The assassination of Yu Wenxuan, the envoy of the Southern Chu Mission, caused a lot of discussion in the Liang court.

It's not because it's a big deal.

It was really His Royal Highness the Southern Chuling King who reacted too violently.

In the court, Yuwen burst into tears, and the left side of his face was even more swollen like a pig's head, and he slurred his words to Emperor Liang and the ministers about his tragic experience, pointing out that this was Lu Ze's deliberate black hand.

"Yuwen is making it, you don't have to bite indiscriminately."

"I have already sent someone to find out this matter, it was done by the Burmese assassins, and Lu Hou and the patrol battalion were responsible for protecting it at that time."

Emperor Liang's words were a little irritated.

In the main hall, I saw Lu Ze walking out of the ranks of generals at this time, he bowed to Yuwen Xuan, and said very apologetically: "It was Ben Hou's dereliction of duty, and he didn't notice the assassins for a while, and the two Burmese assassins have confessed to the law, and Ben Hou is also willing to confess to His Royal Highness King Ling." ”

"You, you, you... You Huso (said)! ”

Yu Wenxuan, who covered his left face and slurred his speech, still wanted to speak.

But Emperor Liang on the dragon chair looked coldly at His Royal Highness Yu Wenxuan: "Yuwen Zheng Envoy, I remember that your Southern Chu Envoy traveled thousands of miles to Jinling, but you still have to abide by the rules of Daliang, if you are still so unforgiving, then the marriage between the two countries will be discussed later." ”

As soon as these words came out, Yu Wenxuan was silent in an instant.

This trip from Nanchu to Daliang, there are two things in the open and in the dark, and the marriage on the surface is the biggest thing.

If it was really because of his own reasons, the marriage that was originally certain to go wrong, what would happen after returning to Nanchu, no one knew better than Yu Wenxuan, he glanced at Lu Ze deeply, covered the resentment in his eyes, and retreated.

The court proceedings began.

During this time, the crown prince was successively charged with not planning political affairs, and King Yu was unusually active in the court.

The docking with the Southern Chu mission is in charge of King Yu, and the errand is very good, although he has planted a big heel in the prisoner exchange case, but now no matter what is discussed in the court, King Yu can participate in the discussion, and the ministers generally will not refute his resignation.

The strange thing is that the prince's side is extremely quiet, and he is no longer keen on going against King Yu in everything.

King Yu has real talent and learning, and there are many famous staff members in the house, and the things discussed in the court are reasonable, and the court gradually gives people a feeling of being echoed by the ministers.

After the court meeting, Emperor Liang called Lu Ze to the Palace of Nourishing Hearts.

"After the Qingming sacrifice, you can go back to the western realm."

"I give you the power of soldiers and horses in the west, and you have to defend the west for me and Daliang Town, and the side of Dayu..."

About half an hour later, Lu Ze left the palace.

Emperor Liang's face was full of fatigue, after the New Year, in fact, all the ministers had already noticed that His Majesty the Emperor's early dynasty was becoming less and less.

"I'm really getting older, and I feel more and more unable to deal with the twists and turns."

"Lu Ze went to the west to report on his work, Nihuang should also return to Yunnan, as for Mu Qing... Just let him stay in Jinling. ”

Emperor Liang naturally knew that the relationship between Lu Ze and Nihuang was good.

Last year's son-in-law selection conference for Nihuang failed to choose a suitable husband, coupled with the incident in Zhaoren Palace, which greatly offended Nihuang, Emperor Liang was already suspicious, and he was even more worried that the Yunnan palace only knew King Mu and did not know King Liang.

At this time, of course, the two sisters and brothers could not go back to Yunnan together.

When he drove back to the harem, because he was bored, Emperor Liang abandoned the chariot and only took a few personal attendants to walk around.

"Your Majesty, you're going tonight..."

Gao Zhan behind the emperor whispered.

The emperor paused, during this period of time, he was upset because of the affairs of the court, and he was not much interested in the harem concubines, and he wanted to go to see Concubine Yue, but because the Yue family now talked about the crown prince, Emperor Liang was bored, and at this time he felt more irritable after thinking about it, and did not pay attention to Gao Zhan.

Gao Gonggong is the roundworm in Emperor Liang's stomach.

At this time, he chose to keep silent, just quietly bowed and followed behind the emperor.

Night falls.

Candles have been lit in all the palaces, and they are shining brightly.

Emperor Liang preferred to walk towards the darkest place, as if he was deliberately looking for a kind of coldness and quiet.

After a long time, suddenly there was an inexplicable medicinal fragrance coming to his nose, Emperor Liang raised his eyes and looked, at the end of the stone road was a small palace courtyard, he walked in to inspect, the courtyard was not planted with rich flowers, but opened up a small medicine garden, simple and elegant.

"Where is this?"

"Back to Your Majesty, this is the residence of Concubine Jing."

Emperor Liang narrowed his eyes and reminisced.

Concubine.

Jing Yan's mother is an old man in the palace, and she can be seen at the New Year's banquet, but Jing Concubine often stands in the most inconspicuous position in the crowd.

