Xuchang, the capital of Yuzhou, is located in Zhennan General Mansion.
After Guanqiu Jian, Marquis of Anyi, heard the bad news about General Cao Shuang, he was furious at first, but then he regained his composure. In addition, after he heard the news that his close friend Xia Houxuan had sent troops to Beijing, he even hid his last impulse.
After all, he is a famous general who has fought for many years with great achievements, Guan Qiujian's mind is not that simple.
He understands the current situation. Outside there are the Eastern Wu and Western Shu who are eyeing him, and inside the Sima family has unknown intentions. If he, who is guarding the heart of the Central Plains, easily raises his troops to the capital, and Wu Shu takes the opportunity to invade, the consequences will be disastrous, and his beloved son will not be killed. Qiudian was still in Luoyang, and he couldn't act rashly without understanding the situation.
Thinking of this, Guanqiu Jian could only put away the bronze tiger talisman that he had been playing with for a long time.
————————————
Yangzhou, Hefei.
The Governor of Yangzhou, the General of Chariots and Cavalry, and the Marquis of Nanxiang, Wang Ling and Wang Yanyun, were veterans of the Cao family and deeply favored by the Cao family. As soon as he got the news of the drastic changes in Luoyang, he started a thunderous fire, and the news of his beloved son was immediately heard. Wang Jinhu, Wang Feixiao, Wang Mingshan, generals Wen Qin, the governor of Lujiang, and confidants Yang Hong and Wang Yu.
Although Wang Ling was furious, his cautious qualities as a famous general were still there, so he just handed the handwritten letter he wrote to his nephew Yanzhou Governor Linghuyu to his confidant Yang Hong, and did not express his specific thoughts in public for the time being. .
At this moment, Zhuge Dan, the governor of Yangzhou who was promoted to General Zhendong, walked quickly into the Cheqi Mansion:
"I have important military information to report to the King. You all should go down first!"
Wang Jinhu, Wang Feixiao, Wang Mingshan, Wen Qin, Yang Hong, and Wang Yu saw that the governor had an urgent military situation, so they naturally did not dare to delay and immediately exited the house. When Zhuge Dan saw Yang Hong holding a letter in his hand, he rolled his eyes and smiled. He said:
"This is a letter written by the Governor to Linghu Shijun. It just so happens that I also have some important documents to send to Yanzhou. When I sort them out, Yang Zhichen can send them all together!"
After saying that, Zhuge Dan took Wang Ling's autographed letter from Yang Hong.
After seeing everyone leaving, Zhuge Dan whispered to Wang Ling:
"Captain, how can you not be clear about your ideas? But the current situation in the DPRK and China is unclear, and the Wu bandits on the border are ready to move. There are Wang Chang and Wang Wenshu in Jingzhou, Xu Zhi in Xuzhou, and Cheng Xi in Youzhou. Taichu was relieved of his post as General Zhengxi and returned to Luoyang. , even King Qin is definitely not at this moment!"
Zhuge Dan saw that Wang Ling was still hesitant, so he could only continue to persuade:
"Besides, your son, Wang Guang, Wang Gongyuan, and Quanzi Zhuge Liang are all in Luoyang as hostages, how can you and I act rashly!"
After listening to Zhuge Dan's words, Wang Ling calmed down a lot, so he could only give up temporarily. But at this moment, a brand new plan suddenly came into his mind. This plan was so big that he didn't want to do it with anyone. mentioned in front of you.
Zhuge Dan burned Wang Ling's unopened letter to ashes in the candlelight before leaving the Cheqi Mansion.
————————————————
Wuyanghou Mansion.
"You mean to hold a civil and military wedding ceremony for Yi Rong?"
