Chapter 7 Taking Office Section 1 Return to Yongzhou
Twenty years later, outside the city of Yongzhou, a middle-aged man outside the ten-mile long pavilion stood tall and jade, this person was Fan Yuncheng, at this time he looked at the vaguely familiar scenery in front of him, and his heart was full of emotion. Pen "Fun" Pavilion www.biquge.info 20 years ago, he and He Chen rode a horse, just to be able to see the beauty of the style, I don't want things to be a thousand turns, I and Ling Xiao have been separated and combined for 20 years, and the things of 20 years ago are vaguely in front of me.
"Big brother...... What are you thinking?" Yan Fei walked from behind him, Fan Yuncheng had been standing there for a long time, and he was a little worried.
"Twenty years have passed in a flash, and I think when I first came to Yongzhou, I was still young and ignorant, and now I ...... I'm past the age of a few years, this time is really inspiring, Brother Yan, you are also in your forties, it's time to find a suitable woman to start a family. Fan Yuncheng turned around, he has a smooth career in 20 years, he has served in Qiaozhou for more than ten years, and now he has sent Yongzhou to assassinate the history, he has a very good relationship with Yan Fei over the years, and his brotherhood is deep, and he does things much smoother than before, thanks to the opposite brother in front of him. It's just that Yan Fei has been following him for 20 years, but he has not yet started a family, and his wife Ling Xiao has also discussed with him many times to find a suitable girl to tell him about his family. Helplessly, Yan Fei always stubbornly refused to marry, and repeatedly rejected the kindness of the husband and wife.
"My lord, Yan Fei is already satisfied with following the adult's side in this life, marrying and starting a family, let's let it go first, and then talk about Yu'er and his ...... now" Before Yan Fei's words fell, he heard a child's crisp voice coming from the side.
"Uncle Yan...... Uncle Yan, come here, I saw a rabbit run away. Fan Yu ran out of the woods next to him and interrupted the conversation between Yan Fei and his father.
He was eight or nine years old, handsome and lovely, at this time he was puffing out his cheeks, and a pair of tiger eyes stared at Yan Fei: "I'm talking about business with my dad again, why are adults always talking about things?"
"What's the matter, Yu'er, uncle is just chatting with adults. Yan Fei hurriedly leaned down to coax him.
"Uncle can catch that rabbit? I want to catch it and keep it." β
"Then have you told your mother?" what if your mother doesn't agree?" Yan Fei glanced at the carriage accompanying him.
"My mother-in-law had better talk, if she doesn't agree, I'll look for my brother, my brother can't find my father, if my father can't do it, I'll find you to talk to my mother. β
"Huh...... I can talk better than your brother and your father?" Yan Fei asked jokingly.
"My mother can say that my brother and my father are not, but she never says yours. Fan Yutong replied unscrupulously.
Yan Fei stretched out his hand and stroked Fan Yu's little head, the woman in the carriage who was sitting quietly doing needlework was the gentlest and kindest woman he had ever seen, and she had never looked down on her because she was Mrs. Thorn Shi. Yan Fei has always been reluctant to get married, and there is a hidden reason why he didn't say it bluntly: he just wants to find a woman who is as gentle and virtuous as a lady as his wife, but he is afraid that he will ...... Can he find such a woman?
"We won't catch rabbits, it's afternoon now, we're going to go, go to the pavilion and tell your brother to get up, okay?"
"Well, I'll go, uncle. β
Fan Yu quickly ran into the long pavilion and threw himself into the arms of Fan Jun, who was reading: "Uncle wants us to go." β
Fan Jun is simply a copy of Fan Yuncheng when he was young, but he is a little more bookish than Fan Yuncheng. He has never been like a younger brother, pestering Yan Fei every day to learn martial arts, he just listened to his father's words honestly, studied and prepared to gain fame.
