After a night of continuous autumn rain, crystal clear dewdrops have condensed on the leaves, flowers and grass. The oriole on the branches chirped happily, making the quiet Xuanwu Courtyard full of vitality.
In the inner courtyard of Xuanwu, Si Ruoshui, who was wearing a gauze with her black silk stockings, sat facing the mirror, and a girl next to her was gently combing her hair.
The girl has an oval face, beautiful eyebrows, and her black hair is tied up at an angle. She is wearing a silver-white Xuanwuyuan guard uniform, with two pink peach blossoms embroidered on the cuffs, making her gorgeous.
"Huan Yu, isn't it too unfair for you to ask a girl like you to come to a place full of men in this courtyard to accompany me?" Si Ruoshui sighed softly.
"Sister Ruoshui, what are you talking about? As long as I can stay with my sister, Huan Yu is very satisfied. When I wanted to come here, I was really afraid that my sister wouldn't agree." The woman named Huan Yu said with a smile.
Si Ruoshui held Huan Yu's hand happily, nodded and smiled: "Don't worry, sister will definitely help you find a husband one day."
Huan Yu's face immediately turned red after hearing this: "Sister is not serious again. When did Huan Yu say she wanted to get married?"
Just as the two were chatting happily, a majestic voice came from the door of the room: "Is Ruoshui here? Dad, come and see you."
Si Ruoshui motioned to Huan Yu to open the door, and he quickly changed into his guard uniform and came out.
"Ruoshui, are you still used to being in Xuanwu Courtyard these days?" Si Zhongwei saw his beloved daughter's eyes suddenly changed from the usual majesty to full of fatherly love.
Si Ruoshui bowed to Si Zhongwei and said, "Dad, please rest assured that everything is fine with my daughter. Huan Yu, please serve tea quickly."
After a while, Huan Yu came forward with a tray and gave Si Zhongwei a cup of Biluochun and Si Ruoshui a cup of snow ginseng tea.
Si Zhongwei waved his hand towards Huan Yu: "Huan Yu, you go down first. I have something to say to Ruoshui alone."
"Yes, Commander." Huan Yu sensibly took the tray and exited the room.
Si Ruoshui looked at Si Zhongwei in surprise: "Dad, what makes you so cautious that you want to reject Huan Yu?"
"The matter is so important that I have to be cautious. Do you know about the envoys from Yan and Wei coming to Beijing?" Si Zhongwei picked up Biluochun and blew it gently.
Si Ruoshui nodded: "My daughter has also heard about it. I heard that this is a major event in the DPRK in recent years."
"That's right, and our Jingwei Mansion is responsible for protecting the envoys. Therefore, I want to hand over this task to your Xuanwu Academy. I wonder if you have the courage to take over this task?" Si Zhongwei felt complicated. Looked at Si Ruoshui.
"Since I have entered this Xuanwu Academy, I just don't want to spend this life like an ordinary boudoir girl. My daughter has accepted this task, please don't worry." Si Ruoshui's eyes were full of anticipation for this task.
Si Zhongwei sighed: "Dad really doesn't want you to follow in my footsteps and get involved in these disputes. If you regret it now, it's still too late."
Si Ruoshui's eyes were full of determination: "My daughter will never regret it, and she hopes her father will fulfill her wish."
Si Zhongwei nodded: "Since you have made your decision, dad will naturally give his full support. The envoy will arrive in two hours. Dad has arranged for Xu Shujian's Suzaku Courtyard to be escorted along the way, and the safety of the Imperial Garden is up to you. He'an Defense Commander Xuanwuyuan is responsible for guarding."
"When it comes to security, there is something unclear about my daughter. Didn't we agree to promote Ye Hu to be the chief guard of Xuanwu Academy? Why did dad suddenly change his mind?" Si Ruoshui asked in confusion.
"Dad didn't change his mind, but he didn't want Ye Hu to be the chief of the guard at all." Si Zhongwei had a deep look in his eyes.
"Why is this? Isn't Ye Hu not good enough?" Si Ruoshui couldn't understand the confusion in his heart.
"You will know this later. Dad knows that you have a crush on Ye Hu, but the most important thing in the guard job is not to be emotional, understand?" Si Zhongwei said seriously.
"Dad, I don't have a daughter." Si Ruoshui, who had always been as cold as ice, couldn't help but have a blush on her cheeks when she mentioned Ye Hu.
"It's fine if not." Si Zhongwei didn't pay much attention and continued: "As for An Dafang, he can break through the formation and save people in critical moments. Isn't he worthy of special promotion?"
Although Si Ruoshui liked Ye Hu more in his heart, he could not refute the promotion of An Da Fang. Moreover, if An Da Fang had not broken the formation and saved him at the critical moment, the consequences would have been disastrous.
Seeing that Si Ruoshui was silent, Si Zhongwei thought she still had doubts, so he smiled and said, "Dad asked you to look at something and you will understand." As he said this, he took out a bright yellow scroll from his wide sleeve and handed it over. .
Si Ruoshui unfolded the scroll and looked at it, and said in surprise: "I didn't expect that An Dafang was so powerful. He actually managed to ask Taifu Liang for advice and was conferred by the Holy Emperor."
"Yes, although An Dafang is now the chief guard of Xuanwu Academy, his rank is no longer lower than yours. So I hope you can work together to complete this mission." Si Zhongwei looked up in the air meaningfully, obviously interested in An Da Fang's performance has exceeded his understanding.
Si Ruoshui nodded in conviction: "My daughter understands."
The slightly yellowed maple leaves and the cold chrysanthemums make the imperial garden in autumn less lush and more elegant than in spring. However, the atmosphere in the park is highly tense. The guards of Xuanwu Courtyard have been distributed by Si Ruoshui on various sentries, so tightly that not even a fly can fly in.