After hearing this, Master Sima stroked the painful tumor under his left eye and thought about the pros and cons of this matter. After a while, he said to Sima Zhao:
"Your Majesty, this time for Yi Rong Guang to choose a husband, my father wants to use this opportunity to get a deeper understanding of the attitude of the officials. How could I not know? But Yi Rong is introverted and taciturn. She never likes overly lively and chaotic situations. If you try to recruit her with too much fanfare, I'm afraid she won't feel very comfortable."
After listening to his elder brother's opinion, Sima Zhao had no idea for a moment. After Sima Shi pondered for a moment, he finally made a decision:
"In my opinion, it is okay to choose a husband widely, but we only need to send the invitations privately to the houses of the Xun, Chen, Yang, and Wang noble families. As for the remaining families, we only need to quietly spread the news that we are interested in recruiting a bride. That’s it, if anyone likes my eldest daughter and wants to come to my house to meet me for a while, naturally we won’t stop him!”
After hearing what his eldest brother said, Sima Zhao naturally understood. After the two brothers looked at each other and smiled, Sima Zhao immediately started to help his eldest brother, who had no time to take care of the matter personally.
————————————————
In the back hall of Sima Mansion, Yi Rongzheng, her third sister Mengrong, her fourth sister Lingyun, her fifth sister Lingjun, her cousin Lingqin and other sisters gathered around her stepmother Yang Huiyu to learn female red.
The brocade handkerchief in Yang Huiyu's hand is the extremely precious 'Jiang Di Jiao Long Brocade', which is the top grade of Sichuan brocade. Although this brocade is expensive in size, people from Sima Mansion come to give gifts every day, and there are many in the treasury. There were too many brocades of various colors, and they would become moldy if they were stored for a long time, so Yang Huiyu simply took them out and started weaving female brocades.
At this moment, she was patiently and meticulously weaving and embroidering two mandarin duck patterns, while several children were obviously completely attracted by Yang Huiyu's extraordinary craftsmanship. They did not blink for a moment, and stood motionless around Yang Huiyu, staring at the sheep. Huiyu is like the hands of a flying phoenix.
Yang Huiyu was born in Taiyang family and has always been known as intelligent and virtuous. Since marrying into the Sima Mansion, she has been filial to her parents-in-law and served her husband with all her heart. She has treated her children, Yi Rong and Meng Rong, as her own and raised them with all her heart. Even the servants in the mansion, she always takes good care of them. , so no one in the house dislikes her.
Because of this, Yi Rong has no aversion to this kind-hearted stepmother, but with her withdrawn personality, she has never been able to completely open her heart to her stepmother over the years. Perhaps in her eyes, this gentle and virtuous 'mother' is more like an aunt A kind of relative or elder.
Several children were a little tired after learning female red for half a day. Seeing this, Yang Huiyu simply sent them away to play.
But Yi Rong did not go out with her sisters at this moment, but looked very worried.
Yang Huiyu has always been attentive and considerate, and Yirong is also a big girl. When Yang Huiyu saw Yirong's appearance, he guessed almost exactly what Yirong was thinking.
Seeing that her daughter was silent for a long time, she knew that she was thin-skinned and embarrassed to speak, so she asked thoughtfully:
"Yirong, if you have something on your mind, why don't you tell me?"
Yi Rong hesitated for a while, and then she mustered up the courage to speak:
"Mom, Yirong heard that my father and second uncle recently wanted to arrange a marriage for Yirong..."
Hearing this, Yang Huiyu continued to ask patiently:
"It's a good thing for men to get married when they get older, and for girls to get married when they get older. Yirong, why are you worried?"
Yang Huiyu looked at Yirong's expression and suddenly recalled the scene when Yirong contradicted her grandfather in public the last time she married with the Zhen family. She suddenly understood in her heart. She held Yirong's hand and confirmed gently:
"Yirong, do you have a sweetheart?!"
After hearing Yang Huiyu's words, Yi Rong trembled with her hands, nodded slightly, and then cast a look of help at her stepmother.
Yang Huiyu inquired carefully again, and Yirong finally boldly informed her stepmother of her feelings.
