Guo Xin took his three younger brothers into the inner courtyard to pay a visit to the Zhang family. The Zhang family had already learned that Guo Xin had returned from the expedition and sent a maid to greet him at the door.
Entering inside, before Guo Xin could salute her, Zhang asked first, "Erlang has been out for a few days. The outside is not as good as at home. He suffered a lot in the battle, right?"
Guo Xin still paid homage to Mrs. Zhang. In order to avoid Mrs. Zhang's worry, he tried his best to say in a nonchalant tone: "It's a bit of a hardship, but I feel that the battlefield is not that dangerous, not to mention that the military commander is taking care of me. The second time was when he returned from victory and was promoted by an official."
Mrs. Zhang was pleased when she heard this and said, "I know Erlang is capable. Your father was very happy for a few days when he learned that you had made great achievements in Daizhou."
Guo Xin paid attention to Zhang's expression when she spoke, and felt relieved when he saw that she didn't show any worry. Although Zhang is not his biological mother, she is undoubtedly the woman who cares about him the most in this world, and he has already regarded Zhang as his mother. And when people are away from home, they generally don’t want their families to worry.
In fact, Mrs. Zhang is not a very beautiful woman, she can’t even be said to be pretty, and she doesn’t have the airs of a so-called lady... She doesn’t look like a member of the family of an important minister, but more like an ordinary woman who can often be seen outside. people. But precisely because of this, compared to the serious Guo Wei and his brother Guo Tong, Zhang made him feel closer from the bottom of his heart and truly felt the warmth and care of his family.
Guo Xin said kindly: "My father has gone to the south now. My mother has to take care of the affairs of the house and discipline the three children. I have to be considerate and don't work too hard."
Mrs. Zhang covered her mouth and chuckled: "It seems that Erlang has also learned to love others. You sons and daughters are all busy with big things outside, and this little thing in the house is nothing compared to it. I can still take care of it. What's more, there are Da Lang is here."
After saying that, Mrs. Zhang glanced at the three brothers behind Guo Xin and said with a smile: "What bad thing did you three do again, and you asked Brother Yi to catch you?"
The three brothers were asked to stay where they were, looking at Guo Xin begging for mercy. The youngest brother Ding nervously grabbed the corner of Guo Xin's sleeves.
Guo Xin smiled and said: "It's nothing, I just happened to meet her when I came here, so we came together to say hello to my mother."
As he spoke, he patted the three brothers beside him on the back, and the three of them also stepped forward and bowed obediently.
Mrs. Zhang took Guo Xin and chatted for a long time, until Guo Xin saw that Mrs. Zhang was gradually showing signs of fatigue and that it was getting late outside and she could not stay in the inner courtyard for long, so she prepared to leave.
Mrs. Zhang seemed to be thinking of something again: "Isn't Erlang going to leave again soon?"
Guo Xin thought for a moment that the Fengguo Army was still in Taiyuan to repair and replenish its troops, so they would not be in a hurry to leave recently, so he asked: "There shouldn't be anything going on recently. What are your instructions, mother?"
Zhang said with a smile: "In three days, the queen will go to Chongfu Temple to pray for the military fortune of the new dynasty. Important ministers and family members can also accompany her. Since Erlang has nothing to do recently, can he accompany me?"
Just when Guo Xing was about to refuse, Mrs. Zhang said: "Although Erlang loved to dance with swords and sticks in the past, he always loved to accompany me. This year, during the Lantern Festival, Erlang didn't want to worship Buddha with me. Could it be that he now dislikes me as a woman?" Are you talking too much?"
When it came to this offer, Guo Xin couldn't refuse, so he could only say straightforwardly: "Since mother likes it and is lucky enough to meet the queen, there is no reason why the child should not go." After thinking about it, he said curiously: "I don't know about the new title of the official family. Which queen belongs to you?"
"It's strange that Erlang said that I have only loved Mrs. Wei for all these years - and now she is naturally Li Sanniang and Empress Li."
Li Sanniang, Guo Xin recited silently, but felt that he often heard this name.
…
Summer has just begun and the weather is already getting hotter.
Guo Xin got up early when the morning bell rang in the city, waiting to accompany Zhang to Chongfu Temple.
The sun has been scorching recently, so Guo Xin also put on a refreshing wide shirt. However, he had gotten used to the weight of the armor over the past few months, and for a while he felt a little unaccustomed to ordinary clothes.
When Mrs. Zhang went out to ride in a sedan chair, apart from the bearers, she was accompanied only by her close maids and Guo Xin and Guo Pu. And Guo Xin's brother Guo Tong has been leaving early and coming back late these days. He didn't even see Guo Xin even after he stayed at home for three days. I don't know what he was busy with in the government office all day. I only heard that he just got a job in the Ministry of Industry. The errand of the foreign branch member.
The group soon arrived at Nancheng where Chongfu Temple is located. Guo Xin has heard about Chongfu Temple for a long time. It is said that Chongfu Temple was built in the Sui Dynasty. It is now the largest temple in Taiyuan Prefecture and even among the counties in Hedong. It covers an area of four square square meters. There are thousands of monks in the temple. At its peak, monks from the Western Regions and even Japan came to visit and learn.
It's just that Guo Xin doesn't believe in this and has no interest in monks' Buddhism. He just comes to see the Queen of the New Dynasty from a distance.
When we arrived outside Chongfu Temple, we saw a bustling crowd, much denser than when the Khitan envoys entered the city before. Apparently there were many people who wanted to see the new dynasty's ceremonial guard with the same purpose as Guo Xin.
Because of the Queen's arrival, the inside and outside of Chongfu Temple have been put under guard by the inner court, and those who are waiting can only wait and watch the excitement on the outer road. Guo Xin curiously observed the difference between the warriors who guarded the palace and the warriors in the army. He saw that the guards were all tall and well-equipped with armor. They looked very majestic, but he didn't know if they were just showy.
Guo Xin protected Zhang's sedan chair through the crowd, and finally landed the sedan chair outside the temple gate.
The gate of the temple is very large. Except for the main gate where nobles come and go, there are only three small gates on the left and right sides. Dozens of sedans have been parked outside the temple, and the bearers and servants of each family are chatting around the sedans of the women and girls at home. It is obvious that there are many noble family members summoned by the queen.
Guo Xin asked Zhang to get off the sedan chair, and Guo Pu took the sedan bearers to wait aside.
Before Zhang entered the temple gate, she stood respectfully in front of the temple gate, clasped her hands and bowed in the direction of the temple, and recited a scripture from an unknown source.
Guo Xin followed Zhang's gaze and looked up, and saw a large square plaque on the temple door, which read "Chongfu Temple". Even if Guo Xin didn't know calligraphy, he could see that the word was written very well.
Mrs. Zhang noticed Guo Xin's gaze and said to him with a smile: "That word was given by the former Emperor Zhuangzong." After that, he walked towards the temple.
Guo Xin saw this and followed him, but found that the threshold of the closed door was two steps high. If he wasn't paying attention, he would probably trip to the ground. Guo Xinxin said: Regardless of how effective worshiping in the temple is and how exquisite Buddhist teachings are hidden, the threshold is indeed quite high.
