The generals wore armor, only took off their helmets and went to the blades, and their faces were majestic and majestic, tanned from years of battle.

Cao Xun, who is the first military attaché, is an exception.

He was born with white skin, because he led the soldiers, he did tan in spring, autumn and summer, but after a bleak winter, after a bleak winter, he naturally recovered seventy or eighty percent of his fair complexion because of the Hu people's invitation and less rushing.

This kind of whiteness is just right, which not only does not make people mistake him for the kind of idle rich and noble son, but also makes him stand out from a group of black-faced soldiers.

Emperor Yuanqing frequently looked at Cao Xun.

In addition to Cao Xun's greatest credit, there is also the reason why Cao Xun is so good-looking.

The civil and military ministers of the Manchu Dynasty, in terms of posture and bearing, only Li Yong can be compared with Cao Xun, and now Li Yong was dismissed and absent from the celebration banquet, Emperor Yuanqing couldn't help but take Cao Xun is human nature.

After three rounds of wine, Emperor Yuanqing rewarded each general for meritorious deeds, and for Cao Xun, in addition to gold, silver, silk and other vulgar things, Emperor Yuanqing had another special proposal.

"Before Fushan followed the country to the border, he swore not to accept Kyushu and not to become a family, this blink of an eye 14 years have passed, thanks to the love of the Qing and several generations of soldiers to serve the country, Kyushu has returned, is it time for Fushan to consider his life's events?"

Fushan is Cao Xun's character.

When it came to his marriage, the civil and military officials all smiled, especially the several generals who were familiar with Cao Xun, and they made a louder noise.

"This kid is fighting in addition to training, and the mare in the barracks doesn't even look at him, and he is about to become a monk!"

This is Cao Xun's uncle.

"The emperor will give the uncle of the great country a marriage, wait for him to find it himself, the sons of the ministers are about to marry a daughter-in-law!"

This is Cao Xun's contemporary.

Talking nonsense, Cao Xun just shook his head and smiled.

Emperor Yuanqing raised his hand, everyone stopped coaxing, and Emperor Yuanqing asked Cao Xun with a smile: "What does Fushan think?" Since I knew that I was going back to Beijing, the queen had reminded me several times, urging me to give you a good marriage as soon as possible. ”

Cao Xun was about to leave the table to reply, but Emperor Yuanqing told him not to move: "Sit and say, I am happy today, we don't distinguish between monarchs and ministers." ”

Cao Xun had no choice but to sit and arch his hand: "The emperor and the mother are grateful, but the minister has not returned to the capital for too long, and now he wants to spend more time reuniting with relatives and friends. ”

Emperor Yuanqing laughed: "What's so difficult about this? When you have this in mind, feel free to come and tell me. ”

A general who was delayed to the age of thirty in order to serve the imperial court, or a dignified uncle, in order to show the grace of the heavenly family to the heroes, Cao Xun's matchmaker Emperor Yuanqing was decided!

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After the banquet was dispersed, Emperor Yuanqing summoned Cao Xun separately in the Qianqing Palace.

Both of them had the smell of wine on their bodies, and Cao Xun was even heavier, because his colleagues didn't dare to pour the emperor's wine, but they came to pour him in a pile.

Emperor Yuanqing first went out of the palace to greet the soldiers, and then he ate the banquet, and he was already a little tired after tossing for most of the day, so he took off his dragon boots and sat on the couch.

The little eunuch opened the curtain, and Cao Xun walked in with his head down.

There were too many people before, but at this time, there was only one Cao Xun in the quiet hall, and his overly tall figure was even more obvious.