[The past is vague]:
More than ten years ago, during the Yuan Day Gala held in the third year of the late Emperor Cao Ruijing's reign, the female family members of the Sima family entered the palace as usual to pay homage to the concubine, and Yi Rong, who was just the age of Dou Kao, was naturally among them.
Sparse snowflakes were floating on the blue sky. The magnificence inside the palace and the hustle and bustle outside the Shenhu Gate combined to form a very festive picture.
The scene in front of me reminded Yi Rong of the scene when her mother Xia Houhui sang Jingchu songs to herself and her younger sisters during the Chinese New Year. It is said that this is a song that my uncle Xia Houxuan learned when he was traveling in Jingchu when he was a child. My mother thought it sounded good, so she learned it.
At that time, I still remember the mysterious and tender lyrics and lyrics of my mother’s song:
'Today, on what night, I am in the middle of the river, on what day will I be in the same boat with the prince? ...
There are trees in the mountains, and the trees have branches. My heart says that you are here, but you don’t know...'
The imperial guard guarding Shenhu Gate at that time happened to be her uncle Xia Houxuan's Zuo Yulin camp.
When Yi Rong entered the palace gate, she was humming in her heart the "Yue People's Song" sung by her mother. She was so lost in thought that she didn't notice the palace lantern accidentally dropped by some palace servant on the tower at the entrance!
Seeing that the palace lanterns and candles were about to hit Yirong's head, Yirong was completely unaware of it. At this moment, a young soldier from the Yulin Camp holding a halberd rushed to Yirong's side, and with quick eyesight and quick hands, he saved her from almost being burned. The palace lantern that had reached its hair and clothes slapped it away.
After realizing it, Yi Rong felt scared. Just when she was about to say thank you, she looked up and saw the bright smile on the cheek of the young soldier Ying Lang. She lowered her head again and discovered the young man's left hand, which was burned red by the flames.
While Yi Rong felt quite sorry, she was also instantly infected by that bright and sunny smile, which even made her melancholy mood of missing her deceased mother much brighter.
Yirong quickly followed her aunt and others into the palace, and she didn't even have time to say thank you to the young man.
The first time the two met, they parted in a hurry before even speaking.
Originally, this was just an ordinary encounter, but Yirong, who never left the door or walked out of the door, had never seen such a strong and sunny heroic young man. His brilliant smile was like the sunshine that can melt ice and snow, illuminating Touched Yi Rong's heart.
Later, Yi Rong happened to hear people talking about the names of 'Yu He Erqian and Yu Lin Ying's Four Heroes', and he suddenly became curious. After some inquiring, he learned about the 'Four Heroes of Yu Lin Camp'. ’, it turns out that it refers to the four people Yu Huan, Yu Shanjun, He Kui, and the brothers Qian Jia and Qian Hong.
And these "Four Elites of Yulin" are also the four most powerful lieutenants in Zuo Yulin camp under uncle Xia Houxuan.
Yu Huan Yu Shanjun is the grandson of the old general Yu Jin, the Lihou of Yishou Ting, and the direct disciple of his uncle Xia Houxuan. Of course, Yi Rong has known him for a long time; He Kui is the direct son of Guang Luxun and Xihe Yangshi, and he is also the direct disciple of his uncle Xia Houxuan. Her uncle was no stranger to Yirong; but the two brothers Qianjia and Qianhong, although Yirong had heard her father and second uncle mention them, she didn't have a deep impression of them, and she had never seen them.
Later, she gradually learned that the fathers of Qianjia and Qianhong were one of the four famous generals in this dynasty. They were as famous as Man Chong, Man Boning, Tian Yu, Tian Guorang, and Guo Huai, Guo Boji.
