In Shangguanli in Chang'an, Su Wu, who is over seventy years old and full of white hair, is tending to the flowers and plants that have withered a little in the courtyard.

This entire Su Mansion is the quietest mansion in Shangguan.

Not only because Su Wu has always deliberately stayed away from the court, but also because the Su family is not prosperous.

Before the mission to the Western Regions, Su Wu and his original partner only had one son, Su Yuan.

A few years ago, Su Yuan was ordered to be killed by Huo Guang because he was implicated in Shangguan Ji's rebellion, and Su Wu's two young grandsons also died early because of excessive fright.

His wife was separated, and his family was ruined.

I am afraid that only a person like Su Wu, who has experienced wind, frost, snow and rain, can still "deal with it calmly" after such a catastrophe.

However, every time it was late at night, Su Wu would also ask himself if it was the only choice for him to go back to Dahan back then.

He often lamented that he was a rootless expedition when he was in the Xiongnu, but when he returned to the Han Dynasty, he was like a conqueror who returned south alone.

The old man is not on his side, where is my hometown.

Because of the thin staff, Su Wu dismissed most of the slaves and maids in the family, so the huge Su Mansion seemed even more deserted.

Reading every day, raising flowers, and occasionally traveling to Lingxian outside Chang'an City are all of Su Wu's usual life.

Recently, Su Wu fell in love with the new method of making tea from Changyi Kingdom, and he could drink it for half a day by himself.

Soon, Su Wu finished watering half of the flowers and plants, he straightened up from the flowers, and hammered his somewhat sore back.

After staying in the bitter cold land for so long, Su Wu left a lot of illnesses on his body, and after recuperating for so many years, he only improved slightly.

At this time, Su Xin, one of the few servants in the family, hurriedly ran in and said respectfully, "Fujun, there are people outside the door who ask to see you." ”

"Who?"

"The name card says Ruan Yang."

Su Wu searched in his mind, but he didn't have any impression of this name, he waved his hand and said, "The old man doesn't know this person, tell him that the old man is sick and is gone." ”

"Fujun, I'm afraid I have to see ......"

"Huh? What do you mean by that? ”

"He is the Lang official next to the county official."

Su Wu put down the bucket and scoop in his hand, stood up straight again, and looked up at the sky, the sky of Chang'an City today was as blue as the water in Beihai.

County officials, the Son of Heaven, the Emperor, Your Majesty......

These titles are far away from him, and the last time he saw these words was in the edict of his only son, Su Yuan, who was sentenced to abandon the city.

Su Wu remembered that Emperor Xiaozhao had already made a big deal a few months ago, and now it was the original King of Changyi who was in the court.

However, as long as Huo Guang is still in control of the court, who is the county official, what is the difference?

"What did the visitor say?"

"He said he wanted to talk to the prince in person."

Su Wu was a little hesitant, although he was a loner, he really didn't want to get involved in the disputes in the court anymore.

Although the only son rebelled, Su Wu was not a spineless person, so naturally he would not set up a court with the murderer.

However, the Lang official of the Son of Heaven cannot refuse.

"Then let this Ruan envoy wait for half an hour, and then invite him in, and the old man will meet him."

"No."

Su Wu filled a bucket of water, washed the mud on his hands, and brought a seat and tea set from the hall and placed them under a jujube tree in the courtyard.

Boil water to make tea, and then beat a few sour dates, which is Su Wu's hospitality.

After making all these preparations, Ruan Yang also happened to walk into the courtyard.

Su Wu, who was waiting under the jujube tree, saw at a glance that Ruan Yang had Hun blood, and couldn't help but sigh in his heart, it's really good to be young.

"The subordinate Ruan Yang asked Su Fu Jun'an."

Although Su Wu has no official position now, Ruan Yang still saluted very respectfully, and the etiquette was very good, which made Su Wu nod with satisfaction in his heart.

"Ruan Yuanjun doesn't have to be polite, you are the county official's Lang official, the old man is just a cloth dress, he can't afford such a big gift, so he should sit down quickly."

"Yui!"

After sitting down, Su Wu poured tea for Ruan Yang, and during the chat, he asked about Ruan Yang's life experience, and when he learned that Ruan Yang's mother family was an attached Xiongnu, he immediately talked with Ruan Yang in Xiongnu with great interest, and Ruan Yang also responded freely, which inevitably evoked Su Wu's memories of the past.

