The main gate at the southernmost end of the imperial city is called "Duanmen".
Duanmen is built near "Luoshui".
Luoshui is the most important river in Shendu. The south of the mountain and the north of the water are Yang. Luoyang, where Shendu City is located, is located to the north of Luoshui.
The dynasty has changed several times, and the city of Luoyang in ancient times has long ceased to exist, but its name has been preserved.
The current Shendu City spans Luoshui from the north to the south, and the Luoshui that passes through the city divides the entire Shendu City into north and south cities.
The Imperial City is located in Beicheng.
Walking out of Duanmen, there is a "Tianjin Bridge" erected on the Luoshui River, connecting the south bank of the Luoshui River. After crossing the Tianjin Bridge, you will come to the "Tianjin Street" in Nancheng.
"The First Minister of the Ming Dynasty"
To the left of Tianjie and south of Luoshui, there is a square called "Jishan Square".
This is the location of Fan Yanghou Mansion.
It is also Su Xian's home in Shendu City.
There is only a Tianjin Bridge between the Marquis Mansion and the Imperial City, which is equivalent to facing the Imperial City across the water. The distance is very close...
Therefore, the people sent by the Queen to the Hou Mansion quickly arrived in front of the Hou Mansion.
There were several eunuchs and more than ten Jinwu guards.
Seeing that the red-lacquered and copper-nailed door of the Hou Mansion was tightly closed, they stepped forward and knocked on the door.
winter!
winter!
winter!
"Who's knocking on the door?"
A series of footsteps came from the door of the mansion, getting closer and closer: "Wait a moment."
There was a creaking sound, and the thick and huge door opened a crack.
A man dressed as a porter poked his head out, and when he saw the eunuch and Jin Wuwei outside the door, he quickly put on a smile and bowed: "It turns out to be Eunuch Liu and Captain Sun, please come in."
The Eunuch Liu and Xiaowei Sun mentioned by the concierge were the eunuchs and Jinwu guards who came here on orders. Since they often came to the Marquis' Mansion to deliver orders, they were already familiar with the concierge of the Marquis' Mansion.
"No."
Eunuch Liu waved his hand, shook off the fly whisk in his hand, and said, "Is the Taiwei in the palace? Your Majesty has summoned you urgently and asked the Taiwei to enter the palace immediately."
"Unfortunately, my father-in-law is here! The captain and his two ladies left the city early in the morning for an excursion." the concierge replied.
"Leaving the city?" The expressions of Eunuch Liu and Lieutenant Sun changed. Captain Sun asked hurriedly: "Where did the Grand Lieutenant go?"
The concierge replied:
"To the southeast of Shendu City, dozens of miles away, there is Mount Song. The Taiwei and his two ladies are walking slowly. Captain Sun should be able to catch up now if they pursue them."
"Thank you!"
Lieutenant Sun told Eunuch Liu to agree on a meeting place, got on his horse, and ran away with more than ten Jinwu Guards under his command.
…
Outside the city of God.
On the official road leading to Songshan Mountain.
A long motorcade was driving slowly.
This is Su Xian and his party.
In the middle of the motorcade, in a wide carriage, three people, Su Xian, Tang Shuwan, and Liu Huixiang, were sitting.
The two ladies were both weak women and could not withstand the bumps, so the entire convoy moved very slowly.
But this is good, so that they can enjoy the pastoral scenery along the way. This kind of scenery is not common for the two women who have lived in the Marquis Mansion for a long time.
Su Xian accompanied the two ladies, either watching the scenery with them, or telling jokes to make them laugh, laughing and joking all the way, happy and fulfilling.
"My husband has been with us all day long, and we even went out for an outing in the city. I am so happy to be waiting for you."
In the carriage, the two women seemed to be tired, so they both calmed down and sat obediently on the left and right sides of Su Xian.
As a legal wife, Tang Shuwan never forgets her responsibilities and casually advised:
"However, my husband occupies an important position in the imperial court and is responsible for the well-being of the country, the country and the people of the world. I am afraid that my husband will delay the important events of the imperial court for us!"
Hearing this, Su Xian gently held Tang Shuwan's little hand and said with a relaxed smile:
"Madam, don't worry. What big things can happen to the court? Think of it this way, the court goes up to Her Majesty the Queen, down to the prime minister, civil and military officials, as well as local officials, etc."
"Aren't there enough people to deal with the trivial affairs of the court? My husband is a Taiwei, so it is inconvenient to intervene in important matters. Otherwise, how will the prime ministers, officials, etc. deal with themselves?"
Tang Shuwan frowned slightly. She always felt that Su Xian was making excuses for her laziness, but after thinking about it carefully, she didn't know how to refute it.
Then I thought again, although Su Xian was lazy, he had actually solved a lot of troublesome problems for the court... If her husband was like this, what else could her husband ask for?
After thinking about it in her mind, Tang Shuwan smiled sweetly, couldn't help but lean on Su Xian's shoulder, and said softly: "What your husband said is reasonable. I am a woman and I really shouldn't say too much."
Su Xian's heart moved, and he pulled Liu Huixiang on the other side and leaned on his shoulder.
Then his hands quietly went around the two women's sharp backs, held them down, and said with a grin:
"The court is in a stable state and nothing major will happen. You two should stop thinking wildly and just go on a leisurely trip with your husband."
"Husband..."
At this time, Tang Shuwan suddenly became alert. In front of Liu Huixiang, she took the initiative to lean on Su Xian's shoulder, killing her, and her face turned red with embarrassment.