This Qianzi Jing was from Anping, Jizhou. His teacher Leyin was a long-time subordinate of the Chariot General He Miao. During the Shichangshi Rebellion, He Miao and Leyin were killed by the rebels. Qianzhao and his junior brother Shi Lu were killed together. Together they took the risk to seize the master's body and planned to bury the master in his hometown. However, the group of people encountered bandits on the way back to the hometown. Seeing the ferociousness of the bandits, junior brother Shi Lu and several others left their master and fled away, leaving only one person behind. He led one person to protect the master's body with all his life, and finally buried the master in his hometown alone.
After this incident, Qianzhao gained quite a reputation in Hebei, so he was recruited by Jizhou Mu Yuan Shao and Yuan Benchu to work under him. Later, after Emperor Wu defeated Yuan Shao, Qianzhao surrendered to Emperor Wu.
Perhaps it was because Qianzhao had a very good relationship with Emperor Zhaolie Liu Xuande, the first lord of the Shu Han Dynasty, when he was young. He was once a brother and even a close friend, so Emperor Wu never entrusted him with important responsibilities from beginning to end. Although Zhao once served as the commander-in-chief of the Qingxu army to defeat countless bandits, showing his strong ability to lead the army, after the peace in the east, he was assigned to the north to serve as the captain of the Xianbei Protector. Although he also had integrity and power, But after all, it is overkill.
[Note 1: This school captain is not the same as an ordinary school captain. It is an important position specially selected by Cao Wei for generals who are good at guarding the border. It is roughly equivalent to a special county guard.
"Official Records of the Three Kingdoms": "Wei Hu Xianbei is a school captain, with a rank of two thousand stones, the fourth grade." There is one person each, Chang Shi and Sima, in the seventh rank. '
"Three Kingdoms·Biography of Tian Yu": "In the early days of Emperor Wen, Beidi was strong and invaded the frontier fortress, so he sent Yu Chijie to protect Wu Wan Xiaowei, lead Zhao, Jie Jun and protect Xianbei. '
"Three Kingdoms: Biography of Qianzhao": "Emperor Wen of the Qian Dynasty paid homage to the captain of Xianbei, who was envoy to protect Xianbei, and settled in Changping. '
Cao Wei successively served as the governor of Youzhou and the captain of Wuwan, such as: Guanqiu Jian: the governor of Youzhou, the general of Du Liao, and the captain of Wuwan. Du Shu: Governor of Youzhou and Colonel Protector of Wuhuan. 】
His two sons, Qianjia and Qianhong, also had their own talents. Later, Yi Rong heard someone say that Qianjia, the eldest son of the Qian family, was talented in literature but weak in temperament, while Qianhong, the second son, was skilled in military strategy and outstanding in martial arts, so she was sure The young man whom he longed for was none other than Qian Hong, the second son of the Qian family.
Later, Yi Rong met Qian Hong who was on guard duty at several palace gatherings. Sometimes the two of them would notice each other and would smile and nod, but more often than not, Yi Rong could only look at him from afar. See Qian Hong's back.
What she didn't know was that since the two first met, Qianhong had also become curious about her, a melancholy and mysterious girl, and was always inquiring about news about her, intentionally or unintentionally.
Later, his uncle Xia Houxuan was promoted to the position of the Central Guards Army, and Qianhong also became the deputy general of the Guards Camp. During the Chinese Valentine's Day, Yirong and several younger sisters came to his uncle's house to visit his aunt Li Huigu. They happened to be outside the main hall of Changlinghou's house. Under the plum blossom tree, I saw Qianhong talking about military affairs with his uncle from a distance. On that day, Qianhong was wearing a light blue robe with honeysuckle pattern and a jade sword. The heroic appearance is completely different.
That day, Qianhong was probably discussing some new ideas with his uncle. He showed a rare special charm when he scolded Fang Qiu.
It was on that day that Yi Rong, who had already passed her haircut ceremony, clearly realized the emotion that had been hidden in her heart for two years.
