The talks between the monarch and the ministers were good, Cao Ju was old after all, and after Chen Zhong reminded him many times, he had to let Zhang Xiyang retire, and ordered someone to arrange food and lodging to wait for tomorrow.

The sky was already dark, and the palace gate was closed, so Chen Zhong arranged Zhang Xiyang in a side hall in the South Palace, looking at himself in the bronze mirror, the dust that was too late to wash made the face that was not handsome even more ordinary, but it was not ugly, it belonged to the type of patience to see. The leather boots on the feet have long been unable to see the original color, there are holes in the trouser legs, and the more than a dozen knife marks and gun marks on the body are particularly conspicuous, and the most complete thing is the wide-brimmed hat on the head, after all, it is a message, and the iron helmet and heavy armor during the war are left in the camp to be repaired by the blacksmith.

There was a small yellow door knocking on the door outside, and after getting permission, a large bucket of hot bath water was brought in, which was specially ordered by Chen Zhong, and the little yellow door did not dare to slack off.

took off his clothes and lay in the bathtub, without petals but sprinkled with the royal secret antidote pack, which was not a good smell and had a different taste, Zhang Xiyang put a white towel on his face, leaned against the bucket, and soon fell asleep.

In a trance, he vaguely returned to the jungle, the mountains, and the red river beach, the blood everywhere, he couldn't tell whether it was the robe or the enemy's, full of stumps and broken arms, he saw Wu Quan's roar at the last moment, and inserted the straight knife in his hand into the other party's body with all his might, his eyes were cracked, and his clenched teeth were a little black and yellow, but Zhang Xiyang no longer felt that Wu's stinky mouth stinked.

"Zhang Xiyang, don't embarrass Lao Tzu!" Wu Quan yelled.

It's a dream, it's a dream.

Tears flowed out of the corners of Zhang Xiyang's eyes inadvertently and uncontrollably, he knew that this was a dream, but why was this dream so real? It's so real that I don't want to open my eyes.

Wu Quan has been in the army for more than 30 years, relying on military merits step by step to reach the position of commander of the first guard. Wu Quan's nickname is Wu Stinky Mouth, on the one hand, it is indeed a stinky mouth, on the other hand, it is also a poisonous mouth, and few of the soldiers under his command have not been scolded and cried, but the soldiers are really soldiers, and the Zizhou Guards love and hate this commander.

Not long after Zhang Xiyang was assigned to Zizhou Wei, he was transferred to the pro-guard team, and Wu Quan liked it very much.

The team of the pro-guard team is Wu Quan's little nephew, Wu Yong, the fifth cousin in the family, two of the four elder brothers above died early, one studied literature, one died in battle, and the one who died in the battle was Wu Quan's own son, and then Wu Yong was regarded as his own son by Wu Quan, and he became one of the most miserable people in the entire Zizhou Wei, Zhang Xiyang jumped up and squeezed Wu Yong down after he came, and was once regarded as a savior by Wu Yong.

Later, I learned that this commander of Wudu was also from the Fenzhou army, and twenty-five years ago he was still a soldier under his father Zhang Duanwen.

Wu Quan even directly asked Wu Yong, who was eight years older than Zhang Xiyang, to worship him and ask him to take good care of him.

It's just that there are few people who survived the First World War of the Red River Beach, and Wu Yong was beheaded by the enemy soldiers before Wu Quan died in battle, and the bones were not found until the end.

Zhang Xiyang hugged a towel and covered his face and cried in a voice, heartbreaking, even the injured beast was shocked when he heard it, the little yellow door outside the hall was at a loss, this kind of crying was not like a human voice at all, even if many people made mistakes and were cleaned up by the big eunuch Shangguan when they secretly wiped their tears, they were far from this feeling of empathy.

The organic spirit hurried to report to Chen Zhong.

Zhang Xiyang's suppressed voice was sometimes violent and sometimes intermittent, and the eyes of several small yellow doors were red.

After a while, Chen Zhong came.

I didn't knock on the door, I didn't go in, I just listened.

Chen Zhong remembered that his son was also his nephew, Chen Zhong had no brothers, only one sister, and later he was a little prosperous in the palace, and the emperor authorized him to inherit a child that was his eldest nephew Chen Youyi.

The boy is in the army, Chen Zhong is also very pleased, but when he came back from the first expedition, he cried out while eating at night, and ran back to the room to lock himself up, Chen Zhong remembered that it was this kind of crying, even if it was not, it was not much worse, it was the same feeling after all.

Later, Chen Youyi successively made some military achievements, from a small soldier to the chief, the team is to the regimental rate, Chen Zhong originally planned to go back to the forbidden army after the outside experience, for the first time asked Cao Ju to go through the back door, the normal of the battlefield is an accident, but Cao Ju laughed at him, and promised him to be transferred to the forbidden army in the second year as a brigade to lead thousands of people, Chen Zhong looked forward to the stars and the moon, every day I feel that this day is really beautiful, there is hope.

It's a pity that less than half a year later, Chen Youyi's clothes and armor were sent back, and the sergeant said that Chen Tuan led a small team of men and horses to go out to reconnoiter and encountered the cavalry of the Tangut people trying to raid the grain and grass of the army, in order to cover the messenger, a whole team of more than 100 people were killed, but the Tangut people were chased by the army that dared to come after hearing the news, leaving more than 400 corpses, but Chen Tuanrate was so angry that the Tangut people were cut into slag, and they couldn't even put together a single part, so they could only bring back some worn armor.

Chen Youyi's relics were divided into two parts, one into the Martyrs' Shrine and the other into the Chen Ancestral Hall to be worshiped by incense.

That night, Chen Zhong cried like a helpless child, just like now.

"Well, let him cry, so that he can wait."

