and asked the palace maid next to her: "Lord Xie seems to be at a disadvantage, right?" The palace maid beside her knew martial arts, and said worriedly: "Miss Dai is indeed aggressive. ”

The opportunity of thirty moves, seeing that it was about to pass, the hoopoe man became more and more impatient, and finally there was no order at all, blindly killing and slashing, at the moment when the two of them were wrong, the hoopoe man screamed, the sword in his hand flew out horizontally, and the tendon on his wrist had been cut off by Shang Fang's sword. The hoopoe man scolded: "Xie Xiangcun, you are despicable!! You said that within thirty moves, only defend and not attack? Why did you make a sudden move? ”

Xie Xiangcun said: "Miss Dai, don't hide it, I am sick today, and my martial arts are not as good as thirty percent of usual, you originally had a chance to win me, as long as you fight steadily." But you have been deceived by illusions and are so eager to attack that I have a chance. Your sword-wielding hand is gone. But thou art in the king's house, and thou art attended, so that thou shalt not starve to death. Whether you like it or not, you will be kept in the palace forever as a Qian woman. Take care, maybe you can live to the end of the lackeys, the day when it comes. After that, Xie Xiangcun returned the sword to the sheath and turned away.

The blood on the hoopoe man's hand gushed out, and his face immediately turned pale with pain, Qian Hongliang stepped forward and said to the hoopoe man: "I thought Xie Xiang was as poisonous as a snake and scorpion, it turned out that he was very ordinary, you hate him so much, he didn't kill you?!" ”

The hoopoe man was stunned and said, "Hongliang, what do you mean by this?" You want him to kill me? Didn't you say you wanted to help me and kill Xie Xiangcun to take revenge? ”

Qian Hongju leaned forward and leaned back happily, and said: "You are the Dai family's fish that slipped through the net, I see that the saint is slow to make a move, for fear that he really wants to let you go, so he deliberately gave you the opportunity to challenge Xie Xiangcun." Others don't dare to kill you, but he has Shang Fang's sword in his hand, and he is the most favored by the saint, even if he kills you, the saint will not blame him. Unexpectedly, he actually let you go. ”

The hoopoe man only felt heartache and cried: "Hongliang, since I entered the palace, you have always treated me best, and I am sincere to you, why do you want to kill me?" ”

Qian Hongliang sneered: "Don't you know that I am the biological son of Queen Ma? My half-brother died, and my mother went crazy, all thanks to your Dai family. I treat you well because the saint is unwilling to deal with you, and the queen mother wants to use you to delay your father, so I have to reluctantly make it difficult, and besides, I am the best at coaxing girls. Qian Hongliang patted the hoopoe man's face and said with an evil smile: "What, are you still serious?" ”

Maybe because of excessive blood loss, or maybe because of the distress, the hoopoe man sat down on the ground in a gloomy manner, trembling.

Zhen Jinshu had already come down from the rockery, looked at the hoopoe man's bloody wrist, and said to the palace maid, "Go and call the imperial doctor." ”

The hoopoe man shouted: "You don't need to pretend to be a good person!" Your father was killed by my father. I hate hypocrites the most. With that, he staggered to his feet, and walked aimlessly, but he had not gone far, and fell to the ground again, fainting.

When Xie Xiangcun returned to the court, Li Jishen had already finished the report, Qian Hongzuo was discussing with the ministers the candidate for the head of the household department, and now Qian Hongzuo himself was holding this position, seeing Xie Xiangcun returning, Qian Hongzuo stopped talking and looked at Xie Xiangcun with concern.

Empress Dowager Xu asked, "Xie Aiqing, have you already persuaded Miss Dai?" ”

Xie Xiangcun said briefly: "In the future, there will be no Miss Dai in the palace, only a Qian palace maid born to the Dai family. ”

Empress Dowager Xu was satisfied: "It's good that Miss Dai can figure it out." ”

Qian Hongzuo asked, "Aiqing, why is your face so ugly?" Is it unwell? ”

Xie Xiangcun said: "Thank you for your concern, Weichen's health is fine. Tomorrow, Weichen will send the generalissimo tiger talisman seal collected by the military department to the palace. I hope that the saint can follow the example of the founding ancestors and serve as the generalissimo of Wu Yueguo's soldiers and horses. Moreover, it was established that from now on, the lord of the country could no longer hand over the power of commanding the whole country to the minister. ”

Qian Hongzuo sighed in his heart and said gratefully: "There is Lao Aiqing." ”

The next day, Qian Hongzuo summoned many military officials led by Xie Xiangcun in the Qinzheng Palace. Xie Xiangcun respectfully raised the Tiger Talisman Seal above his head, and Qian Hongzuo took it with his own hands. The soldiers and others all knelt down to the new generalissimo of soldiers and horses. The ceremony, though brief, completed the final step of the royal family's reclaim of military power. Since then, the lord of Wu Yue has never handed over the tiger talisman seal to the minister.

Qian Hongzuo personally sent Xie Xiangcun out of the palace, and said with concern: "Aiqing, King Gu has asked the royal doctor to wait for you outside the palace gate." The last time you went to Taizhou and returned due to illness, he once treated you, and the effect was still good at that time. Therefore, King Gu wants him to go back to the Yamen of the Ministry of War with you, and when you are healed, you can send him back to the palace. ”

Xie Xiangcun said: "Thank you, it's just that Weichen hasn't visited my master for a long time." If the Holy One allows, I would like to stay in Fangli Villa for a few days. In addition, I have already told the new commander of the forbidden army, Ran Qiangren, to let him choose some soldiers of the forbidden army, and follow me into the yamen of the military department to be responsible for the garrison. ”

Qian Hongzuo said: "Aiqing is thoughtful, the case of the Ministry of War has not yet been finalized, and now is the time of chaos, you are seriously ill, it is better to simply live in Fangli Villa for a few more days and recuperate well." Fangli Villa is far away from the palace, even on the day of the court meeting, Aiqing does not have to go back and forth, participate in the court meeting, and recuperate with peace of mind. You take the royal doctor and go to the Imitation Pear Villa. In addition, I will order Ran Qiang to immediately send the guards of the forbidden army to the imitation pear villa to be on guard. ”

Xie Xiangcun bowed and said, "Thank you, Holy Lord." ”

Qian Hongzuo gently held Xie Xiangcun's hand and said with a smile: "Although the lonely king can't say thank you to Aiqing, but the future is long, Aiqing and I are so young, and there will be countless good times with youth as companions." ”