Yirong, who had always been taciturn, seemed to have opened up a chat box and poured out all his thoughts to Yang Huiyu. At this moment, Yang Huiyu stroked her daughter's hair lovingly. After a while, Yang Huiyu, who had regained his composure, comforted Yi Rong and said:
"Yirong, my mother will find an opportunity to mention Qianhong in front of your father. Then I will act according to your father's reaction. You must relax and don't worry too much."
"Thank you mother, Yi Rong understands."
When Yang Huiyu went to the study to look for her husband, she happened to see Sima Zhao and Sima Shi discussing something with Sima Yi, so she retreated and planned to go back later.
Yang Huiyu has been in the mansion for many years and has never dared to listen to any plans of Sima and his son. Although she and Master Sima respect each other as guests and have a good relationship, she still feels a little sad when she thinks of the rumor about Xia Houhui many years ago. There is a slight chill.
In the study, Sima Zhao was reporting something big or small to Sima Yi:
"Father, the day before yesterday, Xia Hou Wenning, the Prime Minister of the Liang Kingdom in Yuzhou, sent a letter to the child. The letter mentioned that he would terminate the engagement with Uncle Cao Wen's family and choose another husband for his daughter. The child considered that Uncle Cao Wen had already passed away a year ago. He died of illness, and Xiahou Wenning obviously wanted to distance himself from the Cao Shuang family and show his loyalty to his father, so he wrote a letter praising him for his actions."
Master Sima nodded and couldn't help but said:
"This is a good thing. Does the second brother think there is any problem?"
Sima Zhao took a sip of tea and continued:
"Brother, you don't know something. If it is just like this, it is naturally a good thing. But what is unexpected is that Xiahou Wenning's daughter, Xiahou Lingnu, is a fierce woman. She would rather die than follow her father's arrangement. Xiahou Wenning can only Thinking that the girl's family was ignorant and didn't take the vows made by the daughter-in-law seriously, they still found a new husband for her. But what no one expected was that the daughter-in-law actually cut herself off with a sharp knife. She said that she didn’t want to hear any more words from her family about remarrying!”
Even though Sima Yi and Sima Shi were calm-tempered, their faces changed drastically at this moment. Sima Yi couldn't help but sigh:
"She is indeed a fierce woman!"
Sima Zhao continued:
"The key to the problem is that the Xiahou Princess insisted on choosing a baby from a distant place of the Cao family, saying that she wanted to raise it as the heir of the Cao family!"
After hearing this, the expressions of Sima Yi and Sima Shi both changed. After Sima Yi pondered for a long time, he made a decision that surprised both Sima Shi and Sima Zhao brothers:
"I'm sorry that the Cao family's bloodline is extremely distant, so there's nothing to worry about, and Xiahou's daughter is very fierce, so we can't kill her rashly. For the sake of our father, we can just let her go!"
After a while, Sima Zhao seemed to remember something, and he suggested:
"Father, eldest brother, it has been some time since he returned to Luoyang in Taichu. In my opinion, should I also give him an official position..."
Sima Zhao and Xia Houxuan had always had a good relationship, so as soon as Xia Houxuan returned to Luoyang, Sima Zhao wanted his father and brother to recruit Xia Houxuan into his army.
Master Sima raised his eyes and gave his brother a meaningful look:
"Sir, why have you forgotten that Taichu's mother, the head of Deyang Village, just came to this world? Logically speaking, he should go to office and observe filial piety!"
After hearing what his elder brother said, Sima Zhao muttered:
"My mother also passed away not long ago. Don't you and my brothers also serve as officials well..."
"What did you say?!"
"No, it's nothing..., I mean, my father is less than one person in the court and more than ten thousand people. Isn't it very simple to arrange a love affair? Taichu is extremely talented. It would be a pity to abandon him. , and if we make good use of him, it will be very helpful for us to win people's hearts!"
After Sima Yi pondered for a long time, he nodded in agreement:
"What Zhao'er said makes sense. I remember that the edict calling him back to the capital said that he should be sent to guard Taichang Qing. In this case, I will arrange for him to be resurrected and continue to let him serve as Taichang Qing."