"Where are you going to be naughty again?" Fan Jun reached out and plucked the leaves on his brother's head, his younger brother has always been the master who refuses to stay honest, he has strong energy to do this and that every day, and his father and mother never care about him, let him go crazy.
"Jun'er......" Fan Yuncheng stepped in.
"Daddy......" Fan Jun hurriedly stood up.
"After arriving in Yongzhou, we will first go to meet your grandfather Boss Zhang, you have to take care of Yu'er, Mo Duo. Fan Yuncheng couldn't rest assured that his youngest son was relieved, so he told his eldest son to be careful and cautious.
"Yes, Daddy. Fan Jun hurriedly agreed.
"I don't want to make trouble, you have to take care of me......" Fan Yu pursed his mouth unhappily.
"If you don't obey, let your mother spank you. Fan Yuncheng's eyes narrowed.
"Then let my brother fight. Fan Yu pointed at his brother and said.
"Why?" asked Fan Yuncheng with an eyebrow raised.
"My brother doesn't hurt when he hits, but it hurts so much when my mother beats me. Fan Yu honestly said what was in his heart.
Fan Jun smiled slightly, looked at his father and shook his head. Fan Yuncheng looked at them helplessly, although he often said that he would be beaten if he was disobedient, he was never willing to slap the two brothers. On the contrary, it is a gentle wife, who often really starts fighting.
"Okay, if you don't obey, Jun'er will beat you. β
"I know that Daddy loves Yu'er the most. Fan Yu smiled, looking like his father.
Ling Xiao sat in the carriage, although she didn't get out of the carriage, she heard the things outside the carriage clearly. After Fan Yuncheng got into the car, she stopped the needlework in her hand.
"Why doesn't the husband ride forward?"
Fan Yuncheng stretched out his hand and held her hands, his eyes full of love: "It's been a long time since I've been with you for a while, isn't it lonely for my wife to sit in the car?"
"Lord Fan's mouth is so sweet, the little woman understands it. Ling Xiao quipped.
"Who are you making clothes for?" Fan Yuncheng looked at the clothes in her hand.
"I haven't added clothes to Brother Yan for a while, and he has been away for many years, and his clothes are extraordinarily unworn. Ling Xiao picked up the clothes and showed him.
"Madame is really thoughtful, I envy my brother Yan, who has new clothes to wear every year. Fan Yuncheng sighed, "It's really a blessing." β
"How can he be like you, with official uniforms, official boots, and official hats? He comes and goes in the wind and rain all day long, and the two children pester him all day long, and he can't get out. Ling Xiao put away his clothes, and there was more reproach in his tone.
Fan Yun took her hands and held them again: "Madam is angry, I'm joking, you must not take it seriously." β
Ling Xiao looked at him helplessly, for twenty years, she was so strange that a man who judged cases outside like a god, was fair and selfless, and was majestic and generous, but he was still the same in front of her, speaking without hindrance, and his mind did not look like a mature man in his forties.
"Well, when did I get mad at you?"
"Madam, can you give birth to another daughter for Yun Cheng?" Fan Yun Cheng asked suddenly.
"Uh......" Ling Xiao choked for a while, she had a serious illness after giving birth to Yu'er, and after recovering from the illness, her body was far worse than before, but I was afraid that she would never be able to have children again.
"Soaring...... , I shouldn't have mentioned this, you have already given birth to two sons for me, Yun Cheng ...... in this life" Fan Yuncheng suddenly remembered Ling Xiao's serious illness, and suddenly felt guilty, why should you embarrass this gentle and kind woman in this life?
"The husband knows that there are eight hardships in life: birth, old age, illness, death, love and separation, resentment for a long time, can't ask for it, and can't let go. Like her husband, her parents are healthy, her career is successful, and her wife and children are by her side, what else can you ask for?" Ling Xiao sighed softly.
