Northern Wei Dynasty, Eastern Capital, Weiyang Palace

At night, at the Xuande Gate of Weiyang Palace, there was a carriage parked at the gate of the palace, and the carriage was hung with a lantern with the word Dou written on it, and when it arrived at the gate of the palace, the coachman took out a gold medal and handed it to Jin Yuwei.

The Golden Feather Guard Gate Officer shouted, "Open the door!" ”

The palace door slowly opened, the coachman moved down the stool, lifted the curtain, and helped one person down, who was about forty a year, wearing a purple robe, wearing a jade black gauze hat, looking dignified and majestic, with a beautiful face; The man got out of the car and told the driver, "Wait here!" ”

The coachman nodded and replied, "Yes, sir." ”

The man tidied up his clothes and walked towards the palace, and when the Golden Feather Guards guarding the gate passed by, they all knelt down and saluted: "Meet Lord Xiangguo!" ”

This person is Dou Yan, the left prime minister of Wei Shangshu, the head of the current Wei State Hanchen, the father of Dou Wan'er, the concubine of the King of Qi, and His Majesty's in-laws.

Dou Xiang entered the Weiyang Palace, and a team of eunuchs hurriedly came from the opposite side, several little eunuchs in front of him were playing lanterns, and a big eunuch in the center hurried away, supported by two small yellow doors next to him, and kept saying: "Godfather, be careful, be careful of the road." ”

The eunuch at the head said angrily: "Our family has not yet reached the time when we can't walk, why are you all coming along, go to Your Majesty's side and wait!" ”

The two little yellow men hurriedly knelt down and slapped themselves: "Godfather, it's the sons who make you angry!" ”

The big eunuch looked angry and annoyed, and couldn't help but kick one of them: "Get up, go back to me!" ”

This person is Zhang Lu, the Great Changqiu of the Wei State, an old minister of Emperor Wei Xiao, who has served His Majesty for more than 30 years, and is known as the internal minister in the court.

"Why is the Prime Minister so angry!" Dou Xiang stepped forward with a smile and asked

Zhang Lu hurriedly greeted him: "Let Dou Xiangjian smile, these monkey cubs are not sensible, Dou Xiangche don't call it that, this is killing our family, our family is just His Majesty's house slave, but I can't afford this title, Dou Xiang and come with me, Your Majesty is in a hurry, please!" ”

"Please!"

Zhang Lu let his body walk side by side with Dou Xiang, and the two small yellow doors behind him hurriedly got up and followed behind with their heads down.

Zhang Lu took Dou Yan into Tianqing Pavilion, and saw that His Majesty was napping on the desk with his forehead in his hand, and the book was still in his hand, leaning on the edge of the desk.

Zhang Lu took Dou Xiang to His Majesty's side, intending to wake up Emperor Wei Ding, Dou Xiang signaled and waited, Zhang Lu nodded, moved an embroidery pier from the side for Dou Xiang to sit down, and stood on the side with his hands tied to accompany him, the candle flame in the hall was shaking, and someone from the palace came to trim the candle wick with small scissors, and the lamp stabilized.

Dou Yan glanced at His Majesty carefully, this is only fifty years old, his temples are already gray, his face is wrinkled, and his skin is faintly dark, although his face can vaguely see the handsomeness of his youth, and now it seems that he is also drooping and old, and there is still a little saliva on his gray beard; Dou Xiang closed his eyes, feeling a little sad in his heart, the prince who was once young and high-spirited is now in his last years.

He thought to himself: "The sudden death of the crown prince may be too big a blow to Your Majesty. ”

Suddenly, Emperor Xiaoding's hand slipped, the book fell to the ground, His Majesty woke up, opened his hazy eyes, and only after a while did he see clearly the person sitting in front of him, so he hurriedly straightened his posture, Zhang Lu picked up the book on the ground, and motioned to the palace maid to step forward to freshen up for His Majesty.

After a while, His Majesty's expression was a little better, and he came out with a smile and apologized: "Wen Jing (Dou Yan's character), I'm sorry to keep you waiting." ”

Dou Yan replied: "Your Majesty, the minister has just arrived. ”

"What the envoy said today, I think it is inconvenient to discuss it directly in the court, so I came back and thought twice, and decided to summon you to the palace overnight, I want to hear your thoughts first." Emperor Ding made it clear that he invited Dou Xiang into the palace.