————————————————————
Qingzhou, Langya Jungle, in a remote wooden house.
Li Huigu, who has regained consciousness, has tears on her face and is looking blankly at the letter her husband wrote to her:
"Hui Gu:
When you see this letter, you must have entered Qingzhou Qi.
I forgive my husband for failing to discuss this with you in advance, but Mingyue, Yun'er, and Liangchen are still young and must be protected by a loving mother. I also hope that Huigu will not be impulsive and think of our children.
Wait until he comes to court, the great revenge will be avenged, and you and I will be reunited one day.
Fu Xuan, handwritten. "
————————————————————
In the western border of Qingzhou, a man rides alone.
A middle-aged Taoist with eyes like stars, eyebrows like swords, a beard like a dragon, and a body like a pine tree. Dressed in khaki robes, a square scarf and a ribbon on his head, and with an elegant and free expression, he is riding a horse with a sword behind his back.
This is Cao Ai who entered the south of the Yangtze River at the age of three, seeking Taoism in Longhu Mountain, and his whole family was harmed by Sima.
He has sent Aunt Li Hui and her son safely to Qingzhou. Now, he is going to do the next thing.
That is to go to Qinchuan and explore the tomb of Weihou in Gaolingting to find out the cause of death of Cao Chong, King of Deng Ai, so that he can punish the Sima family!
————————————————————
Central Plains, Luoyang.
With the position of Henan Yin, he controlled the imperial capital internally and the capital outside, and also controlled the land of the six ancient townships and six Sui. The area under its jurisdiction has a mixed population, many wealthy families, and businessmen from all directions. It is a gathering place for various interests, but it is also a place where lawlessness and chaos breed.
The rules and regulations of the predecessor Henan Yin Sima Zhi were too simple, and the rules of Liu Jing, who took over, were too complicated, and the later Li Sheng did not govern the capital with regular laws and regulations.
Since Fu Gu took over as Henan Yin, he thought in various ways and finally decided to combine Sima Zhi's outline and Liu Jing's summary and details to restrain the organizational order, and restored many of the laws and regulations that Li Sheng had revised before.
Not only that, he also evaluated the 700 officials under the rule of the capital and reasonably allocated their powers. The administration of officials in the capital was clear for a while.
Within just half a year, the government and the people in the capital were in great control, and the atmosphere took on a completely new aspect.
In the Yin Fu Mansion in Henan.
The head of the family, Fu Gu, who returned to the mansion, dismissed the servants who were accompanying him, and came to the back hall alone.
Here is the spiritual throne he established for his former friend Cao Xi and Cao Zhaoshu.
Almost every day, he would come here to pay homage to his friends quietly.
Fu Gu looked at the portrait of his friend hidden behind the smoke, as if he was still in front of him.
He thought to himself that fortunately Taichu had been guarding the border all these years and was not too involved in this matter. He just hoped that he could let go of his obsession with the Cao family and spend the remaining years in peace and concentration in the house. Book.
——————————————————————
Yongzhou, Qinchuan.
Under the cover of night, a person sneaked into the barren mountains of the western suburbs.
He looked at the gravesite of the late Cao Chun, the powerful Marquis of Gaolingting, and suddenly understood.
"Your Majesty, this junior may disturb your mausoleum today, don't be surprised."
Due to the turmoil in the world and the primitive state of the country, this dynasty has been practicing frugality and practicing sparse burials since Emperor Taizu Wu.
Even now that the country is becoming more powerful, this habit has not changed.
The same is true for the tomb of Gaoling Weihou Cao Chun. Although it is magnificent in layout, it is simple and not extravagant.
In this tomb, the entrance of the tomb is square with rounded corners.
The entrance of the tomb is about one foot long and five feet wide. The bottom area of the tomb is not big or small, about one foot square.