"Ruan has lived in the Han Dynasty for a long time, but it is not easy to remember the words of the Huns." Su Wu boasted from the bottom of his heart.

Ruan Yang smiled a little shyly: "Actually, I have already forgotten it, but Your Majesty asked me to go and learn it again with my grandmother, saying that it will be of great use in the future." ”

"The county magistrate asked you to learn?" Su Wu said in surprise, and Ruan Yang nodded.

"I'm afraid there is a deep meaning in the county official's move." Su Wu was more curious about the Son of Heaven, and he was also a little curious about the purpose of Ruan Yang's visit today.

"Ruan Yuanjun is visiting today, why do you have to see the old man?"

Ruan Yang hurriedly put down the teacup in his hand, took out the order drawn up by the Son of Heaven in the name of Menxia Temple from his arms, and handed it to Su Wu.

"The county official has an order, and from now on, Su Wu will be recruited as the interpreter of the Menxia Temple, Cao Cao Peng."

When Ruan Yang spoke, Su Wu had already opened the silk book in his hand, and the order was very simple, only a dozen words, and the lower left corner was covered with the "seal under the door".

Menxia Temple is the government of the Son of Heaven trying to participate in the government affairs, which is already a well-known thing in Chang'an.

Su Wu only regarded it as a product of the Son of Heaven's "nonsense", thinking that it would die down in the last month, where would he think that he would be recruited to his head.

Although he has been dismissed a long time ago, and he does not have any titles, but at least he has been a vassal of Biqianshi, and an official of this level has been recruited to the government as an official, which is also the first time in the Han Dynasty.

"W-This is really His Majesty's order?"

"Exactly, the order is stamped with the big seal of the Menxia Temple, how can it be fake?"

"The old man is old, and he is sick, I am afraid it will be difficult to do anything, and I hope that Ruan Zhijun will refuse the county official on behalf of the old man."

Being recruited means that the Son of Heaven recognizes your status, which is a kind of honor, but the person who is recruited can refuse.

"Su Fujun, don't be in a hurry to refuse, the county official summoned you to Weiyang Palace to meet him, after meeting, whether you are willing to take up this position or not, it is up to Fujun to decide."

Speaking of which, it is not a recruitment, but a "dictation" with a certain coercive force.

Even if Su Wu didn't want to participate in the affairs of the court, he had to go.

"When will the old man enter the palace?"

"Just today, the Anche sent by the bus Sima is outside the door at this moment, Su Fujun can enter the palace with me now, and the county officials are waiting in the Xuanshu Palace."

"In such a hurry?" Su Wu asked puzzled.

"The county magistrate said that the deceased is like a husband, and he is reluctant to give up day and night, and he must seize the day."

Su Wu, who had felt that time had been wasted in the Northland, heard these two words, and felt something in his heart - time is fleeting, and I am afraid that no one in the Han Dynasty can empathize more than Su Wu.

"Then the old man will enter the palace with Ruan Yuanjun."

"Yui!"

"Su Xin, put these things in for the old man, the old man is going to enter the palace at this moment." Su Wu called Su Xin into the courtyard.

"No." Su Xin hurriedly ran in, looked at Ruan Yang with some confusion, and then looked at Su Wu who was going back to the room to change clothes, I don't know how this young Lang official persuaded Fu Jun to make him change his mind.

After a while, Su Wu, who was better dressed, returned to the courtyard, and the two went out, got into the car, and drove in the direction of Weiyang Palace.

When they left Shangguanli and entered Weiyang Palace from the east gate, an identical car also passed through Beique and drove into Weiyang Palace.

After walking in the corridor of the palace for half an hour, Ruan Yang took Su Wu to the outside of the Xuanshu Palace.

Su Wu straightened his robe and was about to raise his feet to enter, but he heard a shout from behind him: "Su Gong is slow, Su Gong is slow." ”

Su Wu looked back and saw a thin middle-aged man, waving and shouting, hurrying towards this side.

He squinted his eyes, and immediately saw who the person was, and the suspicion in his heart was even worse, and this suspicion changed a trace of surprise.

The Son of Heaven invited the two of them together, and I am afraid it has a deep meaning.

The person who came was Fu Jiezi, the Marquis of Yiyang.

(End of chapter)