Chapter 280: Protracted War
Chang'an was stunned by He Huan's question, nodded unconsciously, and added: "What did the third master say specifically, the little one didn't hear it with his own ears, but this is indeed an order from the third master." Miss Ho, is there anything wrong? ”
"Nope." He Huan shook his head, turned around and secretly breathed. Xie San's announcement that Shen Jinglun was captured by Zhao Yi is equivalent to suing everyone, no matter what Shen Jinglun said, Zhao Yi forced him, and what he said was against his will.
Earlier, she was full of hatred and only wanted to expose Shen Jinglun's true face, but he has been operating in Jizhou for ten years and is a gentleman praised by everyone, how can others believe her one-sided words! On the contrary, portraying Shen Jinglun as a victim is the best policy.
Shen Jinglun must be in a dilemma at this time, right? If he proves that he was not accused by Zhao Yi, it is equivalent to admitting that he is a thief, and Xie San can pretend to be innocent and ask him why he colluded with the thief. If he didn't say anything, Xie San could use the name of rescuing Shen Jinglun to inspire people who admired Shen Jinglun to deal with him. This is equivalent to Xie San taking advantage of Shen Jinglun's fame accumulated for ten years.
I don't know why, the clouds that have been lingering in front of He Huan's eyes for the past ten days suddenly dispersed. She hates Shen Jinglun, she regrets marrying him, what is the use of her closing herself and imprisoning herself? What she has to do is to find her son, and she can't let Xie San worry at this time.
There was a war going on outside, she was just an ordinary little woman, she didn't know what national righteousness was, but the thieves killed so many people, including her father, she couldn't go into battle to kill the enemy, and she must not be a burden.
Thinking about this, He Huan went to Songzhou City for a walk, and asked about the situation outside Chang'an City. She didn't know what Xie San's plan was. But she saw it with her own eyes. He is the will of the people. She believed he would win.
Time is like sand at your fingertips. It passed by inadvertently. More than a month has passed in a blink of an eye, ushering in the autumn harvest season.
In the past month or so, He Huan has not seen Xie San once, nor has she seen Tao, He Jing and others, she only knows that Vice General Zhou has placed them in a certain mansion in Jizhou City, and Lin Zhutou, who is responsible for guarding Jizhou City, will take care of them.
On this day, He Huan was doing needlework under the corridor as usual, and Chang'an suddenly said to her. Aunt Cao sent a message through Lin Zhutou and asked her if she could come and visit her.
He Huan thought that there was something going on at home, and he was too busy to respond. Two days later, in the evening, when she saw Cao, she could barely recognize her.
In just over a month, Cao's has become black and thin, but he is in good spirits. She was dressed in brown coarse cloth, with sleeves on her hands, and an apron tied around her chest, like a peasant woman who had just returned from the fields.
"Aunt Cao. What are you ......" He Huan was puzzled. The He family's field is long gone, and besides, she has always felt it. Although Cao Shi has no bad intentions, she has always been lazy and lazy, and she is not like a person who can go to the field at all.
Cao Shi smiled, patted the dust on the sleeve, and replied: "Miss, I have been cutting rice outside Songzhou City for the past two days, so I want to stop by to visit you." ”
"Cutting rice?" He Huan became more and more surprised.
"The eldest lady doesn't know yet, now the men have gone to fight the thieves, but someone has to clean up the rice in the field. Although there was a flood earlier, I was able to harvest a little. I heard that the yamen organized everyone to cut rice, so I went to sign up to earn three meals. Besides, there are officers and soldiers who are guarding them, and they are not afraid of encountering thieves. ”
The first time He Huan saw it, Cao's eyes were bright. He said tentatively, "Actually, I'm already thinking about our future business, you don't need to ......."
"Everyone is just trying to do something for the three meals given by the yamen. We are still saying in the field today, if Xie Sanye is willing to accept female soldiers, we are also willing to fight. If I can kill three thieves, I will earn even if I lose my life. ”
He Huan only knew that the people were united, but she didn't expect the Cao family to be so active, and she didn't know how to answer for a while.
Cao Shi glanced at He Huan cautiously, and while taking out the letter written by He Jing to He Huan, he said: "Miss, you don't know, the eldest lady hates the people of the government the most on weekdays, and now she is also doing needlework at home." Many families made shoes and sent socks to the yamen, hoping to win the battle earlier. ”
He Huan let out a soft "um", hurriedly hid the men's shoes in the sewing basket, and asked, "Aunt Cao, do you have anything else to do besides delivering a letter for Brother Jing?" ”
"Actually, I just came to see you." Cao's eyes dodged, and he lowered his head unnaturally,
"What's wrong?" He Huan looked sideways.
"No, it's really fine." Cao waved his hand again and again.
More than a month ago, on the day that Vice Admiral Zhou took them to a strange courtyard, she saw Wang Cripple again, and he actually became their neighbor. At first she was so frightened that she didn't dare to leave the house even half a step. Later, she was so depressed that she couldn't do anything, so she simply asked Wang Cripple to make things clear, but she didn't expect him to pat his chest and promise that he would never tell anyone that He Jing was not born to her. As they came and went, they gradually got acquainted, and he often helped them with odd jobs.