Cao Ai held a shovel in his hand and dug the soil to about one foot or six feet. When the tomb reached the bottom, several tomb passages were revealed, winding away into the darkness.
The walls of this tomb are stretched outward, with a small mouth and a large bottom. There are also niches on the tomb wall that are nearly vertical to the ground, and some burial pottery is placed in the niches.
Although Cao Ai was frail when he was young, in the past few years in Longhu Mountain, he had learned Zhang Tianshi's secret method, which had long eliminated the ills in his body. Practicing the world-famous Xiahou Cao's internal sword skills and the Taoist skills of Longhu Mountain, as well as another adventure, Cao Ai at this time was not only superior in martial arts to Xiahou Xuan, Cao Xi and other brothers. By a large margin, he even surpassed his father Cao Zhen and the late Grand Sima Changping Zhuang Hou Cao Xiu.
In other words, at this moment, Cao Ai can be regarded as the best in his clan in terms of martial arts attainments.
Hundreds of miles away in the Central Plains, he was no longer invincible. Even though the tomb was gloomy and terrifying at the moment, he was not afraid at all.
Cao Ai walked along the main path of the tomb, and the funerary objects in the tomb came into view one by one.
The tomb mainly contains some pottery, bronze ware, clam bone ware, lacquer ware, tin ware, etc. There is no luxury goods such as gold and silver. Many funerary ornaments such as Li, pots, beans, and Gui appeared in front of him one by one. Cao Ai carefully observed these trivial objects as he moved forward, for fear of missing any important clues.
What secret had Commander Cao Chun discovered that led to his death?
Cao Ai gritted his teeth and vowed in his heart to solve this mystery.
On both sides of the tomb wall, there were many trivial objects such as pottery beans, pottery guis, pots, and pottery bowls placed on the second-floor platforms and on the burial cover. However, Cao Ai took the trouble and remained careful.
In this way, Cao Ai carefully searched along the main road step by step, and slowly came to the residence of the tomb owner.
A pair of coffins came into view.
Yes, it's a pair of coffins.
One of the coffins was wrapped with a coffin, but the other was not.
Cao Ai got a secret letter from his cousin Xiahou Xuan and learned that Cao Chun ordered his son to bury him in double coffins. The double coffins in front of him clearly told Cao Ai that the secret must be hidden in these two coffins!
Out of respect for the elders of the deceased, Cao Ai first kowtowed in front of the coffin. Then, he focused his attention on one of the coffins.
The strong wind stirred up by the internal force caused the dust in the tomb to fly. Cao Ai waved his sleeves and the lid of the coffin moved aside.
The body of the tomb owner in the coffin had long since decayed, leaving only a dry skeleton.
At this moment, the corpse is facing north, lying quietly on its back in the coffin.
This is Cao Chun, the great commander who was famous all over the world.
Cao Ai couldn't help but feel a little dazed for a moment. Decades of life pass by in a hurry, and no matter how famous you are during your lifetime, you will inevitably turn into a pile of loess after a hundred years!
The hands of the owner of the tomb are clasped in front of his chest at this moment, and the hands that have turned into withered bones are still holding the three-foot green-edged sword. It can be seen that the commander-in-chief still did not forget to defend the country with the sword until his death!
In this coffin, there are obviously the bones of Zi and the commander-in-chief, so...
The secret must be hidden in another coffin nearby!
Cao Ai suddenly flicked his sleeves, and the tomb was filled with dust again.
The coffin lid moved aside in an instant, and an almost rotten sword came into Cao Ai's eyes.
Cao Ai took out the scabbard of his sword and after looking at it for a long time, he seemed to have discovered something. He said softly: "I'm offended."
In an instant, the scabbard shattered and turned into powder, and the blade, which had been buried for many years but was still extremely sharp, appeared in front of Cao Ai's eyes.
If you don't look carefully, the fine patterns on the sword may just be regarded as ordinary decorations.