After saying that, he shook his head and left.

The moonlight was not very clear, which made Chen Zhongde's shadow seem very broken.

When he returned to Cao Ju's dormitory, Qianqing Palace, Cao Ju was still waiting for him, unable to sleep, whether it was from the worries of the front line or the hidden undercurrents in the country.

"Chen Daban."

"The old slave is here."

Cao Ju seemed a little unsure, and after thinking about it, he asked, "Do you think it is feasible for Ke'er to go to Fangzhou to join the army?" ”

Chen Zhong hurriedly said: "Back to the emperor, how dare the old slave comment on King Zhao's affairs at will, please ask the emperor to investigate." ”

Cao Ju smiled bitterly: "You old thing, let you say it, what is so careful?" You and I have been together for more than 60 years, and there is nothing that cannot be said. ”

Chen Zhong was slightly moved, feeling that he was indeed old, and then said after thanking him: "Back to the emperor, the old slave thinks that King Zhao invited Fangzhou to be a fist. ”

Cao Ju pointed at Chen Zhong and said with a smile: "It is said that being old and not dying is a thief, I am a thief, and you Chen Daban is also a thief." ”

"I don't believe you can't see what Ke'er thinks, what can he do as a pawn in his early twenties? How young is he when he can do anything? ”

"There is sincerity in his words, but it is sincerity under impulse, how can I not know this position when I came here like this? He knew that Yin'er didn't like him and thought he was too strong, so he said this to me. ”

"It's understandable that I'm looking at it."

Chen Zhong waited for Cao Ju to finish serving the tea before he said: "The emperor's candle shines on the four seas of the holy light, and the old slave thought carefully before he realized that the emperor's eldest grandson should be a person who can do it if he has this thought. ”

"It's just that I have wronged Yin'er, the prince for more than 40 years, and my health is not good, I am not a good father."

"Of course the emperor is, for the entire Da Zheng, the emperor is not only a good father but also a good emperor, if there is no emperor to take care of Da Zheng, I am afraid that there will be a danger of being torn apart."

"Okay, okay," Cao Ju waved his hand and asked again, "What about Zhang Xiyang?" I heard that I cried miserably? ”

Chen Zhong's expression instantly became lonely, and he flashed and said: "Yes, it's not like a human voice, several little palace maids are scared, and the old slave doesn't feel good when he hears it." ”

Cao Ju was silent, sighed and said, "I know, I know. Youyi's child is good, I've seen it, although he looks mediocre, but at first glance he is a loyal person, I think I hugged Yin'er at the beginning, and it's been more than 20 years since I saw it. ”

"Twenty-two years and five months."

Then there was silence. The candle flame flickered, and the shadows flickered.

The night was already very deep, and the little yellow door was filled with candle oil, and even if you were very careful, the footsteps were still so harsh. The harshness also broke the silence.

"I left him in the forbidden army, because I think this son is six points similar to Youyi, this child has six points of similarity, although he has a very good opinion, although he is still immature, but he has this kind of vision in his teens, he is really talented, and after being loyal, he is even more extraordinary, unlike those small officers who kill the enemy, they are good hands, and I can't say anything when I see them, and these sons are destined to be bad in the future. This son can see that he is very gracious, and if you mention him, you will have a response in the future. ”

Chen Zhong bowed and already whimpered: "How can the old slave He De be so merciful to the emperor, the old slave thanks the lord Longen!" ”

Cao Ju stepped out of bed, trembling, helped Chen Zhong up, clapped his hands and said: "You followed me when I was six years old, and there were many ups and downs during the period, and now we are both old men in their seventies, it's not easy." ”

"I ascended the throne of the Nine Venerables, and I was called a lonely widow, but with you Chen Da Companion in me, I have the opportunity not to be lonely or widowed. After all these years, I know that you are uncomfortable, you have sent almost all the sons and nephews of your Chen family to the station, but only a few can come back, even if you come back, you are either injured or disabled, isn't Chen Tian of the Invalides your distant nephew, it is the best, but there is still an arm missing, I can't stand you! ”

This situation has happened several times, but each time it made Chen Zhong feel extremely warm, even if Cao Ju just sighed and did not reply with a single tear, there have been several emperors throughout the ages who deigned to explain to a eunuch, Chen Zhong felt that it was worth it.

Cao Ju sat back on the bed with Chen Zhong's support, Cao Ju said while serving Chen Zhong, and Chen Zhong listened busily, listening to the last stubbornness and expectations of this forty-year-old emperor.

"But at the moment, we still have things to do, the southeast has to be pacified both on the surface and in fact, so that only the northwest is left, give me another three years, three years of cultivation, and when the southeast eases up, I can mobilize four battalions and fifteen armies, as well as hundreds of thousands of people, to recover Yongding, and then I can be cheeky to meet the ancestors and ancestors."

"Da Zheng is short of talents, all the time, I need a lot of talents to help me, it's been ten years!"

Chen Zhong patiently folded the quilt for Cao Ju, and the restoration of the soil has become Cao Ju's heart disease, and he has been nagged every once in a while in the past ten years. Chen Zhong didn't understand this obsession, "Your Majesty should go to bed." ”

Cao Ju smiled, waved his hand and turned to sleep.

In addition to Chen Zhong of the palace, he also raised his eyebrows slightly when he looked at the sinking night, the most rare time has passed, what are you afraid of?

At night, the little yellow door and the palace maid who carried the lantern were pinching their steps, and the patrolling guards were complaining in their hearts while making their eyes wider, and occasionally the insects were startled and quickly regained their calm.

Chen Zhong came to the side hall where Zhang Xiyang was, listened to the sound of his already sleeping breathing, imperceptibly wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes, and then left with a slight smile.