February 20 is the day when the eldest prince Mu Youxian went south with the army.

Duanmu Fei, as the niece of Duanmu Guifei, deliberately entered the palace early in the morning to see him off under Duanmu Xian's instructions.

In the Zhong Cui Palace, there is a faint parting feeling, lingering in everyone's hearts.

Mu Youxian had already changed into a battle robe and armor, and specially came here to say goodbye to Duanmu Guifei and Han Xing.

After the fifteen-year-old boy put on a silver armor, his figure became more and more erect, and the whole person seemed to have grown up a lot at once, and he was full of heroism.

"Emperor," Duanmu Guifei looked at her son reluctantly, carefully inspected and sorted out the armor on his body for him, and admonished, "You are going to the south, the road is far away, you have to pay attention to your body, don't force yourself." ”

"Now that there is a crisis in the south, you must be cautious and don't be radical and greedy...... Discuss everything with the Marquis of Yongding and General Xu. ”

"The concubine doesn't ask you to make any great achievements, I just hope you can come back safely......"

Duanmu Guifei said, her eyes turned red, and her voice was slightly choked.

Han Xing's eyes on the side were also red, his eyes were glowing with a hazy layer of water, and he was reluctant to give up, biting his lower lip slightly.

Duanmu Fei didn't say anything, and silently handed a handkerchief to Han Xing.

"Mother Concubine," Mu Youxian said solemnly as he looked at Duanmu Guifei, "Erchen will be careful." Mother, you have to take care of yourself in Beijing! ”

At this moment, a palace maid in Tsing Yi on the side reminded: "Concubine, His Royal Highness the Great Prince, it is already more than half of the time." ”

Duanmu Guifei looked at Mu Youxian reluctantly for a while, and then said, "Emperor, you can go." Then, she beckoned Han Xing and Duanmu Fei to send Mu Youxian for her.

Mu Youxian solemnly knelt down and kowtowed, and made a big salute, and then left Zhongcui Palace with Han Xing and Duanmu Fei and went to the emperor's Qianqing Palace. After a while, Mu Youxian will go to the Xishan camp with the emperor, and then set out to fight.

In the early morning, the breeze was blowing, and the three cousins walked forward in the warm morning light, laughing and laughing, with a smile on their faces, but the air could not hide the sad atmosphere.

After leaving the harem and taking another cup of tea, the Qianqing Palace appeared dozens of zhang away in front.

Mu Youxian was about to say something, when he heard a cold male voice not far behind him: "His Royal Highness the Great Prince, please stay." ”

The three of them stopped, followed the prestige, and saw that seven or eight feet away, Mu Jinfan, who was dressed in azure straight clothes, walked towards this side unhurriedly.

Mu Jinfan quickly approached and bowed to Mu Youxian.

"Your Highness," Mu Jinfan took out a rolled sheepskin from his sleeve and said his intention straight to the point, "This is a map of the southern border, and His Highness should be able to use it somewhat." I know that there should also be a map of the southern border in the palace, but this one is more detailed, it was ...... the year before last," said Mu Jinfan, who wanted to speak and stopped silent.

Mu Youxian is a smart person, and he immediately understood that this map was given to Mu Jinfan's grandson by General Liang Sicheng in the past.

Mu Youxian took the sheepskin map and thanked Mu Jinfan.

Mu Jinfan didn't say anything more, and turned around and left without hesitation.

Duanmu Fei's eyes couldn't help but fall on Mu Jinfan's long back, and the scene of her and Feng Yan meeting him at the gate of Dali Temple five days ago came to mind......

Speaking of which, the day of General Liang's family's execution is getting closer and closer......

Duanmu Feizheng's eyes were in a daze, and he heard Mu Youxian say gently: "Hanxing, cousin Scarlet, you two should be sent here." ”

Then, he told Han Xing a word or two, asking her to take good care of Duanmu Guifei, and after that, he took a small chamberlain and strode towards the direction of Qianqing Palace.

Han Xing's eyes turned red again, and he stood in place blankly, looking dazed.

Duanmu Fei quietly reached out and held one of Han Xing's hands, did not speak, just quietly accompanied her.