"Madame is taught. Fan Yuncheng stretched out his arm and took her into his arms, "Today's words, I really don't feel satisfied." β
"In this world...... How many people can make their wishes come true?" Ling Xiao had a hint of melancholy in his eyes, but Fan Yuncheng didn't see this trace of melancholy.
"Ling Xiao, Yun Cheng knows that he is wrong, I will never mention this matter again, okay?" Fan Yuncheng hugged her tightly in his arms and comforted her.
He didn't know that Ling Xiao looked at Yongzhou, which was getting closer and closer outside the car, and the melancholy in his eyes became heavier and heavier. Ling Xiao's sensitive heart has already sensed that there is an undercurrent, which is gradually approaching her perfect home, and she has worked hard to manage a happy life for twenty years.
Thousands of miles away in the Wei State, Xiao Zong, who had defected from Southern Liang, was hiding in a mansion that Emperor Xuanwu Yuan Ke had set up for him at this time. After he reversed himself out of the Great Liang, he didn't say it, but he was really contrite in his heart, that Liang Wu Emperor Xiao Yan has always loved himself, in recent years, his mother Wu Shuyuan gradually fell out of favor, so he often talked about Xiao Baojuan, the Marquis of Dongdu, Xiao Zong since then, he decided that he was the son of Xiao Baojuan, and he was extremely disgusted with Xiao Yan, plus his eldest sister Princess Yongxing was a person who liked to be troublesome, and often said bad things about himself and his mother in front of Xiao Yan, and over time he finally couldn't bear it, just when Xiao Yan ordered him to go north to the Wei State, he took this opportunity to lead his own guards to escape from Southern Liang and came to this desolate place in the north, and now he regrets itXiao Zong couldn't tell what he really thought in his heart, but at this time, he was a traitor and thief of Nanliang, and he couldn't go back. In this foreign country, he suddenly felt very lonely, except for the small team of guards brought from Nanliang who spoke his native voice, he was afraid that he would rarely hear the familiar native sound. The pain and confusion in his heart make him like an ant devouring his heart every day, and he will never have peace.
At this time, in Yuan Ke's palace, Lu Chang and Xing Luan, the servant, had a difference of opinion because of Xiao Zong's defection, and they had been arguing. He heard that his beloved two ministers had a dispute over Xiao Zong's matter, and he couldn't hold on to each other in his heart, at this time, he took in the second prince who rebelled against Nanliang because of impulsiveness, and he didn't think much about it at first, but Xing Luan's words made his back break out in a cold sweat.
"Lord Xingtai is still too worried, thinking that Xiao Zong was originally the Marquis of Dongdu, and now he is out of Nanliang, which is a very good thing for my Wei State, but I don't know why Lord Xing always has a lot of concerns, don't you say these alarmist words, isn't it disturbing the emperor's heart?" Lu Chang didn't know why, he had always regarded this smart and far-sighted Xing Luan as a thorn in the flesh, and whenever Xing Luan objected, he would agree, and Xing Luan would agree with it, and he insisted on singing the opposite, so that Xing Luan would be unhappy no matter what he did.
"Lord Lu's words are wrong, that Xiao Zong fled to our Wei State, it is a big hidden disaster, the emperor, Xing Luan is not alarmist here, that Xiao Zong defected, Xiao Yan of Southern Liang must be furious, the result is the Northern Expedition, if this is the case, then the war on the border of Wei and Liang will start, and at that time the people will face war, there will be continuous wars, hungry people, and my Wei State will be a poor livelihood......" Xing Luan thought of the endless wars in the future, and his heart was upset.
"Lord Xing, you are so bold, now that the emperor is sitting in front of us, you are talking about the people's lack of livelihood here, do you want to blame the emperor? Moreover, in recent years, our country has fought many wars with the Southern Liang, which time is not our great victory, and General Wang Yuanying of Zhongshan has an outstanding record and is invincible. Lu Chang asked him angrily.