Because the king was lame and could not join the army, they often cut rice together these days. Originally, she had always regarded him as a "big brother", but just a few days ago, he suddenly told her that he had never married a wife, and she had never been married, so it would be nice if they could live together.
At that time, she took a bite out of him, but in the end she still had a thought. She's not yet thirty, and it would be nice if she could get married and have children. Having a child of his own and a man who loves himself is good even if he eats bran vegetables.
Although there are not a few big families who sell their concubines or match people, she uses He Jing's biological mother to marry someone, which will make He Jing unable to raise his head. However, she had long thought that she should sue He Huan that her father had never been sorry for their mother and daughter.
The Cao family was secretly entangled for a few days, and finally mustered up the courage to ask Lin Zhutou to pass on the letter, but when she saw He Huan at this time, she hesitated again.
For the He family, He Jing is their only hope. If she suddenly told them that he was not He Baixian's son at all, it would be a heavy blow to them, especially to Tao. How could she hurt the people of the He family for herself again?
At that moment, He Huan saw that the Cao family wanted to speak and stopped, and asked, "Aunt Cao, is there something going on at home?" ”
"No, no." Cao Shi shook his head again and again, and asked tentatively: "Miss, it has been ten years since I came to the He family, ...... Do you still hate me? ”
"Aunt Cao, why did you say this suddenly?" He Huan smiled and shook his head, "You said it, it's been ten years since this happened, and everything has disappeared, not to mention that Brother Jing was born to you, and he is his father's bloodline." ”
When Cao Shi heard this, he could only laugh dryly, and said that she was just sending a letter for He Jing, and left with a weak heart.
Although He Huan felt that Cao's words and deeds were very strange, where did she think that He Jing was not He Huan's own brother at all, she just watched Cao's figure disappear behind the courtyard gate.
A few days later, He Huan heard Chang'an happily say to Bai Shao that there were towns that had surrendered without a fight, and they forced the thieves to retreat without much effort, and she looked up at the sycamore tree in the courtyard. The leaves of the sycamore trees are all yellow, and the weather is getting cooler day by day, and she sincerely hopes that every qiē can be finished before the New Year, and the people can happily celebrate a peaceful year.
After a while, He Huan vaguely heard Chang'an boasting that his master was very good at fighting, and if his subordinates were all those old departments in the northwest, he would have beaten the thieves to the ground. She couldn't help but laugh as she listened. She believed that Xie San chose to let the other party "surrender without a fight" because he didn't like dead people. He had always told her that he didn't like to fight, and he didn't like to kill, but he also believed that sometimes justice could only be maintained by force.
The autumn harvest is over, and the people are busy with winter planting again, He Huan's life is still very dull, except that she misses her son very much. However, she also knew that Shen Jinglun would not hurt her son, what she had to do was to believe in Xie San and wait patiently.
The days slipped by for another two days, and the west wind mixed with gusts of chill blew so that people did not want to go out. He Huan had dinner, and as soon as he returned to the room and was lighting the candlestick, he heard Chang'an exclaim: "Third master!" She hurriedly put down the flint and walked to the door, and saw Xie Sansan walking towards her, followed by Vice General Zhou and others.
He Huan almost thought that he was dazzled, and even recognized the wrong person. Xie San was wearing a navy blue cotton coat, his hair was neatly combed, and his beard was cleanly shaved, although he had lost some weight, he was not at all like what Chang'an said, his beard was slaggy, and he didn't take a bath for a few days.
"You ......" He Huan only said one word, and he couldn't make a sound anymore. Seeing him with her own eyes, she realized that in fact, she had been thinking about him all along.
Xie San stepped into the room, stared down at He Huan, and closed half of the door with his backhand. Vice General Zhou had already stopped in a playful manner, standing in the courtyard and gossiping with Chang'an.
"Both...... Come to an end...... Is it so? He Huan's voice trembled.
Xie San stretched out his right hand and touched her cheek, as if to prove that she was real. His fingers carried the coolness of the autumn breeze, and she grabbed his palm, and immediately felt the warmth of the palm between her fingers.
Suddenly, his left hand wrapped his arms around her waist and lowered his head to her lips.
His kiss was light, only a shallow taste, but she could feel his hot heart.
As the night darkened over them, she couldn't help but reach out and grab him by the hem of his shirt. She said that she could raise her son alone, and she always pushed him away again and again, but she loved him after all. He said that they could raise her son together, she was very happy and moved, but he was a hero in everyone's minds, the youngest lord of the Great Liang Dynasty, and a general appointed by the emperor.
Reason told He Huan that she married once, and after more than a year of trembling, it was enough. In the eyes of dignitaries, she is just a village girl, and it is impossible for her to adapt to the life of a noblewoman in the capital, nor can she bring him help in his career.
He Huan wanted to push him away, but he only stood on tiptoe. (To be continued......)