As time passed, the rising sun rose higher and higher, softly sprinkling a golden glow, illuminating the entire palace with golden brilliance.

Han Xing and Duanmu Fei had been standing quietly in place, watching the emperor's Luan drive out of the palace from a distance, surrounded by hundreds of officials.

The rumbling sound of carriages and horses and footsteps soon faded away, and in a few moments the palace gate was calm again.

With the sun shining high in the sky, the sky is clear and cloudless, and today's weather is just right for travel.

After the emperor and his entourage left the palace, they traveled all the way west, leaving Beijing from the West City Gate and galloping towards the Xishan camp......

The emperor's luan car galloped in front with the bright yellow flag of the Son of Heaven, and on the gorgeous golden luan car, it was not only the emperor who rode on it, but also Mu Youxian also sat beside the emperor, respectfully listening to the emperor's teachings.

After saying a lot of words, the emperor took a sip of tea, patted Mu Youxian on the shoulder, looked at him with a look of relief, and said, "...... Emperor, be careful when you go, my father is waiting for your good news in the capital! ”

"Thank you for your father's teachings, and your sons will definitely not disappoint your father." Mu Youxian respectfully replied to the emperor.

After a pause, Mu Youxian said with some hesitation: "Father, just outside the Qianqing Palace, Mu Jinfan came to find Erchen and gave Erchen a map of the southern border......

"......" The emperor's eyebrows moved, and a thoughtful light flashed in his deep eyes.

Mu Youxian observed the emperor's expression, and saw that he did not show displeasure, so he knew it in his heart, and said: "Father, the son seems to be having a hard time with Jinfan now......

Mu You's eyes flashed slightly, and his heart was a little complicated.

After he invited himself to go on the expedition, he could feel a subtle change in the attitude of many people around him, some people thought he was stupid, some people thought he was half dead, and some people gloated......

But Mu Jinfan is different, he looks at him like an ordinary person who is about to go to the battlefield.

And the map of the South......

Mu Youxian is a person who knows good and bad, he received Mu Jinfan's kindness, and he wanted to repay the favor, anyway, he was just talking about it.

The corners of Mu Youxian's mouth were slightly upturned at an angle that the emperor couldn't see, and he continued quietly: "Just now Erchen also saw his second brother, and the new prince sneered at him...... Father, although the Liang family is guilty, no matter what Jin Fan says, his surname is Mu, he is the Mu family, and he is the eldest son of the Taijun Palace, and now he has let a concubine bully ...... like this."

As he spoke, Mu Youxian sighed faintly.

The emperor frowned, feeling that the Taijun Royal Mansion was really not the same. Although Mu Jinfan made some small mistakes, he was his own son after all, and the king of Taijun first drove the child out of the house, and then let him be bullied by his brother-in-law.

Hey, in the final analysis, it's because he took the position of the child's son......

The emperor was silent, slowly turning the jade wrench on his thumb, as if thoughtful.

Seeing this, Mu Youxian also stopped in moderation and didn't say much.

"Stepping on ......"

In the gentle spring breeze, the huge convoy galloped all the way on the wide official road, and where it passed, those passers-by and merchants had already been stopped by the forbidden army that opened the road......

Around the end of the day, the emperor's Luan arrived at the Xishan camp, accompanied by several princes and hundreds of officials, the emperor came here to boost the morale of tens of thousands of soldiers on the expedition.

The entire Xishan camp was boiling with the arrival of the imperial driver.

The emperor dressed in a bright yellow dragon robe appeared on the high military platform with the eldest prince Mu Youxian, and the emperor looked down at the tens of thousands of soldiers below, and the dense soldiers were like sharp arrows ready to be attacked, neatly lined up and on standby.

When the emperor appeared, the soldiers, all of whom were short, knelt on one knee in unison, and then shouted in unison: "Long live the emperor, long live!" His Royal Highness the Great Prince Chitose Chitose! ”

The tens of thousands of voices overlapped each other, and the sound was like thunder, as if even the ground beneath their feet trembled.

The emperor laughed loudly, got the soldiers to their feet, and gave an impassioned speech, which made the soldiers fight with high morale.

