"Oh?" Fan Changlong turned back suspiciously, frowned, and said, "Why?"

"This ...... The slave doesn't know yet...... The slave and maid immediately went to investigate. The nurse said hurriedly.

Fan Changlong listened, and there were a little more doubts in his heart, and he waved his hand to let the nurse retreat.

He has been by Qi An's side for a long time to install the nurse he has relied on since childhood as an eyeliner, although he was aware of it in the middle, and killed some people by mistake, but the nurse has been with Qi An and has not aroused much suspicion. Since the nurse revealed to him that Qi An planned to frame him with the identity of the royal family of Chu State, he had a plan, closely followed Qi An's movements, and in order to make trouble for him, he deliberately spread the false news that the Central Plains people were about to arrest the people of the Western Regions in the Western Capital City, causing panic.

As for the forces of the people from the Western Regions who were hiding in Xijing and intended to rebel, Fan Changlong had already noticed it, and he also learned that they were connected with the bandits who were wandering outside the city. In recent years, due to the continuous weakening of the forces against the bandits during the anti-Chu period, the bandits took the opportunity to secretly grow stronger, and Fan Changlong, who was the secretary of the military department, also needed them to consolidate his position in the DPRK and consolidate his military power, and he only turned a blind eye to their development. After all, he believed that the bandits, who lacked food, grass and armaments, were powerless to fight back against the iron cavalry of the Qi army, who had resisted the mighty Chu army, and that they were at best just tools to assert their authority.

But at this time, they completely raised the banner of rebellion and captured the east gate of Xijing, which still surprised Fan Changlong. But their strength is only a grasshopper shaking a tree, at best, they have killed hundreds of Praetorian Guards and captured the weakest east gate, which is not enough to worry about.

Originally, Fan Changlong had already thought of a countermeasure, as long as they used the identity of the royal family of Chu to frame themselves, he would confess the nurse and let her testify that Qi An had an affair with the remnants of Chu State, so that Qi An could only lift a stone and shoot himself in the foot. But at this time, they gave up this plan, which made Fan Changlong a little relieved, and he began to wonder if he was exposed, but it didn't matter, his next plan was to completely put Qi to death.

took advantage of the Xijing Rebellion to let the nurse offer advice to Qi An, since he thought about framing himself, he would definitely not let go of a second chance. Fan Changlong first lured Qi An to make a deal with the people of the Western Regions, and entrusted the people of the Western Regions to rebel under his banner, so that Qi An thought that he could defeat him. This is as long as he repeats his old trick and confesses the nurse, the transaction between Qi An and the people of the Western Regions is a certainty. In this way, the old party can be completely overthrown and wiped out.

Fan Changlong's eyes looked at the warm sun sown in from the window, one hand rubbed on the agate stone on the case, and sighed slowly.

"What about Fan Lingxiang, call him to me. He said lightly to the guards outside.

After a while, a young man with a height of eight feet and a beautiful face stepped into the hall, and there was a look of arrogance between his eyebrows.

Fan Lingxiang walked to the center of the hall, respectfully saluted him, and said, "I've seen my father." ”

Fan Changlong raised his eyelids, looked at him, and said, "I asked you to inquire about the movement of the summer resort, why did you go?"

Fan Lingxiang was slightly stunned by his question, hesitated for a while, and said, "Dad...... I've been ...... for the other few days."

Fan Changlong raised his hand, interrupted his words, still drooped his face, and said, "How old are you, don't think I don't know, go to Siyun Building to gamble again?"

Fan Lingxiang lowered his head slightly and said nothing.

"Listen to me. Fan Changlong stretched out his finger and pointed at him, saying, "These days, you keep a good eye on Qi Yu's movements for me, don't let me find out that you are fooling around all day long." These peers of your age may become your opponents in the future. ”

"Daddy. Fan Lingxiang smiled stupidly and said, "Don't talk about Qi Yu anymore, he is now at best the head of a small dart game, not to mention that I recently heard that he didn't know what happened to this dart game, and a lot of dart masters died." ”

"Don't give me no one to look at. Fan Changlong's tone was a hint of displeasure, and he said, "Do you really think that if he leaves the imperial court, he will not pose a threat to you?" There is Yuan Juzheng behind him, even if he is only the former prime minister, but his son Yuan Wei is still in control of the 100,000 Zhenxi army on the border of our Great Qi. ”

"Oops, Dad. Fan Lingxiang said with a smile, "You don't have to worry too much, you are the secretary of the military department, doesn't it depend on you if he wants to move the army? Not to mention that the emperor is not ...... now."

"The emperor is coming back soon. Fan Changlong interrupted coldly.

Fan Lingxiang was stunned and looked at him blankly.

"I gave an order to Chang'an, saying that I wanted to report an important matter, and my tone was very strict, and I didn't get any news. It should be a few days later, and those princes and everyone are rushing to Chang'an, so you should also pay attention to prevent those people in the old party from making small moves. Fan Changlong said.

"Yes. Fan Lingxiang didn't dare to say anything, and left in a hurry after receiving the order.