Dou Yan replied: "Your Majesty, you need to send troops, pour the country's troops, and cut Jiangbei, if this battle is won, from now on, our Wei State will be the offensive, the Liang State will be on the defensive, and the overall situation of the world will turn in one fell swoop." ”

Emperor Ding nodded: "I also have this idea, but can I finish the battle?" ”

Dou Yan replied: "Your Majesty has actually been planning for a long time, so the answer no longer needs to be said." ”

Emperor Ding nodded and said: "Yes, at the beginning of the year, I asked Wulang to marry the lord of Mobei, just to eliminate the hidden dangers in the north, so that the land of Yanzhou, the garrison can be reduced by half, and the Western Liao and our coalition army broke the black clothes and food, and the western border was also stabilized, and San Lang's Futu Iron Cavalry could enter the customs, and now Xishu is willing to cede Liangzhou to our dynasty, Liangzhou is the throat of Shu, and it is equivalent to handing over the lifeblood to us, so that 300,000 troops can be raised to attack Jiangbei, and it will be completed in one battle." ”

Dou Yan asked rhetorically, "What other concerns does Your Majesty have?" ”

Emperor Ding said solemnly: "Who can be the commander?" Faith in the country? Wei Guogong? Sui Guogong? ”

Dou Yan replied: "Hasn't Your Majesty already made a decision?" If the wheel is capable of leading the troops, the Duke of Xinguo is indeed unsurpassed. His Majesty is nothing more than worried about the position of the Duke of Xinguo, but if the prince is determined early, he should be able to reassure the Duke of Xinguo. ”

Emperor Ding smiled and said: "Those who know me, Wen Jingye, this is the purpose of calling you tonight, the prince is gone, my heart is very sad, the princes of Guan, the king of Qi is benevolent, the king of Jin is Yongyi, the king of Zhou is widowed, the king of Yan is deep, the king of Fu is scattered, Kang'er is still young, suitable for the prince of the people, Wen Jing can teach me?" ”

Dou Yan hurriedly bowed down and said: "Your Majesty, this is Your Majesty's family matter, and the minister does not dare to put his beak, besides, the king of Qi is the son-in-law of the minister, and the minister should avoid suspicion." ”

Emperor Ding smiled: "Wen Jing, you are too cautious, who do I like, but what are you worried about, how do you not know!" ”

Dou Yan shook his head and said, "The minister can guess, but he doesn't dare to think about it!" ”

Emperor Ding smiled: "He will be a good emperor, in the future, with the loyal support of your virtuous ministers, he should be able to do a good job, if Wei wants to dominate the world, this step must be done." ”

Dou Yan arched his hand and said: "On behalf of the people of Shenzhou, thank Your Majesty for his benevolence." ”

Emperor Ding sighed and said: "Thirty years ago, you told me that those who enter Shenzhou are Shenzhou and need to be melted, and those who do not enter Shenzhou will be abandoned if they are not Shenzhou; Hu has no national fortune for a hundred years, and now the Great Wei is also a hundred years old, whether it is Xianbei or Han, can it still be distinguished? Fortunately, there is no division, and the king of Qi should be the prince of me. ”

Dou Yan: "Your Majesty's heart, the minister deeply admires. ”

Emperor Ding said to Dou Xiang: "Wen Jing, let's draft the decree, take the Duke of Xinguo as the commander, the King of Jin as the auxiliary, cut down the Jiangbei, the Jiangbei Dingri, and the King of Qi as the crown prince!" ”

Emperor Ding said to Zhang Lu again: "Zhang Lu, please come to the jade seal, tonight Shangshu Province will write a text, I use the seal, you have taken the holy decree, immediately go to the Xinguo Mansion to announce the decree." ”

Dou Yan and Zhang Lu both bowed: "The minister (minion) receives the order." ”

…

Late at night, in the Xinguo Mansion, Dugu Wenqin and his eldest son Dugu Ruomi and Dugu Ruowang answered the will, Zhang Lu immediately helped up the Xinguo Gong after the decree was completed, and the Xinguo Gong is the brother of the current queen, His Majesty's in-law, the head of the Five Kingdoms, Zhang Lu did not dare to hold it up.