In the center of the Imperial Garden is the Royal Dance Hall, which is approximately two to three acres and is built in an oval shape. It was originally a training place for the Forbidden Army. After Xiao Shiyu ordered the Forbidden Army to be moved to the East Garden, it was converted into a dance hall.
At this time, Xiao Shiyu was sitting on the dragon chair at the top of the dance arena with a cheerful expression on his face. At the bottom, the ministers of Qi State and members of the envoy were sitting on the left and right. Although the two sides did not say a word, the atmosphere was tense and on the verge of breaking out.
"Come on, come on, let's have a drink together first. I'll do it first as a token of respect." Xiao Shiyu lost no time in breaking the deadlock and drank the wine in the bottle.
When everyone heard what Xiao Shiyu said, they all picked up their wine bottles and drank.
"This wine is mellow and sweet with a hint of sourness. The south of the Yangtze River is really prosperous. There are even wines that can only be drunk in the Western Regions, and the taste is so authentic." A young man from Huangshan in the delegation on the right looked unsatisfied. He spoke in praise.
"Prince Murong is really good at wine. This wine was brought back by a commoner friend of mine who traveled to the Xiyuan Kingdoms. All of you here today are distinguished guests of my court, and I should treat you with fine wine as a token of my honor." Sincerity in making peace with Yan Wei." Xiao Shiyu followed Mr. Huangshan's words and said.
Tong Bo, who was standing guard on the sidelines, recognized Mr. Huang Shan immediately as the man with whom he fought fiercely at the mass grave. He thought to himself, "It turns out to be him. I didn't expect him to be the Duke of Yan Kingdom."
An Dafang on the side said softly: "This man is Murong Li, the younger brother of Murong Jue, King of Northern Yan. It is said that this man is talented, playing chess, calligraphy, painting, swords, guns, swords and halberds, and he is best at the art of formation. , our border troops often suffered losses under his hands in battles with the Yan State."
"Oh? I think he looks like a pampered young man. Is he as powerful as you say?" Tong Bo pretended to be ignorant and smiled bitterly in his heart: "I have learned this lesson a long time ago."
An Dafang's face was full of excitement: "If I have the chance, I really want to fight him and see if he has lived up to his reputation?"
Tong Bo shook his head and was about to say something when he heard a crisp voice: "Your Majesty, on behalf of my brother the King of Luoyang, I present a letter of credence and ask for your Majesty's approval."
A girl with delicate features stood up, holding her credentials in both hands, and stood politely. Black hair, black robe, and black shoes give people a sense of simplicity, but they cannot conceal her graceful grace.
"My brother, King Beiyan, also has a letter of credence to present to His Majesty." Murong Li handed over the letters of credence one after another as if he had discussed it with the girl.
Xiao Shiyu read the letters between the two countries respectively, and glanced to the left: "Yan and Wei have written in their letters of credence, requesting to rent the cities of Fan and Deng in Jingxiang to comfort the border people. What do you think? "
"There are so many residents in the two cities of Fan and Deng that they cannot accommodate the border residents from other countries. I hope that your majesty will be considerate of our people in Jingxiang." A middle-aged official in Jingzhou official uniform bowed.
"This gentleman is wrong. In the two cities of Fan and Deng, only the main city is crowded, but there is a large amount of wasteland around the main city that is unmanaged. The border people of our two countries can just open up wasteland and cultivate land here. This is beneficial to both of us, so why don't we all enjoy it?" Why not?" The sixty-year-old man sitting next to Murong Li suddenly said.
"The living habits of the people living on the northern and southern frontiers have always been different. It would be inappropriate if they rashly live in the same city." An elegant-looking official with a slender gable mustache bowed to the sixty-year-old man.
"May I ask what your lord's name is? What is the official residence?" The sixty-year-old man seemed to be interested after hearing this.
"Bucai Liu Yuanzhi, favored by His Majesty, now holds the post of Zhongshu Ling."
"It turns out it's Lord Zhongshu. It's really disrespectful." The sixty-year-old man retorted unhurriedly: "Since Emperor Qin unified China until now, the integration of north and south is not without precedent; now our three kingdoms of Yan, Wei and Qi are getting along harmoniously. At this time, we will implement Isn’t the policy of integrating border people in line with the times and people’s hearts?”
"The northerners are vulgar, how can we and the southerners integrate with you? I hope your majesty will think twice." Hearing these words, Yuan Kui of Shangzhu Kingdom could no longer control his emotions and walked away from his seat with a grunt. He came out and bowed to Xiao Shiyu.
As soon as he finished speaking, a black shadow came from behind Yuan Kui like a whirlwind. Yuan Kui was caught off guard and had to turn around and punch out, which collided with the black shadow's fist.
Everyone only saw Yuan Kui being pushed back three or four steps. The girl in black robe who had just presented her credentials stood calmly on the spot and scolded in a sweet voice: "The noble Zhu Kingdom of Qi actually said such disrespectful words. It’s vulgar.”
"I am so angry." Yuan Kui roared and rushed towards the black-robed girl. The two exchanged hands again. After two moves, Yuan Kui was knocked back several steps.
"Yuan Zhuguo, you are no match for me. I just punished you for your disrespectful words. If you are bothering me, don't blame me for being rude." The girl in black robe was obviously a little angry.
"Lord Zhuguo, please retreat quickly." Xiao Shiyu hurriedly ordered.
But at this time, Yuan Kui made a fool of himself in public and had already lost his mind. He could not even listen to what others said, so he rushed over again.
The girl in black robe looked at the unreasonable Yuan Kui with a cold look on her face, and the black energy in her jade fist slowly gathered.
Seeing this, Tong Bo felt something bad in his heart, and called out in a secret voice: "Defang, hurry up and rescue Mr. Yuan."