Meanwhile.

Inside the summer resort.

The sunset is infinitely good, just near dusk.

In the distance, the rolling mountains were endless, and the sun, which had been like a ball of fire not long ago, had turned into a faint twilight on the horizon. A few floating clouds floated in the gentle sky, dyeing the sunset red on the horizon and covering the entire oasis with a golden coat.

The waterwheels in the lodge creaked and turned, rippling and splashing, casting long shadows at dusk. Yuan Wei put on a solemn snow silver armor, squinted his eyes, and looked at the sky silently. In the distance, you can see rows of windbreaks swaying in the breeze, a sight that can only be seen by summer resorts.

Behind Yuan Wei, hundreds of servants up and down were in full swing to clean up, and they were very busy. Everything you need to pack before you set off is packed in heavy wooden boxes and neatly stacked outside. More than a dozen sumptuous carriages stopped on the road, the fat white horses wore expensive red velvet around their necks, and the beams of the carriages were inlaid with rows of glowing pearls, each of which was priceless.

The team responsible for escorting is the elite of the Western Army of Qi Guozhen, although there are only a hundred people in total, but all of them are strong in martial arts, which is more than enough.

Yuan Wei turned around and looked around.

At the front of the carriage procession was the newly appointed royal carriage of King Qi, which was very luxurious. The young emperor was obviously not yet in a state of affairs, and after living here for so long, he looked around blankly, hiding in his mother's arms a little timidly.

Yuan Wei looked at him quietly and secretly sighed in his heart.

The mother of the king of Qi, that is, the concubine of the first king, was called Concubine Ci. The posture is good, and it doesn't look like a strong person, although she is already a mother, but she still reveals a fragrance like a lotus flower, and her estimated age is only a year old. Yuan Wei has no contact with her, but since the emperor issued an edict, she has jumped from an ordinary harem concubine to the mother of a country, high up.

But at this moment, Concubine Ci doesn't seem to have adapted to her new identity, her eyes have been on her child, and she has never looked away, maybe in her heart, the identity of her mother is higher than everything.

Yuan Wei hesitated for a moment, and walked to the carriage, where the Queen of Qi and her daughter were sitting on it, looking at the people around them rushing, looking a little overwhelmed.

Seeing Yuan Wei approaching, Concubine Ci smiled at him gently, there seemed to be sparkling in her eyes, and she couldn't help but be moved by it.

"I've seen General Yuan. Concubine Ci said with a smile, wanting to get up and give a salute.

"The Queen Mother must not. Yuan Wei hurriedly stretched out his hand to hug her, and said, "It is the last general to give a gift to the Queen Mother, but it is inconvenient to dress up, please atone for the Queen Mother." ”

After hearing this, Concubine Ci smiled even more, and said: "General Yuan is really joking, I am just an ordinary woman, how can I withstand the eldest husband kneeling down to me? ”

"Where is the Queen Mother. Yuan Wei saw that her tone was gentle and approachable, and he relaxed his heart a little, and said with a smile, "The new emperor has been established, and you are the queen of the world, and the last general will not dare to be unreasonable." ”

Hearing him say this, a sad face climbed on Concubine Ci's delicate face. She sighed slightly, stroked the ignorant King Qi in her arms, and said softly, "General Yuan doesn't know anything...... The Emperor's Edict...... I didn't expect it at all......"

Yuan Wei looked at her and was silent.

"I was originally an ordinary folk girl in Jiangnan, who was sold to a restaurant to work as a piano girl, because my family was implicated in the war and had no choice but to be displaced. Later, he moved to the frontier, suffering from hunger and cold along the way, and was helpless. There was really no way, so I entered the palace and became a maid in the Huanyi Fang. But I'm so grateful that I can have something to eat. Concubine Ci said slowly, her tone was unfazed, "Somehow, I was taken in by the emperor who was still the prince at the time......"

Hearing this, Yuan Wei was stunned for a moment, and hurriedly said: "Queen Mother, the last general doesn't need to know this." ”

Concubine Ci looked at him, smiled, and said, "It's okay, General Yuan, I have long memorized the rules in the palace for so many years. At that time, the emperor slept with me, but he did not show anyone, and every time he would reward me with many valuable objects, I was grateful, after all, if I did not enter the palace, I am afraid that it would be no better than the people who starved to death outside. ”

Yuan Wei listened silently, and his heart couldn't help but throb.

"Later, when Chang'an fell, the first emperor ascended the throne to defend against foreign enemies, and he put me here, and I was pregnant at that time...... Every year, he would sneak in to see us mother and son. Concubine Ci recalled, always with a faint smile on her face.

"I see. Yuan Wei nodded and said, "The Queen Mother has worked hard all these years. ”

Concubine Ci looked at him and shook her head, and said, "If you want to talk about hard work, how can you soldiers who defend the country work hard? I'm just lucky, God favored me and gave me something I didn't deserve." General Yuan......"