"Gao Zhan, it should have been more than thirty years since Concubine Jing entered the palace."

"At the beginning, Le Yao was always sick after giving birth to Jingyu, and it didn't get better for many years, so the Lin Mansion was worried, so he sent a doctor girl into the palace."

Concubine Lin Leyao.

The eldest son of the late emperor, Xiao Jingyu.

There is also the Lin Mansion.

These are all taboo topics that cannot accompany the sudden whim of the emperor's remembrance.

Gao Zhan buried his head and bent his waist lower, trying his best to suppress his breathing without saying a word.

Emperor Liang naturally knew why Gao Zhan behaved like this.

He snorted coldly.

"Go and pass the decree, let Concubine Jing see you."

.......

After the Qingming Festival, Lu Ze returned to Ganzhou in the west.

His Majesty the Emperor once again gave Lu Ze a rich holy favor, so that the courtiers were envious, and when Lu Ze was packing up his belongings and preparing to get up and go back to the west, news came from Ganzhou that after the beginning of spring, scouts found traces of the Dayu army on the border line.

The Nihuang County Lord and Mu Qing had already submitted a request to return to the Yunnan fiefdom.

Emperor Liang has not allowed it, and it has been retained to this day.

However, not long after the Dayu delegation entered Beijing, Emperor Liang approved this movement and agreed to return to the south to defend it.

It's just that Mu Qing was left behind.

The reason is that Mu Qing has not returned to Kyoto for a long time, and the Empress Dowager is worried about him and wants him to accompany him for more time.

This act of keeping hostages caused a big stir in King Mu's mansion.

The generals of the Southern Border Army who went to Beijing with the two of them were all angry and cold, but Nihuang was more calm and self-controlled, calmed his subordinates, did not let inappropriate remarks spread out of the house, and then picked a trustworthy henchman to stay with Mu Qing.

After everything was properly arranged, Nihuang came to the Wuwei Hou Mansion.

Nihuang is not wearing a strong outfit today, wearing a wide-sleeved light white long skirt, and a hairpin tied on her head, which was won by Lu Ze guessing the lantern riddle during the last Lantern Festival, which shows Nihuang's daughter Huanting.

The courtyard of the Wuwei Marquis Mansion was very quiet.

Two people snuggled up to each other.

"I originally wanted Mu Qing to go to the western realm with you to temper and grow, but now that this situation is in place, I'm afraid Mu Qing can't leave Kyoto for the time being."

Although Nihuang knew that His Majesty was suspicious, he didn't expect that the emperor would choose this most unpopular way to restrain the Mu Wangfu in the south, Yunnan's 100,000 iron cavalry is fierce, and the biggest weakness is of course the inheritance of the palace, although Nihuang is strong, but after all, she is a woman, and the burden must be handed over to Mu Qing's shoulders.

Lu Ze stroked the tip of Nihuang's hair.

"It's fine."

"The emperor is just a check and balance, not a thought."

"Mu Qing's experience in Kyoto is no worse than the tempering effect of fighting at the border."

Nihuang looked at Lu Ze's side face and said, "Your Majesty is worried about the power of King Mu's Mansion, and now that you are so important to the Wuwei Hou Mansion, I am afraid that there will be no shortage of means to restrain you." ”

Lu Ze nodded and said, "Mother is in Jinling, plus there is also the existence of the Liu family. ”

"Your Majesty, of course, is the happiest to see the relationship between the Marquis of Wuwei and the Liufu restored."

"And the foundation of King Mu's Mansion is in the south, and your sister and brother are alone in the south to lead the soldiers and horses to govern the vassal land."

"Especially at the moment, the marriage with Nanchu is already a certainty, and it is unlikely that the southern border will fight again in the past few years, so at this time, it is of course the best time to show the imperial power to the Mu Wangfu."

Nihuang buried his head in Lu Ze's arms.

"War is about to break out in the northwest border."

"You have to take care of yourself."

"I... Waiting for the day you marry me in Yingfeng Tower. ”

......

Lu Ze set off in the early morning of March 18 and left Jinling.

His Majesty the Emperor sent the crown prince and Prince Yu to the city gate to show his favor, in addition to the courtiers who came to pay their respects, Lu Ze's acquaintances in the capital all came to the city gate, Xiao Jingrui, Yan Yujin, Xia Dong also appeared, and Mei Changsu's figure appeared in the send-off crowd.

More than 100 light horsemen followed.

On the high horse, Lu Ze was dressed in light armor and said goodbye to everyone with a smile.

"The Western Frontier is not the end of the world, and the day when Ben Hou and you will say goodbye."

"This day is not far away."

"Please stay."

With a crisp whip, more than 100 horsemen returning to the western border officially set off.

Lu Ze threw one last look at the emperor, turned the horse's head, and only lightly pinched the horse's belly, and the mount under his crotch neighed slightly, raised his head and hooves, and galloped away along the official road of loess smoke and dust.

The next time I come back, I will return with a thunderous military feats that make the ministers tremble.

......

