Located in the southeast of Yunqi Kingdom, the Linyuan Pavilion with its back to the Xishui River is shrouded in the night of the moon and stars. There was silence all around, except for the occasional barking of dogs faintly coming from the distant house.

In the pavilion on the highest floor facing the riverside, there is a faint light.

Su Zidui leaned against the soft collapse next to the window, and looked at the stack of letters he got back from the imperial study by the flickering candle on the table beside him.

The heart, which should be as quiet as stagnant water, rippled slightly.

With a mottled and yellowed letter in his hand, Su Ziwei hesitated for a long time. Some of these letters were written by General Xiao to the former emperor Chongwen, and some were replies from Chongwen.

What really happened back then? Su Ziwei was a little afraid of the truth in the letter. But after hesitation, he still opened a note written by General Xiao to Chongwen with trembling hands.

The small characters in italics jumped on the yellowed paper, and Mu Xici couldn't help but feel a lot of emotion in his heart. Upon closer inspection, I saw that the letter read:

Chenben was an observer of Yuzhou and was quite good at martial arts. Feeling that the emperor has the ability to discern people, he promoted me to be the commander of the left and right wing forward battalions.

A few months ago, the Northern Suguo sent troops to attack the west of the Yunqihuai River, and the generals on the border were repeatedly defeated, and the city was very panicked.

The general Huang Renqian controlled the plan of the emperor. The spies were sent to Huang Renqian's camp to persuade him to surrender, but Huang Renqian refused.

The merchants in the city were disgruntled, and Huang Renqian, fearing that they would escape from the city, was placed in the monastery, and sent troops to guard them, giving them a solar eclipse, and making them make equipment to defend the city. Therefore, in the end, Beisu could not detect the reality in the city.

Then, the rainy season has arrived. According to the report in the letter of the border soldiers, Beisu built a pontoon bridge at the mouth of the Qizhou vortex, and wanted to cross the Huai River from the pontoon bridge and enter the Yunqi border without soldiers to guard the place.

It rained for a long time this summer, and the Huaishui flooded, and Huang Renqian borrowed 3,000 sailors to destroy the pontoon bridge built by Beisu in Qizhou.

So Huang Renqian led the navy to drive a small boat, with fire and bows and arrows, to shoot the pontoon bridge built for a few days and nights. But all the pontoon bridges were burned down by the raging fire. Beisu was defeated, and there were countless casualties.

Beisu therefore held a grudge and sent tens of thousands of troops to the border of Qizhou a few days ago. And there are only 5,000 soldiers in Qizhou.

Although the minister is not talented, he is only the commander of the left and right flank forward battalions, but he deeply feels the emperor's favor and is in danger of reading the border pass. Therefore, he took the initiative to ask for help and help Qizhou north of the Huai River. I hope Your Majesty will agree!

After reading a few pieces of paper, the situation at that time was clear at a glance. The Northern Suguo invaded Yunqi Prefecture, and General Xiao asked to go on an expedition and fight with it.

Su Ziwan frowned, and opened the second letter from General Xiao to the emperor.

There are only a few short words on the paper: I will finally live up to the emperor's order and retreat from the enemy, but my country's soldiers have also suffered heavy casualties.

Seeing this, the corners of Su Zidu's mouth couldn't help but leak a smile. He was a good general, just as he remembered.

Then he opened a third letter, which read:

When the ministers hear about the elders of the wood, they will consolidate their roots; Those who want to flow far will dredge their springs; Those who think about the safety of the country will accumulate their virtues. The source is not deep and the flow is far away, and the roots are not solid and why seek the length of the wood.

Virtue is not thick and thinks about the rule of the country, although it is foolish, it is not possible, but it is wise and wise! The king of the people is the weight of the artifact, the big in the domain, will be the height of the sky, and the rest of the world will always be boundless. Don't think of danger in peace, quit luxury and frugality, morality is not thick, love is overwhelming, Si also cut roots to seek wood Mao, plug the source and want to flow the elderly.

This letter is to advise Emperor Chongwen that if you want the country to be stable, you must accumulate morality and benevolence, and abstain from extravagance and frugality in a comfortable environment.

It seems that he is not only a good general, but also a rare good minister. Seeing this, Su Ziwan couldn't help frowning. Such a good minister and a good general, why would he bear the stigma of a lifetime? In the end, it only ended up in the tragic situation of ruining the family and killing people.

got up, pushed open the window, and the oncoming cool breeze gusted, blowing the surface of the Xishui River with waves, and also blowing away some of the dull pain he had suppressed himself. As far as the eye can see, there is the rolling outline of the mountains; What I think about is the past that has been sealed for a long time.

After calming down for a long time, the fourth letter that was opened was a reply letter written by the former emperor Chongwen to General Xiao.

There is only a short poem on it: The wind knows the grass, and the board knows the Chengchen. The brave man knows righteousness, and the wise man will be benevolent.

Chongwen also affirmed General Xiao's heartfelt intentions, so why was he later convicted of witchcraft? Su Zidu's chest suddenly seemed to be blocked with a boulder, dull and uncomfortable.

His hands trembled slightly, and he slowly opened the next letter. The letter reads:

I remember that you defeated Beisu, aided Qizhou, and promoted you to the commander of the military capital. Later, he made great achievements, so he named you the general of the hussars and the marquis of Anping. Later, he appointed you as General Sima. Grant you supreme glory.

But I have been having a nightmare lately, often dreaming that I am in the dormitory, and Aiqing, you are holding a bloody sword, standing behind me. Your accomplishments have made me very frightened.

Seeing this, Su Zidu's pupils were shocked. The hand holding the letter trembled slightly.

Then he eagerly continued to look down, only to see that it was written:

If you surrender your military power, I will truly be in a high position, and I will be in peace of mind. You are already a good general, if you are really a good minister, you should obey my will, instead of coveting power, inviting rebellion, and disobeying the will.

"What a sin to add to desire!" Su Zidui was indignant in his heart.

The slender five fingers that rested on the table gradually closed and tightened into fists. On the back of the hand, there are green tendons faintly jumping.

After calming down for a long time, Su Ziwei opened the last letter written by Chongwen to General Xiao with mixed feelings.

It's like a letter that hasn't been sent. The fire paint stamped on the envelope was intact and had never been opened. The letter reads:

The widow has always thought himself wise and decisive, but he has listened to provocation and slander, and has become suspicious of you, and has accused you of witchcraft. It wasn't until I heard of your death not long ago that Beisu attacked again. The widow knows that he is really wrong.

The widow not only missed a good minister and a good general, but also missed a good mentor and friend! I regret not being at the beginning!

It looks like this letter will never be sent! The widow kept these letters here for a long time. If future generations see it, they will definitely correct General Xiao's name. Pity me for regretting it too late!

When Su Zidui saw the end, she couldn't help but clench the paper in her hand and grab a corner of it.

Scold! Can I make up for my mistakes by correcting my name? Can an understatement of slander clear the blame?

As everyone knows, he Chongwen's words of listening to slander have brought a lot of suffering and disasters to others!

Su Zidui's eyes gradually became bloodshot, and the green tendons in his temples jumped on his side face like a knife. He clenched his hands into fists and slammed it heavily on the table, and the wooden surface of the table was instantly torn apart.

The night became thicker, as if an endless stream of black ink was splashed, and the moon was obscured by dark clouds. But in the darkness, there is also a boundless blue, which extends to the other side of the mountains.

The mountains are like creeping beasts, hidden in the boundless night.