The morning light poured into the room through the window lattice. Fu Jinlu stood in front of the bronze mirror and quietly looked at his reflection in the mirror. Although she had applied powder, the light powder still couldn't cover up the tiredness hidden between her dark eyebrows and phoenix eyes.
Fu Jinlu always slept peacefully, but last night was an exception. Today is the day when she leaves Tokyo with her brother and returns to Yanzhou, where her father, Fu Yanqing, is the military commander of the Taining Army. When leaving, it is always easy for people to have some nostalgia for their hometown and old friends, but she was absent-minded. It was not because she wanted to say goodbye to Tokyo, but because she had other thoughts and sorrows lingering on her.
Fu Jinlu got used to leaving very early. She grew up with her father. Her grandfather Fu Cunxen was a famous general in the previous dynasty Zhuangzong. Her father also served in the army at an early age for some reason. By the time she was born in the first year of Tianfu, her father had already begun to serve as a high official in the party. town. He was first the military envoy of Tongzhou, and soon returned to Tokyo to serve as the general of the imperial army. But she had no memory of Tongzhou, where she was born. When she was in Tokyo, she could only recall her mother's small courtyard. Jin Lu's first memories were from a slightly older age, the days after her father moved to Yanzhou.
Compared to Tokyo and even Yanzhou, where the Fu family is now located, Yanzhou is undoubtedly an insignificant small town in Kansai, but for Jin Lu, who was only in his early teens at the time, what a mysterious and vast world it was! She vaguely remembered the low walls of Yanzhou City, the dark yellow and lifeless streets, as well as the cries of the vendors on the streets and the suffering faces of the people fleeing from other places... She also remembered that her father was too busy with the military government at that time. To discipline her, she often went to the streets with her brothers to play and get into trouble. In the end, her father always ordered someone to come with a wry smile on her face, and her mother always blamed her: "It's not like a girl's home."
After that, his father successively changed the governorship of Heyang, Xuzhou, Xuzhou, and Yanzhou, and Fu Jinlu moved around with his father. However, it was during this move from south to north that his brother Fu Zhaoxu was nurtured by his father. He has gradually become a qualified general, and Fu Jinlu has already become the dignified appearance in the mirror at this moment. The child who ran wildly in Yanzhou City disappeared without a trace long ago.
Fu Jinlu suddenly recalled these memories for some reason, secretly thinking, maybe he was worried about where he would be in the future? But now it is at least certain that that place will no longer be Hezhong Mansion.
At this time, Bi Tao opened the door and said softly: "Madam, Da Lang is urging you outside."
Fu Jinlu responded and turned the bronze mirror upside down on the table.
The Fu family's carriages and horses had been parked in front of the gate, and there were not many suitcases on the ground. Because Fu Zhaoxu realized that it was a troubled time in the DPRK, and there were many thieves in the Central Plains area, there was still unrest, so he decided to pack lightly in order to return as soon as possible. To Yanzhou. Therefore, Fu Jinlu only packed a few pieces of satin and a box of makeup items, all of which had patterns and rouge powder that could not be bought in Yanzhou.
Fu Zhaoxu was currently instructing his servants to load the items he had purchased in Tokyo into the carriage, including a black eagle in a hardwood cage - it was a gift for his father who loved hawks and dogs, and it had already been tied up. The wings tied up the beak, and he was looking at a pair of eagle eyes staring at Fu Jinlui who had just stepped out of the door.
Seeing Fu Jinlu come out, Fu Zhaoxu kept busy with his work and simply said hello: "Sister, get in the car first. We'll set off right now. If we walk faster in the morning, we might be able to reach the border of Caozhou before dark."
Bi Tao and Fu Jinlu were riding in the same car. She lowered the curtain and whispered in Fu Jinlu's ear: "It's really strange. In previous years, when entering the court, both civil and military officials asked about the day our family left Beijing. At this time, the entrance and the pavilion outside the city We should have been waiting for everyone to see each other off. When has there ever been such a dull scene? "
"In previous years, the official's surname was Shi, but this year the official's surname is Liu. All my acquaintances in Tokyo died or fled, or were captured by the Khitans and taken to Youzhou. Who do you want to see them off?"
Bi Tao lowered her head and said nothing, then she seemed to think of something and suddenly smiled: "My lady, what you said is not right. I see there is an acquaintance in Tokyo."
Fu Jinlu glanced at Bi Tao gently, opened the small curtain and looked towards the street: "He won't come."
...Guo Xin did not go out at this time, but sat quietly in his mother's room with his brother Guo Tong, waiting for the news.
Late last night, Privy Councilor Yang Fu sent someone to knock on the door and told him that Li Tao, Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, Ping Zhangshi, had come to the palace to meet with His Majesty. He conspired to send two Privy Councilors to Guanxi to go to town, and asked Guo Wei to go to Yang Fu overnight to discuss countermeasures. The two brothers Guo Xin came early in the morning to accompany the frightened and doubtful Zhang.
It was already midnight, and Guo Wei had not returned all night. Mrs. Zhang was full of worry written on her face: "The Liu family has always treated my family well. Why does the Xiaoguan family suddenly want us to go to Kansai?"