"Grandpa, please get up, Your Majesty will entrust the entire Wei State to Grandpa, and hope that Grandpa will be victorious and recover Jiangbei!"

Dugu Wenqin nodded and said: "Thank you father-in-law, I hope that my father-in-law will return to Your Majesty, Wenqin will do his best to take back the land of Jiangbei for Your Majesty." ”

Zhang Lu nodded and smiled: "Your Majesty said that on the day of the expedition, Your Majesty will lead the ministers to send the grandfather to Deshengmen." ”

Dugu Wenqin bowed in the direction of Weiyang Palace: "Minister, thank Your Majesty Longen." ”

Zhang Lu privately pulled Dugu Wenqin aside, and whispered: "Grandpa, Your Majesty has a sentence for our family to bring to Grandpa, and the day when Grandpa returns to the dynasty in triumph is when His Royal Highness King Qi becomes the crown prince." ”

Dugu Wenqin smiled slightly, didn't say anything, although Zhang Lu was surprised that Xinguo Gong had such an attitude, but he thought that Xinguo Gong had always been cautious, and it was normal to react like this, so he didn't think about it too much, and left.

After Zhang Lu left, Dugu Wenqin called his two sons to the study and asked Dugu Ruowang: "Wang'er, this time for your father's expedition to Jiangbei, you don't have to follow the army, pay more attention to the dynamics of the DPRK and China, if there is anything, I will summon Yu as my father." ”

Dugu John nodded: "Father, the child knows." ”

Dugu Wenqin said to his eldest son Dugu Ruomi: "Mi'er, you go out with your father, our Dugu family is a general, and now your second brother is in the court, you still follow your father to experience in the army." ”

Dugu Ruomi nodded and replied, "Yes, father." ”

Dugu Ruowang was puzzled in his heart and asked, "Father, Your Majesty seems to have some deep meaning. ”

Dugu Wenqin smiled and said, "Wang'er, you see, my father asks you a question, if the king of Qi is the prince, what should I do?" ”

Dugu Ruomi replied first: "Father, this is very good, King Qi is my father's nephew, Your Majesty's son-in-law, and the eldest of all kings, he is the most suitable prince, and the King of Qi is benevolent and righteous, known as virtuous, if the King of Qi inherits the unification in the future, it will be of great benefit to our Dugu family." ”

Dugu Wenqin smiled and said nothing, and Dugu Ruowang frowned and was still pondering

Dugu Wenqin asked, "Wang'er, what do you say?" ”

Dugu Ruowang saluted and said: "Father, if you say something wrong, your father will punish you, and you think that King Qi will be a good prince, but he may not be a good son of heaven." ”

Dugu Wenqin nodded.

Dugu Ruowang asked: "Father, what the child said is not right, I hope that my father will blame." ”

Dugu Wen sighed: "Your Majesty thought that you could guess the idea of being a father, but in fact, Your Majesty didn't understand what your father thought, and it was your Majesty who supported your father back then, not the prince, but at that time, I was still happy to see it." ”

Dugu Ruomi, Dugu Ruowang's faces were solemn, and they fell into deep thought

In the Tianqing Pavilion of Weiyang Palace, there was a burst of rapid coughing sounds, which were particularly harsh in the quiet of the night.

"Your Majesty, do you need to summon the Imperial Doctor?"

"It's useless for the doctors to come, they are afraid that something will happen, and they use some conservative prescriptions; My body, I know it myself, time is running out, if Jiangbei doesn't get it back, I won't die blindly! I won't leave this mess for King Qi. ”

"Your Majesty." There was a choked sound coming from the cabinet, and the surrounding eunuchs and palace maids all knelt down and bowed their heads, blocking their ears with their fingers, and no one dared to make a sound.

"Hey!" After a long sigh.

"Zhang Lu, tomorrow, invite the national teacher into the palace to talk about the scriptures of the past life for me."

"Woo~~ Yes, the minion commands!"

…