"I, Xing Luan, never dared to accuse the emperor, but I just talked a few more words about Xiao Zong, Lord Lu, if you think that what I Xing Luan said about this matter is not right, you can wait and see what happens in the future, and you will not immediately charge me with such a big disrespect. Xing Luan couldn't help it, but the villain with Lu Chang's face was still there and shamelessly pasted it on the emperor.
"That, the two adults, Lian has already promised that Xiao Zong to let him stay in Pingcheng, Lian Jinkou Yuyan, this ...... You can't just go back on your word. Yuan Ke looked at his two ministers in embarrassment.
"Your Majesty, the only way to do this now is to list Xiao Zong as a guest of honor and treat him warmly, so that Xiao Yan can see how our Wei State treats the son of the Marquis of Dongdu. Lu Chang squinted proudly at Xing Luan beside him and said loudly.
"Those are just rumors on the market, how can Lord Lu believe them casually?" Xing Luan said coldly, he really didn't want to be patient with Lu Chang's consistent reversal of black and white.
At this time, Zhongshan Wang Yuanying was on his way back from the Southern Expedition, and this time General Yuan won a great victory, so sooner or later Nanliang would fall into the hands of my Great Wei, so why be afraid?" Lu Chang refused to let go of Xing Luan, and when Xing Luan heard this, he kept silent.
When Emperor Xuanwu Yuan Ke appointed himself to the post of Daxingtai, he had already expected that he would become the target of public criticism. At this time, the Northern Wei Dynasty, is the time when the social economy is transformed from nomadic to farming, since the reform of Emperor Xiaowen, with the development of productive forces, the former nomadic Xianbei people have gradually given up nomadism and began to farm, those Xianbei nobles are competing to emulate the Han culture of the Southern Dynasties, living a luxurious life every day, corrupt and degenerate, completely forgetting the desert and grassland that make their nation endless, and the Xuanwu Emperor in front of him only knows that when things are pushed to his subordinates, the matter is not good to deal with, so he will deal with the people who do the work, and the officials under the rule follow the example of the officials of the Southern Dynasty and do all the corrupt thingsγ
"This ...... This matter is discussed here today, and Lian must think carefully about how to deal with Xiao Zong. When Yuan Ke heard Lu Chang's words, he was also secretly happy in his heart, he was able to destroy Nanliang, it was something he had thought about for many years, this year of war, Yuan Ying and Yang Dayan had frequent successes, and his desire to destroy Nanliang was getting stronger day by day. It's just that this Xing Luan of the great Xingtai always pours a scoop of cold water on his head when he is most happy, although he is unhappy when he hears it, but this Xing Luan asserts that it is like divine help, and almost everything is so accurate, sometimes he has to listen, and it is also helpless.
"Your Majesty retires!" Xing Luan and Lu Chang withdrew from the palace after saying goodbye.
Along the way, the two of them didn't speak to each other, and they got on their horses when they got out of the city gate, and Xing Luan rode on a horse, and his mind had turned more than once, and he remembered that a few days ago, Cui Liang, the lieutenant of the imperial history, had played a chapter to impeach himself, saying that he had plundered a good man as a slave in Hanzhong, and he was secretly surprised in his heart, Cui Liang had no conflict with himself, why did he play a chapter to himself at this time? Thinking of Lu Chang's performance today, he knew that this person and his henchmen had to be guarded. Now that family and state affairs are all crowded together, it's time to think about what to do.
Outside the door of the prefect of Zhang Yuan's mansion in Yongzhou, there was a lively scene, and the house and the house were full of joy, all of them were happily welcoming Fan Yuncheng's family. Zhang Yuanzhi waited outside the gate of the mansion early, and when he saw the carriage carrying the wife and children of the Fan family coming to the gate of the mansion, his uncompetitive tears flowed out again.