Emperor Yuanqing recalled in the tone of his in-laws: "You were still a teenager when you left Beijing, and it was bitter cold at the border, why did you raise you so high?" Isn't it eight feet five? ”

Cao Xun bowed slightly and replied, "Insufficient, it's worth eight feet four." ”

Emperor Yuanqing: "Oh, what a Kankan, looking at the capital, the son of the Duke of Ningguo is taller than you, he has eight feet eight." ”

Cao Xun had already seen Li Yao at the celebration banquet, and Emperor Qing of Chaoyuan praised him: "Li Shizi is burly, quite like his grandfather, if he goes on the expedition, he will be a fierce general, which is really the joy of the emperor and the court." ”

Of course, Emperor Yuanqing admired Li Yao very much, otherwise he would not let Li Yao be the commander of the imperial guards, but thinking of Li Yong's three defeats, he couldn't help but sigh: "I'm afraid of learning from his father." ”

Cao Xun: "The emperor doesn't have to worry, according to the ministers, Ning Guogong's father and son may not be good at strategy, but they are all tiger generals who charge into battle." It's just that Ning Guogong was famous before, and he had the prestige of the old Guogong during his lifetime, and whoever replaced him would let Ning Guogong serve as the main general, and now he knows his shortcomings, and in the future, if he encounters a war again, the emperor will arrange another scheming general to dispatch, and Ning Guogong will definitely be able to make meritorious contributions on the battlefield, and he will be ashamed. ”

Emperor Yuanqing: "I hope so, okay, don't talk about them, talk about your marriage, are you really not in a hurry?" ”

Cao Xun smiled bitterly: "It's still anxious, it's just that the minister has just entered Beijing, and he doesn't know anything about the marriageable ladies in the capital, and he doesn't hide it from the emperor, but the minister still wants to find someone with the same personality." ”

Emperor Yuanqing understood: "Then you look for it slowly, and if you have something you like, just report it to me." ”

Cao Xun thanked him.

"The queen misses you very much, go to Kunning Palace and sit down, the crown prince and the second prince are also over there."

"Yes, the minister will retire first."

Out of the Qianqing Palace, Cao Xun followed the little eunuch who led the way to the Kunning Palace behind.

Whether it is Empress Cao or the second prince's biological mother Concubine Shu, who died early, they are just Cao Xun's half-sister.

There was not much brother-sister relationship, but after fourteen years of separation, Cao Xun preferred to treat Empress Cao only as a queen.

"Meet the mother."

"Brother, excuse me!"

Empress Cao walked over quickly, gently holding the eldest brother's arm, she tilted her head, looked at her long-lost brother happily and emotionally, tears appeared in her beautiful eyes: "When my brother left Beijing, I was only eleven years old, and now the prince is eleven, my appearance has changed greatly, can my brother still recognize me?" ”

The salute was blocked, Cao Xun lowered his arms, and the difference in height made him see his sister in front of him clearly when he lowered his eyes.

Fourteen years, not to mention his sister, he can't even remember the appearance of the stepmother Pan at home.

He smiled and nodded.

Empress Cao wiped the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief, and after regaining her composure, she motioned for the two children to come over.

The prince knew how powerful this eldest uncle was, and raised his head and exclaimed, "Uncle, you are really tall, taller than the younger uncle." ”

Cao Xun smiled: "It's all with your grandfather." ”

There is a difference between men and women, he didn't look at the queen much, but now he took a serious look at his nephew's appearance, looked at the prince for a long time, and just glanced at the taciturn second prince casually.

Empress Cao noticed that the second prince pursed the corners of his lips slightly, which showed that this child still cared about his uncle's favor.

But his biological mother is only a concubine, and he himself is also a concubine, how can he ever compete to be the prince's younger brother?

Cao Xun is not stupid, he is destined to value the prince more.

Kunning Palace is a harem after all, and Cao Xun is inconvenient to stay longer, so he retired after drinking a cup of tea.

Outside the palace gate, Chang Sui led his horse and waited for a long time, in addition to Chang Sui, Cao Shao was also there.

After Cao Shao was selected for the flower, he is now serving as the editor of the seventh product in the Hanlin Academy, and his official position is too low, so he is not qualified to participate in today's celebration banquet.

Therefore, this is the first official meeting between the brothers after Cao Xun returned to Beijing.

"Big brother!"

Cao Xun's figure appeared on the long palace road, and Cao Shao excitedly greeted the palace gate and shouted loudly inside.

Cao Xun saw it and quickened his pace.