But Cao Ai had extraordinary eyesight and an obvious purpose, so it didn't take long for him to notice the secret hidden in the sword.
The dense patterns on the sword are actually made up of extremely small seal characters!
——————————————
Luoyang.
The weather has gradually become warmer, and the snow in various corners of the city has begun to melt, but the fires in the houses are still strong.
Changlinghou Mansion.
The owner of the mansion seems to have become accustomed to this life that is almost like house arrest. He just compiles books on his own every day, writing the collection called "Xiahouzi" that he started compiling many years ago.
He has also become accustomed to this feeling of loneliness.
This feeling is cruel and sobering.
"Junhou..."
The old man's voice had long been hoarse, and his tall and straight figure had become rickety. He came to the hall and filled a few pieces of animal charcoal into the stove in the house. He knew that the owner had been afraid of cold since he was a child:
"It's getting late, you should rest early..."
Xia Houxuan raised his eyes and smiled warmly at the old man:
"I understand, Uncle Gu, you should also rest early."
"Hey...hey...ok...junhou..."
The old man smiled kindly, his eyes full of love and tenderness, as if he regarded Xia Houxuan as his own child. His only son had gone to the border to join the army ten years ago, and his only grandson Gu Lianzhi had just gotten married and had already lived separately.
The hundreds of soldiers and two hundred Xuanjia guards in the mansion have also been taken back to the court by Sima Shi.
Therefore, in the huge Hou Mansion, apart from a few servants who cleaned the courtyard, cooked and washed clothes, only Gu Ting and Xia Houxuan were left.
"By the way, Uncle Gu."
Xia Houxuan seemed to suddenly remember something. He put the pen on the shelf and asked Gu Ting:
"I heard that my daughter-in-law adopted a son of the Cao family. The servants in the mansion were afraid of disaster and separated one after another. The clan sister's mansion must be short of food and rice at this time. Please arrange for someone to send some rice, food and firewood to the clan sister's mansion every month. Something like that.”
Gu Ting nodded and said:
"I'll do it right away."
When Gu Ting was about to exit the door, Xia Houxuan suddenly remembered something:
"Uncle Gu, where's Amo? Why haven't I seen it in the past two days?"
After hearing this, the old man's expression changed slightly. After being silent for a long time, he lowered his head and said:
"Junhou, Amo always likes to play in the snow. Maybe it's snowing heavily outside these days. He ran out to play. He will be back in a few days..."
The old man knew that more than thirty years had passed since Na Amo came to the house. If Li Dangzhi had not used miraculous veterinary medicine to prolong his life, he would have reached the end of his life long ago. It is said that every dog When he is about to pass away, he will find a quiet place with no one and die peacefully.
Amo, of course, is no exception.
Xia Houxuan seemed to remember that night on the Jiangling River when he was a boy.
The past is vague.
[In the countryside of Jiangling back then, the moonlight was like water, reflecting the river waves, which was even more beautiful.
Xia Houxuan, who was still a teenager, picked up a handful of clear river water and took a nice sip. He stroked the puppy's forehead and ears with wet hands, and the little white horse also licked the river surface leisurely.
"You guys tell me, what name should I give you..." Xia Houxuan murmured: "'The Luo family is happy when the bird comes, and the young man is sad when he sees the bird. Draw your sword and pull the net, and the oriole will fly. Flying. Mo Cangtian, come and thank the young man.', I have it!"
Xia Houxuan smiled and said:
"Just call the horse Baique, and call the dog Amo. How wonderful!"
The night is getting darker and darker, 'White Bird' is still licking the boy's cheek docilely, 'Amo' is also quietly swaying in the boy's arms, and the moonlight is getting softer and softer. 】
"Oh, Uncle Gu, I understand..."
Xia Houxuan stood up and turned his back, his eyes already wet.
At this night, the big dog Amo never woke up again. The black iron bell around his neck was still "ding-dong" in the winter wind, as if he was softly comforting his owner.