Yuan Wei came back to his senses and said busily: "Queen Mother, please command." ”

"General Yuan, blame me for not having any ability, no culture, and I don't know how to discipline Ah Li and make him a good emperor. Concubine Ci said gently, "I heard that Chang'an is dangerous in the court, and everything has to be taken care of by General Yuan." I don't have any pursuits, I just want Ah Li to be safe and secure in his life. ”

"Queen Mother, please rest assured, the last general will definitely not give up. Yuan Wei said, "It's just ......"

Concubine Ci looked at him and stopped, and said, "General Yuan, please tell me, we orphans and widows have nothing to rely on, but General Yuan said that it doesn't matter." ”

Yuan Wei hesitated for a while, and after thinking about it, he said to her solemnly: "Queen Mother, the last general heard that a rebellion broke out in Xijing, not far from Chang'an City, and now I am going back to Chang'an, I am afraid that there will be danger on the way." But time is running out, and there is no time to wait, and the DPRK and China cannot be left without a leader. Therefore, the last general considered asking the 100,000 Zhenxi troops guarding the frontier to be transferred over and rushed to Chang'an to escort them along the way. ”

Hearing this, Concubine Ci couldn't help but be stunned. The Zhenxi Army has always been the strongest military force in the entire Qi State, and the Praetorian Guards of the princes from all over the country together are not enough to worry about in front of the Zhenxi Army. If the Zhenxi Army is transferred to Chang'an, how much shock the entire imperial court will cause, and she can imagine it as an ordinary woman who has returned to the mountains and forests.

"This ......" Concubine Ci also hesitated, she looked down at the young King Qi in her arms, and didn't know how to answer.

Yuan Wei stood solemnly to the side and looked at her quietly.

"I'm afraid ......" Concubine Ci's heart softened, she was afraid that the people of the court would be panicked and implicate her children who were not yet involved.

Before she could finish speaking, Yuan Wei suddenly stretched out his hand and hugged the King of Qi in Concubine Ci's arms.

"General Yuan. Concubine Ci was startled and hurriedly said.

"The Queen's Mother. Yuan Wei put the frightened King Qi on the ground and said to her: "Although the King of Qi is young, since the first emperor has issued an edict, then he has to take on the heavy responsibility of becoming the Son of Heaven." Curled up all day long, it is difficult to achieve great things. ”

Concubine Ci looked at her in a daze, her lips trembling. After a long while, she spoke softly, "General Yuan is too worried...... The DPRK and China are not at peace...... I just hope that Ah Li will not be harmed...... He's the only one in the world that I'm in. ”

Yuan Wei listened, smiled, and said, "Niangniang, please rest assured, no matter what happens in the future, the last general will never leave the emperor by half a step." ”

With that, he took out the tiger talisman of General Zhenxi from his waist and respectfully handed it to her.

Concubine Ci's slender eyelashes trembled slightly, looking at the tiger talisman covered with mottled marks in front of her, this heavy piece of iron could represent everything in the entire Great Qi. She felt that a thousand-pound stone suddenly weighed down hard in her heart, and she couldn't bear it.

She was silent for a while, didn't take it, looked up and said to Yuan Wei, "General Yuan...... Have you really decided?"

Yuan Wei narrowed his eyes and looked at her, and said in a deep voice: "Queen Mother, this trip is full of thieves, and it is inevitably dangerous, and the emperor's safety urgently needs someone of insight to take care of it...... The road ahead is bumpy...... Mother, please give the order. ”

Concubine Ci could also guess the meaning behind these simple words, and her heart was turbulent and a little at a loss. In the end, she pushed back the tiger talisman in Yuan Wei's hand, and said lightly: "General...... Do whatever you want. After a while, I sent the national seal to the general. ”

Yuan Wei was stunned for a moment, then smiled, saluted, and said, "Thank you, Queen Mother." ”

Concubine Ci didn't respond to him, lifted the hem of her skirt, silently stepped out of the car, picked up King Qi, who was speechless, and returned to the carriage.

Yuan Wei watched the curtain of the carriage be lowered, and he couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief in his heart.

According to the instructions sent by Yuan Juzheng in Chang'an City, he was asked to find a way to get the young and ignorant King of Qi to agree to the transfer of the Zhenxi Army to Chang'an, and coerce the Son of Heaven to order the princes to force the new party to hand over power.

This method is simple and crude, and if you are not careful, you may lose all your previous achievements, and the old party will also suffer a catastrophe. Moreover, according to his understanding, with the style of the new party, they will certainly not sit idly by, and disputes will certainly be indispensable in the future, and there is a great possibility of setting off a round of brutal civil war.

Yuan Wei was silent for a while and sighed.

Once the civil war is forced to start, it cannot end peacefully, not to mention the rebellion in the Western Regions, which is not peaceful inside and outside, and it is often the people who suffer.

Yuan Wei couldn't bear it a little, and lowered his head helplessly.

Concubine Ci, who was in the carriage, looked at Yuan Wei standing outside through the gap in the curtain, and was also silent, hugging King Qi in her arms.