When he stepped out of the palace gate, he slapped a palm on Cao Shao's shoulder, looked up and down: "Good boy, you have grown so tall." ”

Although Cao Shao is also from the Pan family, Cao Xun treats this younger brother differently from his two younger sisters.

First of all, when he was in the capital, Cao Shao, who was still a child, liked to pester him to play, Cao Xun once taught his younger brother to write hand-in-hand, and also slapped his ass because of his brother's stubbornness.

When he went to the border pass, Cao Shao also grew up a little, so he often wrote letters to his brother.

He may have forgotten the closeness of his brother when he was a child, but Cao Shao admired his brother's exploits, and this admiration deepened the brotherhood that gradually faded.

"I heard that you fell for Tanhua?"

"It's all the emperor's favorite, big brother doesn't have to take it too seriously."

"I will try the eighth place, but it is not the emperor's favorite."

"Even so, it's not worth mentioning in front of the big brother."

The brothers turned over and chatted as they walked in the direction of the Dingguo Mansion.

After walking unhurriedly for two quarters of an hour, the Dingguo Mansion arrived.

Pan led a group of servants to greet him.

Cao Shao was originally very happy, but when he saw his mother at this time, the smile on his face faded.

Cao Xun just didn't notice it, got off the horse, and politely saluted Pan's: "Mother." ”

Pan Shi held a handkerchief in his hand, and quickly wiped his tears from his stepson in front of him: "It's good to come back, it's good to come back, I finally don't have to worry about it anymore." ”

Cao Shao has a grudge in his heart, and now he feels hypocritical when he sees what his mother does, and he really doesn't feel that his mother has been worried about his eldest brother all these years, and at most he will say some scenes.

"Okay, big brother, I've been in the dust all the way, let's go to the main hall if I have something to say."

Cao Xun smiled gently: "Fortunately, I rested outside the city last night." ”

Pan glanced at his son resentfully, took the two brothers to the main hall, and said as he walked: "Since your father died, I moved to the West Courtyard, the main courtyard has been empty for so many years, and I finally waited for you, the head of the family." ”

Cao Xun looked at the familiar scenery in the courtyard around him and said, "My son is not filial, and the family has been run by his mother all these years, so you are tired." ”

Pan Shi is very understanding: "You are in order to serve the imperial court, birth and death in exchange for border stability, we are pampered at home, what is there to be tired." But then again, I'm getting older and older, and I'm never caring about housekeeping, so now that you're back, you should marry a good wife as soon as possible, and when the time comes, I'll hand over the housekeeping to your daughter-in-law, and you can really enjoy the blessings. ”

When it came to marrying a wife, Cao Shao's face was even worse.

Cao Xun smiled: "I just came back, so I don't have to be in such a hurry, my mother should work hard for a while." ”

As they spoke, the three of them entered the main hall.

On the north side are the two main seats.

Cao Xun is the head of the family, and Pan is the eldest in the family.

Pan deliberately slowed down, and looked at his stepson, who was almost walking side by side.

Cao Xun maintained his previous pace and sat down on the left side, that is, the Taishi chair exclusive to the first two Guogong during their lifetimes.

The corners of Pan's eyes twitched slightly.

Cao Xun sat down, calmly watched Pan sit down on another Taishi chair, and then praised Cao Shao's performance this year.

This topic made Pan laugh heartily.

The maid brought the tea, Cao Xun picked up the tea bowl, and tasted it slowly and methodically, occasionally revealing a trace of fatigue when the person who had traveled far finally returned home during the conversation.

Pan also wanted to inquire about today's celebration banquet, Cao Shao cared about his brother, and persuaded him: "Mother, eldest brother must be tired, you go back to rest first, and if you have anything to say in the evening." ”

Pan: "...... Look, I'm not as careful as your brother. ”

Joke is joke, she still led the maid and left silently.

Cao Xun sent her to the door, and then looked at his younger brother: "Why do I think, you are quite dissatisfied with your mother?" ”

Cao Shao was aggrieved, and when he was asked by his brother who had always respected him, his eyes were red.