Guo Xin woke up from the soft couch for the first time in a long time and looked at the beams above his head. It took him a long time to realize that he had returned to his home in Tokyo.
The young lady's soft jade-like body was still sleeping in his arms. Guo Xin took out his hand and sat up, feeling something hooked on his toes. After taking a closer look, I realized that it was the brocade robe that he had kicked off his feet at some point last night.
Guo Xin looked at the brocade robe that had several openings open, and was secretly amused in his heart: He didn't know what to think if others knew that the official reward was used as a plaything for night sex.
Guo Xin got up from the couch and found some regular clothes to put on alone. The young lady on the soft couch also woke up faintly. She looked around and found the torn brocade robe on the couch, so she had to use the brocade robe to barely cover the spring sunshine. , Xiatan helped Guo Xin clean up.
The brocade robe was too wide for Yu Niang's figure, and would slip off her shoulders if she wasn't careful, so she had to keep lifting it with her hands.
Guo Xin looked at Yu Niang's look and found it funny, and joked: "That brocade robe was given by the officials. It would be too rude for Yu Niang to wear it."
When Yu Niang heard this, she immediately gave a blank look: "Guo Lang still remembers that this was a gift from the official? It was used to do such shameful things." After saying that, Yu Niang stepped forward to tidy up Guo Xin's clothes: "Guo Lang's heart It’s so big, I don’t know how many people want this brocade robe.”
Guo Xin stretched out his arms and let Yu Niang arrange it for him: "What they value is not the brocade robe, but the favor represented by the brocade robe."
"Then Guo Lang doesn't value the favor of officials?"
"In the final analysis, it's just a piece of clothing. Since there are people who are willing to offer this brocade robe, there are also people like me who only regard it as an ordinary thing. The key lies in how I see it." Guo Xin pondered slightly, "Others' charity It’s not reliable, I value my own things more.”
When Guo Xin went out, Yu Niang seemed to be hesitant to speak.
Guo Xin thought for a moment and knew what Yu Niang was thinking. It was nothing more than the recent rumors that Wang Zhang was going to marry his only daughter to him. But this is indeed not a rumor. After all, Wang Jin has already revealed the Wang family's intentions to himself.
At this time, the imperial power was declining, and it was not uncommon for vassal commanders and powerful officials in the court to rely on marriage to make good friends with each other in order to maintain their own power and wealth for a long time. However, Guo Xin was not interested in marrying into the Wang family. On the one hand, he could not accept an inexplicable marriage with a woman he had never met.
On the other hand, although Wang Zhang is ranked as the Third Chief of Staff, he has no one and a half horses under his command, and he dislikes Su Fengji and other civil servants. This may not bring much benefit to the Guo family. Instead, it will weaken the relationship between the civil and military factions. Guo Meng, who had always been close to each other, forced him to join Wang Zhang and Yang Bin's faction.
But Guo Xin also knew that this matter mainly depended on the wishes of his father Guo Wei. He couldn't make any guarantee to Yu Niang now, so he had to pretend not to see the confusion on Xiao Niang's face, turned around and left.
…
On the 39th day of December, the ice on several canals in Tokyo has gradually thickened, and the prosperous trade that relies on the rivers is no longer in full swing.
However, in the large and small markets and streets in the city, the bustling sounds of pedestrians and vendors selling goods along the street were more noisy and lively than before. Whether it is the wealthy families living deep in the wealthy families or the ordinary people crowded in the streets and alleys, they are all preparing to welcome the first New Year since the establishment of the new dynasty.
The Khitan cavalry, which had been rampant for a long time, went north, and the towns in the Central Plains returned to peace. However, in such a situation that should have been celebrated together, the sudden death of the emperor's eldest son Liu Chengxun cast a vague shadow on the future of the Liu family dynasty. haze.
The whole Guo family was also shrouded in an atmosphere of ambiguity at this time. The Forbidden Army had already gone on business leave, and Guo Xin had very few extra things to worry about except going to Dian Mao every ten days.
Being a warrior at this time is indeed a very attractive job. Except for the occasional hard days when you have to go into battle and go out with the army, most of the ordinary days are very relaxed. Even if there is a battle, you will get a very generous sum after the battle. The reward - provided that you can come back alive.
Guo Xin went home from the military camp, but met Zheng Chen in the concierge. However, he did not find it strange at all that Zheng Chen appeared here. Zheng Chen's father, Zheng Renjie, had already come to Tokyo. Guo Wei seemed to be interested in recommending Zheng Renjie to serve in the Privy Council. The relationship between the two families was as close as ever.
"Brother Yi." Zheng Chen greeted Guo Xin quickly when he saw him, as if he had been waiting for him in the concierge.
Guo Xin greeted him with clasped fists: "Long time no see, how come Zheng Lang has time to come to my place?" He knew that Zheng Chen was now a member of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, and he should be really busy these days.
Zheng Chen smiled and said, "I know that Brother Yi is very happy right now and can't take care of old friends like me, so he had no choice but to pay a visit in person."
Guo Xin invited Zheng Zhen to come in and waved his hand: "It's nothing to be proud of. This time I will go back empty-handed."
Hearing this, Zheng Chen smiled bitterly and said, "Brother Yi, his promotion speed is already very fast. If he can be awarded a title for meritorious service in every war, in a few years he will not be able to go to the Guards Department and steal Shi Dejun's father's job?"
Guo Xin laughed, he naturally understood what Zheng Chen said, but he was not greedy, he really wanted to seize military power to settle down, but he couldn't explain what he was thinking to Zheng Chen.
Guo Xin led Zheng Zhun into a side hall and continued the previous topic: "Fortunately, now that the Central Plains has been settled, there is no place to look for military exploits."
But Zheng Chen shook his head: "Brother Yi has been out with the army for the past two months without knowing anything. According to the news from Guanzhong, the Lord of Shu is dispatching troops and generals, and seems to have the intention of going north to invade. At present, Zhao Kuangzan, the military commander of Jinchang Army, Hou Yi, the envoy of Fengxiang Festival, also heard that he was preparing to present a petition to the Lord of Shu and prepare to return to Shu."
"Is there such a thing?" Guo Xin was very surprised. He didn't know much about the situation in Guanzhong. He only knew that the imperial court had not yet fully grasped the power in Guanzhong. Due to the policies of the Huairou vassal town after Liu Zhiyuan came to the throne, many vassal towns in Guanzhong were under control. Envoys were all appointed by previous dynasties, even by the Khitan rulers. This seems to be the case in Fengxiang and Jinchang towns.
As for the Shu Kingdom, Guo Xin knew that the leader of the Shu Kingdom at this time was none other than the famous extravagant emperor Meng Chang... Before the Khitan went north, He Jianjian and others took Qinzhou and other places and surrendered to the Shu Kingdom. The Lord of Shu also sent troops They left Sanguan and headed north to pass through Guanzhong, but before they could capture a few states, Liu Zhiyuan, who was slower to send troops, had already entered Tokyo and officially took control of his homeland in the Central Plains.
Therefore, Guo Xin speculated that the Shu side was unlikely to be able to fight, otherwise he should have taken advantage of the chaos a few months ago to do something.
