Dingguo Gong Su Yuan, joined the army at the age of fourteen, went to the coast to fight the Japanese invaders, went to the southwest to remove bandits, guarded the northern Xinjiang for 21 years, and left immortal feats and deeds in the four realms of the Great Xia Dynasty.

After being wounded by a poisoned arrow in the battle against the Tatars three years ago, Dingguo Gong's physical condition was much worse than before, and he resigned from his military post and returned to Beijing to recuperate. The so-called martyrs are strong in their twilight years, and after Dingguo retreats from the front line, he is full of feelings of serving the country, and his depression is stuffed in his chest, which evokes the old battlefield injuries and illnesses at the same time, and the former battlefield general has become a frail old man in his last years.

This year's wax moon is very cold, and heavy snow has fallen one after another, densely covering the entire capital. In the howling cold wind, Dingguo Gong still failed to survive this winter, and died the day before Chinese New Year's Eve, at the age of fifty-one.

When his father died, he naturally had to come back to mourn as a son, and Su Qi really wanted to return to Beijing this time.

"After all, I haven't seen Su Qi for almost five years, and the last time was at Luxi Academy...... Uh-huh, I'm going here. ”

Emperor Jingfeng held the black chess in his hand, thought for a while with his cheeks, and avoided the fierce attack of the white chess, and fell with a "snap", completely blocking the way out of the white chess.

There are black chess pieces on all sides, and the chance of turning is slim, Zhao Wang Li Rui simply no longer struggles to the death, and clenches his fists to admit defeat: "The emperor's chess skills have improved again, and the younger brother is ashamed." ”

"You can save trouble, admit defeat when you can't beat it, and you don't have to struggle." Winning another game, Emperor Jingfeng was in a happy mood, "The chessboard game is also like fighting on the battlefield, there is a retreat and an advance is the king's way, you are just rushing forward desperately, it is strange if you don't die." ”

Li Rui said with a smile: "The younger brother grew up under the wings of the imperial brother, and he wanted to hide in the rear and enjoy the wealth, or the imperial brother took this 'royal road' to the front line to fight." ”

Emperor Jingfeng waved his hand and ordered people to take away the chess equipment, and said meaningfully: "I am just a chess player, and it is the chess pieces that are really fighting on the front line." The ability of this chess piece is high and low, and different positions should be given according to their ability, and some positions can only be given to specific chess pieces. For example, this northern Xinjiang defense line lacks anyone, and the Su family is the only one. ”

The defenders of Northern Xinjiang were one of the most elite troops of the Great Xia Dynasty, and were responsible for the most important defense within the four borders. The children of the Su family have been operating in northern Xinjiang for many years, especially Su Yuan, the prince of Dingguo in this generation, who has spent half his life in northern Xinjiang, and his roots are particularly deep, and nearly seventy percent of the senior generals of the defenders are under his command.

This is also why as soon as he collapsed back then, the entire northern Xinjiang defense line was unstable. This time Su Yuan passed away, as his only son and descendant of the Su family, Su Qi will become the backbone of the next generation without accident.

Li Rui pondered the meaning of Emperor Jingfeng, and said tentatively: "This time Su Qi came back to mourn, does the imperial brother want to 'win love'?" ”

According to the Great Xia ritual system, when an official dies of his parents, he should resign and return to his hometown, keep filial piety for his parents for three years, and then be reused by the imperial court after the expiration of filial piety, which is called Ding Wei. Because they could not participate in the political affairs of the imperial court during the period of filial piety, individual officials in important official positions were sometimes ordered by the emperor to "seize affection" because their status was difficult to replace, exempt them from the filial piety period, and "forcibly" stay in office.