Guo Tong was weak and afraid of the cold, so he wore a mink fur coat. He had not yet taken it off at dawn. Hearing Zhang's worries, he said generously: "Who in the civil and military circles of the entire dynasty doesn't know that my father is a loyal and good minister, and his official family is old?" The child doesn’t know how to distinguish. He must have been slandered by the traitor for a while. Maybe he will wake up this morning. Do he really want to send his father and Mr. Yang to Guanxi? "
Guo Xin followed Guo Tong's words and said: "That's true. In the current situation, changes in Guanxi are a certainty. It's not a good idea to mobilize the two privy envoys to go to town at this juncture..."
Although Guo Xin tried every means to save his family from misfortune, if Guo Wei stayed away from the center and went to an outer town at this time, unlike the Fu family and other Jiedu envoys who had lived in outer towns for a long time, the Guo family, which had no foundation and no yamen army, would really be in trouble. Fish and meat to be slaughtered by others, not to mention that Guo Xin and Guo Tong both hold military and government positions. I am afraid they will only be kept in Tokyo as hostages. What will Liu Chengyou, Li Tao, Su Fengji and others think of again? I am afraid they will die without knowing how. of.
Fortunately, Liu Chengyou's sudden appearance was completely stupid in Guo Xin's opinion. You must know that Guo Wei and Yang Bin are already two of the five ministers entrusted by the late emperor Liu Zhiyuan before his death. Among the remaining three, Shi Hongzhao is close to his family, and Wang Zhang is his new ally through marriage. Now if we want to send two privy envoys to Kansai to serve as military envoys, regardless of whether the Manchu civil and military officials agree with it out of public concern, can the fledgling Liu Chengyou shake the hearts of four people with a single official document?
Guo Xin expected that the turmoil in the secret room would end in vain, but after all, he was too far away from the core of the court, so he was not sure that this was a decision made by Liu Chengyou and Li Tao. It seems that there is another shadow of Su Fengji, another civil servant leader, behind this. Conflicts have begun to emerge between the civil and military sides of the imperial court. Su Fengji wants to exclude Guo Yang from the decision-making circle. Firstly, he takes this opportunity to get involved in the Privy Council to control the imperial army. Secondly, the only military commanders left are the brave and ruthless Shi Hongzhao and the greedy Wang Zhanger. People, plus the three prime ministers Su Yugui, Li Tao, and Dou Zhengu on the periphery of the civil servant faction, it would be easy to continue fighting against the two kings of history.
"...Don't worry, grandma, if it doesn't work out, I can still go to Xianggong Wang to plead for mercy and speak for my father in front of the officials."
Guo Tong's words interrupted Guo Xin's thinking. Guo Xin looked over and saw Guo Tong smiling confidently. It seemed that his brother was very happy to be Wang Zhang's son-in-law.
"That will happen later," Mrs. Zhang was still worried. "Your father has not been home for a long time and there is no news. You should first find someone to go to Privy Yang to check on the situation."
Guo Xin had already had enough time here, and he stood up immediately after hearing this: "This matter is confidential, don't worry, mother, I will go find out the news myself."
Mrs. Zhang also nodded: "I can rest assured that Brother Yi will do things."
As soon as he left Zhang's house, Guo Xin met a servant rushing towards the inner room. Guo Xin stopped him and asked, "What's so urgent?"
The servant ignored the salute and replied hastily: "Your Majesty will return home immediately. Send someone to send word that you are going to change your clothes and enter the palace immediately."
Hearing that Guo Wei was about to return home, Guo Xin hurriedly went to the front house to greet him, and soon met the travel-worn Guo Wei in the front hall.
Guo Wei didn't stop when he saw Guo Xin, he just waved his hand and called him forward.
Guo Xin kept up with Guo Wei's hurried steps and said, "I've seen my father. My mother is thinking about my father. The child is getting ready to go out..."
Guo Wei calmly interrupted: "I have discussed it with Mr. Yang and Mr. Shi, and I will go to the palace to meet the Queen Mother soon. Nothing will happen this time. You don't need to worry."
Queen Mother Li! Guo Xin suddenly understood. He had forgotten that there was such a person in the palace who could speak more effectively than Liu Chengyou. As long as he could persuade Queen Mother Li, he would really defeat the enemy with one move. Guo Xin boldly observed Guo Wei's expression from his side. Indeed, he couldn't see much worry, but there was a bit of coldness hanging on the corner of his mouth.
However, when thinking of the tragic scenes in history, Guo Xin couldn't help but remind him: "Since there are traitors close to the official family, my father and Mr. Yang should be more careful when entering the palace."
"Erlang is interested," Guo Wei glanced at Guo Xin in surprise, and then smiled, but did not continue on this topic. Instead, he said: "In the past two days, the Privy Council will choose the imperial army to go to Kansai first. Erlang It’s better to prepare early.”
Guo Xin was stunned at first, then immediately responded: "I understand, kid!"
Guo Wei's big hand patted Guo Xin's shoulder forcefully: "You will be happy when you hear about the war. This is the behavior of my son."