A bowl of expedition wine was poured into the throat, and the large bowl was "snapped" to the ground, overflowing with wine.

Everyone was enthusiastic, and the shouts of shouting long live were louder and louder, and the momentum was like a rainbow.

Those soldiers all looked up at the emperor, quite a kind of unity of one mind, but the few princes not far away were looking at the eldest prince Mu Youxian, who was standing behind the emperor's right, with different expressions and complicated eyes.

On the elegant face of the second prince, Mu Youchang, at first glance, there was a gentle smile on the corner of his mouth, but when he looked at it again, his eyes were as gloomy as a owl.

His thin lips moved slightly, and he read silently: He, the eldest brother of the emperor, he really underestimated him before, so cunning, he easily won the favor of his father after running to the south like this...... Now, as long as the eldest emperor brother can come back alive, he will be one step ahead of these royal brothers!

So, how do you catch up?

Mu Youchang's eyes flashed with a sharp light, it seems that he should also mention it to his father as soon as possible, he is almost sixteen, and it is time to get married.

When he marries the daughter of the Chu family, he will be able to bring the Xuanguo Mansion over...... And the eldest brother is gone, don't think about coming back after less than a year and a half, and when the eldest brother comes back, he has already attracted a lot of people in the court.

He will let the eldest brother know that he is not the only one who knows about "preemptive strike"!

Soon, the eldest prince turned over and rode on his horse, and said goodbye to the emperor with the middle-aged general who brought reinforcements south, and tens of thousands of troops galloped away with great momentum, and the sound of thunderous footsteps and horses' hooves was like thunder, echoing all around.

The army gradually moved away, and the surroundings gradually calmed down, Mu Youchang suddenly sighed: "Third Emperor Brother, the eldest Emperor Brother is really worthy of being our model!" ”

The third prince, Mu Youjing, was still looking at the direction of the army, his eyes were deep, and he replied in a low voice, and the brothers had nothing to say.

After the army left, the emperor did not stay here for long, and returned to the palace with a group of princes and important ministers.

After Mu Youjing returned to the palace, he quietly left the palace and went to Jiangfu alone.

Master Jiang didn't go to the Xishan camp today, he was in the study at the moment, and he was not surprised by the arrival of the third prince.

The subordinates in the study were all sent down, leaving only their grandfather and grandson, and there was a solemnity in the air.

"His Royal Highness the Grand Prince has set off?" Master Jiang stroked his beard slowly, as if casually talking to Mu Youjing.

Mu Youjing took a sip of the hot tea, answered, and after putting down the teacup, he said meaningfully: "Grandfather, this is an opportunity. ”

This trip is an opportunity for the eldest prince, and it is also an opportunity for himself.

"If it is not broken, it will not stand." Master Jiang said with a smile, several princes are gradually getting bigger, the position of the crown prince is undecided, and this seemingly peaceful situation will eventually be broken. "It's just that I didn't expect that the first person to 'break' the game turned out to be the eldest prince." But he underestimated the eldest prince...... Or is this what Duanmuxian means? Duanmu Xian really deserves to be an old fox!

Mu Youjing nodded, "This palace thought that the first person who couldn't wait would be the second emperor brother. ”

Thinking of the words that seemed to be admiring and provocative to the second emperor brother just now, the corners of Mu Youjing's mouth hooked. Last year, a trip to the autumn hunt allowed the second emperor brother to get the marriage with the Xuanguo Mansion, and the second emperor brother also tried his best.

Lord Jiang pondered for a moment, and then said, "The eldest prince went to the southern border this time, and it is difficult to say whether he can make military achievements...... If Nanhuai continues to break the city and go north, then the eldest prince's trip will not be a success, but a pass. ”

After a pause, he looked at Mu Youjing, who was across the case from him, and said with a straight face: "Your Royal Highness the Third Prince, you can't sit and wait. Just take this opportunity to ask the emperor to let you go to the household department for an apprenticeship, learn the matter of food, grass and military supplies, as long as everything is properly arranged in the rear, the emperor will only see how diligent and studious you are in the capital, and how you do things decently, not the great prince who is far away in the south. ”

Mu Youjing showed a solemn look on his face, and replied with his chin: "Grandfather is right. "My father has always liked their prince to learn.