The wind and sand in the west have risen again with the arrival of spring.

The spring rain came at the same time, and the dripping raindrops converged with the wind, sand and mud in the northwest, and the mud swept the official road.

The people of Ganzhou raised their heads and scolded the weather on this dog day.

But people curse more about Dayu in the north, and the Dayu dog cub wants to deliberately provoke trouble, I heard that some time ago, the imperial army changed its commander, and it was Xuanbu who was at the top of the Langya master list.

The people of the western border of Daliang smelled the smoke of war.

"Isn't it time for Lu Hou to come back?"

"You can't go back to Beijing and then don't go back to the west after the reward, right?"

The farmer who came home from farming talked about Lu Ze.

The hawker boss was also talking about Lu Ze.

State officials are even more talking about Lu Ze.

Lu Ze's earth-shattering battle in the western realm last year made his reputation spread all over the world, and few people in Jinling City really understood the meaning of that battle, which was to make the people of the seven states in the western realm worship the young Wuwei Hou as the new guardian saint of the western realm.

And the former guardian saint of the Western Frontier is now deliberately forgotten by many people, and his name is the Red Flame Army.

"Master Hou, there is Meiling ahead."

"As soon as we arrive in Meiling, we will enter the hinterland of the Western Territory."

More than 100 light riders under the rain finally saw the hill not far away.

It is said to be hills, but if the hills in the west are placed in the Central Plains, they are mountain cliffs.

Meiling has a different kind of strategic significance in the western border.

Because after crossing Meiling, he was able to enter the hinterland of Daliang in one horse, and it took Lu Ze about fifteen days to return to Beijing last time, of which ten days were spent in the seven states in the west, leaving Meiling, and arriving at the imperial capital Jinling, but it took only five days.

The news of Lu Ze and his entourage's return to the western border spread far and wide.

The people of the seven states in the western border all knew the news, and the state capital, Yamen Assassin Shi, brought officials to welcome Lu Hou.

The soldiers of the barracks were even more determined.

During these days, Dayu in the north is like a dark cloud shrouded in people's hearts, Lu Hou is not in the west, and everyone has no confidence in their hearts.

Ten days passed in a hurry, and Lu Ze finally returned to the camp in Ganzhou.

The middle-aged man in silver armor entered the big tent and saluted with his fists: "The last general, Chen Qi, has seen Lu Hou." ”

After a while, the generals of the Western Frontier Army appeared one after another.

These people originally despised the young Lu Ze, but the last big battle convinced everyone.

White Horse General Chen Qi, the vanguard general of the Western Frontier Army, is very good at raiding.

Pingning Marquis Lin Yuyin, is a thin young man, his father and brother died at the hands of the imperial army, Emperor Liang took pity and ordered Lin Yuyin to return to Beijing, but the latter made a blood oath not to break the court of Dayu and not to return to Beijing.

The Confucian general Lu Shidao, who was born in Luzhou Academy, abandoned his pen and entered the army from Rong, with a gentle complexion, but his methods of governing the army were known for being harsh.

In the big tent, all the generals of the Western Army who were worthy of their names were soon gathered.

Everyone's eyes were on the young figure on the main seat.

No one spoke.

Because Lu Hou has been silent all the time.

"You haven't seen you for a few months, and after a year, I feel like everyone has gained a lot of weight."

Lu Ze finally spoke.

The atmosphere inside the tent became lively.

Lu Ze smiled, got up and greeted everyone one by one, and finally came to Lu Shidao.

The latter saluted respectfully: "Master Hou." ”

Lu Ze patted him on the shoulder and said softly, "Is your father okay?" ”

The noisy atmosphere in the tent suddenly became quiet.

Pioneer General Chen Qi couldn't help but laugh and said, "Master Hou, you remember wrong, right? Old Lu's father didn't he have a long time ago..."

As he spoke, Chen Qi fell silent.

Because everyone knows that Hou Ye never remembers things wrong.

Soon, a pro-soldier entered the account and quickly took Lu Shidao into custody.

I saw Lu Shidao laugh bitterly: "Does Master Hou know everything?" ”

Lu Ze nodded and said softly: "During the last war, I let people stare at you, fortunately you didn't come out to make trouble in that battle, but now that the war between the Western Territory and Dayu is about to start, of course, people like you can't be kept anymore." ”

It's not a cliché story.

Lu Shidao is the internal response of Dayu in the Western Army.

The rest of the people in the big tent couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat on their backs.

Who would have thought that the comrades-in-arms who had been fighting for many years would be the inner response of Dayu?

"Master Hou, Lao Lu... How to deal with Lu Shidao? ”

"Tomorrow swears to be killed, and the army will be beheaded."

Listening to Lu Ze's bland and cold words, no one pleaded for Lu Shidao.

Because everyone understands that military orders are like mountains, and the most unacceptable thing in the barracks, from the marquis to the ordinary soldiers, is betrayal.

"This is a letter from Dayu just sent."

"Xuanbu, the commander of the imperial army, will see you tomorrow in Xiaoshan."

The prologue to the Great War is about to begin.