After Fan Yuncheng and his wife got off the carriage, they knelt on the ground, Zhang Yuanzhi didn't care about wiping away the tears on his face, and hurriedly reached out to help Ling Xiao who knelt on the ground, he hadn't seen him for ten years, and Ling Xiao was thinner than when he came ten years ago. Naqiaozhou is located in the north, Ling Xiao grew up in Jiangnan since he was a child, and after 20 years in that poor place, he must also be a place of discomfort.
"Father-in-law, how are you doing lately?" Ling Xiao helped him and slowly walked to the mansion.
"Alas...... I'm so old that I'm afraid I won't live for a few years. Zhang Yuanzhi sighed and said, "Ten years ago, your mother was sick in bed, and she was getting ...... My body is still quite strong, how long can I live, don't think about it, I'm close to the age of sixties, and I'm content. β
Fan Yuncheng led his two sons into the hall: "Father-in-law, two dogs came today to say hello to my grandfather." β
"Promise...... Alas, Yun Cheng, my virtuous son-in-law, come and sit, come and sit. Jun'er is getting more and more like you, and it is a talent who comes out of it...... Feathers. Zhang Yuanzhi looked at Fan Yu's cute appearance, while his heart was happy, but it was also mixed with a trace of pain, twenty years, his daughter has not been heard from at all, if Qifeng did not have a thought at that time, now the child born to her and Fan Yuncheng will be so cute.
"Hello grandpa!" Fan Yu's voice was crisp, and the kowtow sounded.
Zhang Yuanzhi squinted his eyes and looked at the cute child in front of him carefully, his heart was extremely happy, he took out a golden lock from his arms with a trembling hand, motioned Fan Yu to get up, and put it on his neck, "Come, grandpa will give you a meeting gift, ten years ago, your mother brought your brother to see me, and I also gave him a longevity lock, today, you also have one, you can't favor one over the other." β
"Thank you, grandpa!"
"My golden lock is different from others," Zhang Yuanzhi looked at Ling Xiao and pointed hard at the golden lock on Fan Yu's chest, "This is what I asked someone to carefully build a while ago, and it is different from the past." β
Ling Xiao was slightly stunned, she always felt that her father-in-law seemed to be hiding something, Zhang Yuanzhi kept nodding and smiling at her, but what he was talking about was some trivial things in the court, the second prince Xiao Zong had just turned against the current emperor and defected to the Northern Wei Dynasty, and his mother, who had already fallen out of favor, had been thrown into the cold palace at this time, and could never turn over. Fan Yuncheng listened without saying a word, he didn't know why Zhang Yuanzhi wanted to mention Xiao Zong's matter to himself, this Xiao Zong is the most favored prince of the current emperor Xiao Yan, this prince's mother Wu Shuyuan, although she gave birth to Xiao Zong in July with Xiao Yan, but Xiao Yan regarded Xiao Zong as his own and did not think differently at all. It's just that in recent years, Wu Shuyuan has become a monk and practiced because the emperor likes Buddhism, and she has become increasingly neglected by her, so she holds a grudge and often tells him in front of her son that he is not the biological flesh and blood of the emperor today, Xiao Zong is the son of Xiao Baojuan, the Marquis of Dongdu, and this Xiao Zong has a grudge, and finally one day he rebelled out of Southern Liang and took refuge in the Northern Wei Dynasty.
Fan Yuncheng heard Zhang Yuanzhi chatting about things in the court, and felt strange in his heart, this father-in-law rarely talked about these royal power struggles in front of him, and sometimes he even let himself talk about these things carefully, so as not to get into trouble. What's wrong with this father-in-law today, why do you keep talking about the emperor's family affairs again and again?
He raised his eyes and looked at Ling Xiao, Ling Xiao kept looking at Zhang Yuanzhi, and the expression on his face did not change at all, but Fan Yuncheng, who had lived with her for twenty years, still saw the worry and incomprehension in her eyes.