The grandfather and grandson looked at each other and smiled, both of them with burning eyes, and their expressions revealed great ambition.

Master Jiang picked up the teacup with a smile, but the teacup came to his lips, remembered something, put it down, and said: "Third prince, after Feng Juma came back from the autumn hunt, he was punished by the emperor for 'closing the door'. Your fifth aunt sent a message, saying that Feng Yuma kept saying that he was framed, and that the eldest princess of Anping was despicable and sinister, but your fifth aunt tentatively asked the specific reason, and Feng Yuma kept silent...... I'm afraid it will take some means to ask. ”

Master Jiang's eyebrows frowned slightly, and his right hand rubbed the white porcelain embossed tea cup, "Your Royal Highness the Third Prince, what do you see?" ”

Mu Youjing lowered his eyelids thoughtfully, watching the tea leaves in the tea soup rise and fall.

Others don't know, but he knows that during the autumn hunt, Emperor Anping's aunt and Feng Yan were ordered by their father to be placed under house arrest in Changyue Palace for half a day...... Half a day is not long or short, it is too delicate, and after that, the sealed horse has "hysteria". In addition, the fifth aunt once said that Feng Yuma seemed to have caught some tricks from the aunt of Emperor Anping and tried to threaten her.

Now it seems that this "handle" should not be small, so that Anpinghuang's aunt will be grounded by her father, but later, how did Anpinghuang's aunt and Feng Yan reverse this situation? !

Mu Jinfan had an intuition in his heart, this "handle" was mostly true, but he was too stupid to seize the opportunity. The question is, is it worth it for him to abolish the seal horse now, and this chess piece must be known?!

There was silence in the room.

Only a blue book on the bookcase by the window was blown by a gust of spring breeze and the pages "snapped", making the surroundings quieter......

After a while, Mu Youjing finally lifted his eyelids again, looked at Master Jiang, and said softly: "Grandfather, I still have to trouble the fifth aunt to continue to investigate." ”

After a pause, he smiled again, on his handsome face, a pair of black starry eyes shone brightly, and he changed his words and said: "The marriage of the second emperor brother has been decided, and the mother concubine mentioned to her father last month about the matter of seeing the palace, and now it is still early for the concubine to enter the door, but the side concubine can enter the door first, and cousin Yan and the palace have been childhood sweethearts since childhood, and they know the roots......"

Mu Youjing said, the smile on his face became stronger, but it didn't reach the bottom of his eyes, and the bright eyes were more about measurement and calculation. As long as enough interests are placed in front of you, you will be more dedicated to the fifth aunt if she wants to do things.

Master Jiang also smiled, stroked his beard, and said meaningfully: "Since the emperor said that Feng Yuma has hysteria, then he has no chance to turn over, whether it is for himself or for the Feng family, he has to think carefully about the future." ”

The two exchanged a meaningful look, followed Mu Youjing to stand up, and solemnly bowed his head to Lord Jiang and said, "Thank you grandfather for planning for this palace." ”

"Third prince, you're out!"

A hearty laugh echoed through the room, and in the blink of an eye, it was swallowed up by the sound of the wind blowing the leaves outside the window.

On February 21, the next day, the morning rises and ripples again.

After the inner servant said "something to play, nothing to retreat to the court" fell, Lord Jiang stood up and proposed in front of the Manchu Dynasty that the south is fierce, the south is in danger, and the rear cannot be slack.

For a moment, it was like a pebble thrown into the otherwise calm lake, splashing countless water.

The ministers below were all talking to each other for a while, and their thoughts were different.

Soon, someone came forward and seconded it.

The expressions of the others were more complicated, they all knew that once the prince began to get involved in court affairs, it would represent the beginning of the battle for the throne, and the officials of the military department and the household department began to secretly worry that the prince's participation would affect their original errands, and they intended to delay the opposition......

Next, there was a discussion about you arguing with me, which made a commotion in the Jinluan Palace, until the emperor interrupted impatiently and expressed his position directly-

"Yes."