Emperor Jingfeng shook his head: "Su Qi is a military attache and not a civil official, so you don't have to worry about it, just give him the same 100-day bereavement leave as other military attachés, and you don't need to win affection." ”

Li Rui said: "Yes, after all, Su Qi is still only the deputy chief soldier, even if he returns to Beijing, there is a general soldier in Xuanfu Town, and there will be chaos for a while." ”

"Count the days, Su Qi should almost arrive in Beijing today." Speaking of this, Emperor Jingfeng's eyes showed two points of interest, "Guess what, after he arrives in the capital, will he go to the palace to report to me, or will he return to the Gongfu first?" ”

According to the rules, if the military generals who are guarding outside the country return to Beijing, they must first take off their armor, bathe and change their clothes, and wear court clothes to enter the palace to face the saint. But Su Qi's return from this trip is mainly to mourn, if he returns to the public mansion first, he should change into filial piety clothes as soon as he enters the door, and do his duty.

Once the filial piety clothes are put on, they can not be taken off easily, and it is impossible for Su Qi to wear linen and filial piety to enter the palace to report on his work, and he will wait for the burial of Dingguo Gong seven days later before he can temporarily take off his filial piety clothes and enter the palace to report on his work, but in this way, there is a suspicion of neglecting the monarch.

Either wear armor and go directly to the palace, or wait for seven days before reporting on work; The former may be dishonored before participating in the imperial court, and the latter may be deprived of the monarch's hat, and the two cannot be both, it depends on how Su Qi chooses.

Hearing Emperor Jingfeng's question, Li Rui muttered: "Su Qi has been traveling for days, and his body must be tired, so it stands to reason that he should take a bath and change clothes and take a good rest, and then march to the palace." But his trip is for the funeral, and once he returns home, it will be difficult to come out, so it is really not certain which one to choose. ”

Emperor Jingfeng smiled confidently: "That's it, I make a bet with you, I think that after Su Qi returns to Beijing, he will still enter the palace to see me first, instead of going back to the house to mourn." ”

There are two possibilities in total, Emperor Jingfeng bet on this one, Li Rui had no other choice, but he still cooperated: "Then the younger brother will bet that he will return to the Gongfu first, after all, this is the duty of a son of man, Su Qi has not returned to Beijing for several years, and it is reasonable to rush to see his father on his last journey." ”

Emperor Jingfeng smiled: "Okay, then let's wait and see." The bet has been placed, and now I am waiting for Su Qi to come back. ”

"Su Qi should be almost there, right?"

At the gate of the city, Gu Yunji and Cheng Yan waited there early, looking at the official road in the distance from time to time.

Gu Yunji sighed: "Although I am looking forward to returning to Beijing with Su Qi every day, it is not what I want to meet again for this reason. ”

Cheng Yan was also stunned, and sighed: "No way, people are born, old, sick and die, there will always be this day." It's a pity that Su Qi has been separated from Lao Guogong for more than three years, but he still hasn't been able to see the last side of his life. ”

As he was talking, Xu Dong's eyes lit up, and he pointed ahead and said, "Young Master, Cheng Gongzi, General Su is back!" ”

The official road in the distance was dusty, and several fast horses galloped from far and near, led by a young man dressed in a military uniform, his eyes were full of red bloodshots, and when he saw Gu Yunji and the two at the city gate, his tired face suddenly showed a look of surprise.

Gu Yunji watched this person stop more than a dozen steps away, turned over and dismounted, and walked slowly towards him.

Somehow, his throat suddenly clenched, and he inexplicably shrank in his heart, not daring to step forward.

I haven't seen him for three years, Su Qi seems to have changed a person, his body is thick and tall, and his body is a lot stronger, the youth between his eyebrows and eyes has faded, replaced by the wind and frost and maturity that have been honed at the border for a long time, his skin is a little rough, and there is a shallow scar on his forehead.

In particular, the temperament around him, which is cold and cold, is different from what Gu Yunji saw when the displaced people in Hangzhou Mansion were in trouble that year, it is the majesty and evil spirit that are really immersed in his bones, standing like a chicken among the crowd, and Gu Yunji who is raised in Beijing with a gentle temperament is in stark contrast.

Gu Yunji and Cheng Yan didn't dare to admit it for a while.

However, in the next second, the young man curled the corners of his lips, revealing an incomparably familiar smile between the two: "Yun Ji, Cheng Yan, long time no see." ”

(End of chapter)