"Yun Chengna, now that I'm old, sometimes I can't remember the recitals for the court, and I've played them again and again, alas...... Today, when you take office, I am happy in my heart, you and I will be ...... in the future. I have time to talk about things and learn about calligraphy and painting. β
"Yes, father-in-law, I will definitely spend more time with you and my mother in the future. β
"Now this Northern Wei Yuanke doesn't let the emperor do it, thinking about the Southern Expedition all day long, and I am on the border of Southern Liang...... It's a precarious situation now. Zhang Yuanzhi sighed softly.
"Father-in-law, the emperor must already know about this border crisis, so you don't have to worry so much. Fan Yuncheng wondered why this father-in-law suddenly mentioned Emperor Xuanwu of the Northern Wei Dynasty.
"A few days ago, I had an old friend in Jiankang in the capital to be a guest, and talked to me about it, talking about the Yuan Ke of the Northern Wei Dynasty, who was young and did not do his job, and what the emperor did was a mess, and he spent all day drinking and drinking, and the subordinate officials were corrupt and corrupt, and there were many uprisings of disaster victims in various places under his rule. β
"My father-in-law's analysis is very right, he is indeed far inferior to his father Emperor Xiaowen in governing the country, and I have heard some rumors about him. β
"The old man is worried about this border war, and our people in Daliang will be separated from their wives and will go on an expedition to the Northern Expedition......"
"Father-in-law, don't talk about these things that worry you anymore, now that we have come to Yongzhou, you will be able to see us from time to time in the future, how good is this? β
"Huh...... Again, talking about these things is just adding to your own troubles. It's just that the old man doesn't know something: you are doing a good job in Qiaozhou, why does the emperor want you to come to Yongzhou to take office?" Zhang Yuanzhi suddenly asked.
"This, I don't know very well, Yun Cheng has been in Qiaozhou for 20 years, and most of the affairs of Qiaozhou are familiar with it. Fan Yuncheng hurriedly replied to him.
"Alas...... Do you know...... You know you're being too upright. β
"Ah......" Fan Yuncheng didn't expect him to suddenly turn to this topic.
"Sometimes, this person can't distinguish black and white too clearly, and now that you are over forty years old, you should know how to grasp the balance, and some things can't be too serious. β
"The child understands, thank you father-in-law for your advice. β
"Right and wrong in this officialdom, you and I still have him, how many people can tell the difference? You have to take care of those things in the future, and have more time to spend with your wife and children in the future......" Zhang Yuanzhi looked at the family of four in front of him, and said with blurred tears in his eyes.
"Yes. β
"And that one...... Ling Xiao, you have to come to the house often in the future, this person is always lonely, I really want you to stay by my side. β
"Father-in-law, if you really want our family, then why don't you just stay tonight?" Ling Xiao asked softly.
"No, never!" Zhang Yuanzhi stood up violently and hurriedly stopped.
Fan Yuncheng and Ling Xiao looked at Zhang Yuanzhi who suddenly became excited with some surprise, Zhang Yuanzhi realized that he had an attitude that was a little excessive, so he slowly sat down: "This, the house has not prepared a room for you, and we will have time to sit together in the future, not at this time, not at this time." Zhang Yuanzhi muttered.
Fan Yuncheng and his wife glanced at each other, and their hearts sank at Lord Zhang Yuanzhi's gaffe just now, why was this old man so panicked? What happened to him recently? Why didn't he want to tell him clearly? For a while, the people in the hall fell into silence.
At this time, a young girl walked in with a tea tray in her hand, her body was light, her facial features were beautiful, and her beautiful eyes seemed to be painted.
She put the tray in her hand on the table, served tea to everyone present one by one, and stood behind Zhang Yuanzhi.
"Father-in-law, this is ......" Fan Yuncheng noticed that this beautiful girl had an unearthly and extraordinary temperament, and couldn't help but ask.
"Virtuous son-in-law...... Who are you talking about?" asked Zhang Yuanzhi in confusion.
Fan Yuncheng looked at the girl in front of him with some surprise: "She...... She's ......"