The emperor's three words were enough to plug everyone's mouths, and the emperor immediately announced that the third prince would enter the household department, and the fourth prince would enter the military department, and as for the fifth prince and other princes, they were still young, so there was no arrangement.

For the third prince and the fourth prince, this result can be regarded as a great joy for all.

A few days after the reinforcements departed, another 800 li rushed into Beijing, and the nine cities of Bojiu in Qianzhou fell.

This military report was like another muffled thunder on the court, which made the atmosphere of the entire capital instantly become heavy, as if a thick cloud was shrouded in the sky.

Duanmu Xian, as the first assistant, was very busy, and came back later and later every day.

The busy people are not only Duanmuxian, but also Duanmufei, since the day when there was bad news in the south, Duanmufei has been writing in her small study every morning.

Burn incense with clean hands, lay paper and grind ink...... It was as if the noise inside and outside the house could not reach her ears, and all she could see was paper, pens, and scriptures in front of her.

I copied page after page, and it wasn't until it was almost noon that she put away her pen, put it aside casually, and her mind gradually ran away.

The Nanhuai Rebellion first started on the side of King Su and Su, but after that, the imperial court looked ahead, whether it was generals, reinforcements, and grain and grass, they did not respond immediately, so that the situation would come to this point step by step.

The people in the south are innocent, the soldiers in front are also innocent, there is never a real winner in the war, it represents only death, whether it is victory or defeat, there will be countless soldiers and people to die in a foreign land.

Since last year, 200,000 reinforcements have embarked on this road of no return, and there may be more and more to come......

Duanmu sighed lowly.

After being busy for several days, her volume of "Dizang Sutra" was finally copied, and she and her sister went to Huangjue Temple early tomorrow morning to pray for the people of the south and the soldiers ahead.

Duanmu Fei carefully dried the ink, and was about to put the page aside to dry again, when there was a sound of a curtain behind him, accompanied by the sound of light footsteps.

"Fourth girl," Bi Chan said quickly, "Mrs. Guiyi came to the mansion in half an hour, and she is still at Mrs. Tai's place. The slave maid went to inquire about it, and Mrs. Guiyibo seemed to have entrusted Mrs. Tai with something, but Mrs. Tai didn't do it, so they came to the door in person to ask about the crime. ”

Duanmu's scarlet eyebrows moved, and he looked up at Bi Chan.

Bi Chan tilted her little face and muttered again: "The slave maid has never heard that the begging for someone to do something was not done well, and she ran over to ask for the crime in a hurry." ”

Duanmu Fei was originally listening to gossip, but he didn't pay attention, and when he heard Bi Chan's muttering, he thought about it.

Bi Chan is right, how can there be a reason to ask someone to do something...... Unless it was the He family who secretly took the benefits of others.

Duanmu Fei rubbed the string of coral beads on her wrist casually, thinking of the golden seventh girl from Guiyibo's Mansion who suddenly came to the mansion as a guest last time, and the words that Hanxing complained about at that time: "...... My grandmother didn't know which girl she called, she was really not ashamed, her eyes were staring at the eldest brother and she didn't move, and she took the initiative to serve tea for the eldest brother just now! ……”

Duanmu Fei suddenly had a flash of inspiration, and his little face became strange.

Could it be that the He family wants to be a matchmaker for the eldest prince and the seven girls of the Jin family?!

It's impossible, the emperor, the empress and Duanmu Guifei are still there, where is the grandmother of the Shanghe family worrying about it......

The thought was just a flash, and I heard Duanmu's voice coming from outside the door curtain: "Zhen Zhen, the needlework room has just sent new clothes for this season, I see that you seem to be growing taller, come and try if it fits......"

Duanmu replied crisply, and in the blink of an eye, she left behind the things of the Guiyi Bofu, the He family and the eldest prince, it was none of her business, she heard it, and she didn't care about it at all.

The freshly made clothes immediately came in handy, and Duanmu Fei wore one of the new clothes early the next morning, and took a carriage with Duanmu Jun to Huangjue Temple.

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