When he was about to pull away and escape, his back was pressed hard by a big hand, preventing Fenhao from moving.
Liu Huixiang was also shy, but her reaction was far less serious than that of Tang Shuwan. She resisted a little twice, but when she found that she couldn't resist, she obeyed obediently.
Su Xian felt happy and grinned. During such a journey, holding both beauties in his arms, it felt really wonderful.
After arriving at Songshan Mountain later, they can indulge in the mountains and rivers, hold hands for a walk, barbecue, and camp... It's very interesting to think about it!
Especially for camping, Su Xian prepared "special equipment" this time to preserve unforgettable memories for the two girls.
However, just when Su Xian was hugging each other, tender and enjoying themselves, the carriage suddenly stopped.
The neighing of horses could be heard outside, and the sound of horse hooves and rutting stopped suddenly, as if the entire convoy had stopped.
"what happened?"
Su Xian was unhappy because Tang Shuwan took this opportunity to break free from his grasp and ran to the opposite side and sat down.
When Liu Huixiang saw this, she was stunned for a moment, got rid of Su Xian's pull, and sat across from Tang Shuwan.
"Jinwu guards are catching up, saying they are delivering His Majesty's oral instructions!" Guan Ping's voice came from outside the carriage.
"Your Majesty's oral order?" Su Xian was stunned for a moment.
"Did something big happen to the court?" Tang Shuwan and Liu Huixiang came closer, with worries on their faces.
"Don't worry, my husband said that nothing big will happen to the court. You just stay in the car and your husband will get out of the car and take a look at the situation."
"Um."
Su Xian jumped out of the carriage and saw Colonel Sun getting off his horse.
He hurriedly approached, and before he could exchange greetings, he said loudly: "Your Majesty has orally ordered that Taiwei Su Xian will enter the palace immediately. There must be no mistake. I appreciate this!"
"My lord, take the order!"
Su Xian bowed in the direction of Shendu City, turned to look at Lieutenant Sun, and asked, "I wonder why your Majesty summoned me to the palace so urgently?"
Lieutenant Sun replied: "Reporting to Lieutenant, it is said that due to the flooding of the Yellow River, the negotiations in Ping'an City and other matters, your Majesty and the civil and military officials are all helpless!"
"The Yellow River is overflowing and Ping'an City is negotiating?"
Su Xian frowned, turned around and got into the carriage.
Tang Shuwan and Liu Huixiang heard clearly just now, and they both stayed obediently, waiting for Su Xian's arrangements.
"Sure enough, something big has happened in the court. It seems to be very difficult. My husband must return to Beijing immediately." Su Xian looked apologetic: "I originally promised you to go sightseeing, but now it seems that we can only postpone it."
"My husband is the prince of the dynasty, so he should take state affairs as his top priority. I understand this in my heart." Tang Shuwan and Liu Huixiang said in unison, very virtuous.
"Let's turn our horses around and go back to the city together." Su Xian sighed.
Tang Shuwan hurriedly raised her hand, held Su Xian, and advised:
"Husband, no. Your Majesty has sent someone to rush you into the palace. I think the situation has become very serious. It will be too slow to take us back to the city. Please hurry back to the city."
"But you..."
"Husband, don't worry, just leave Guan Ping to protect you. In addition, there are so many soldiers, nothing will happen to you." Tang Shuwan replied.
"Oh well."
Su Xian got out of the car, and after carefully instructing Guan Ping, he got on his horse, took Yang Zhilan and a few personal followers, and followed Sun Xiaowei back to the city quickly.
The distance of twenty miles is not too far, and it will be there in a blink of an eye with a quick horse.
After Su Xian and his entourage entered the city, they rode on horseback to the Duanmen at the southern end of the imperial city, where Mr. Liu was waiting. Everyone dismounted and entered the palace on foot.
By the time Su Xian arrived in front of the main hall of the Vientiane Shrine, he had already learned from Eunuch Liu the ins and outs of the Yellow River flooding and the negotiations with Ping'an City.
"The captain is here!"
The young eunuch's loud voice resounded throughout the entire hall.
The hustle and bustle in the main hall of the Vientiane Palace stopped. From the queen to the ministers, everyone turned to look at the palace door.
Finally, the handsome figure that attracted everyone's attention appeared in front of everyone!
"Your Majesty, Su Xian, pays homage to His Majesty!"
Su Xian entered the palace and performed the courtesy of a monarch and his ministers.
The Queen hurriedly raised her hand and said: "Su Aiqing, you are here, no courtesy, please stay free!"
Su Xian thanked the Queen and calmed down. He had already considered these two difficult problems in his mind: "Your Majesty, regarding the Liao Kingdom's request for the Quyuanli drawings, I think it is acceptable."
The ministers exchanged glances with each other. After hearing Su Xian's words, their expressions varied, and some were very anxious, especially those who opposed handing over the drawings.
However, except for Su Xian's voice, no one spoke in the hall.
"What's the reason for Su Aiqing?" the Queen asked.
Su Xian replied loudly:
"The first point is that the Quyu plow has been popularized all over the world. Our beams can be seen everywhere, and the structure of the Quyu plow is not complicated and can be easily copied."
"If the Liao Kingdom is determined to imitate the Quyuan plow, we will not be able to prevent it. After all, the world is so big that there are always places that the court cannot see."
"It's better to generously give the drawings to the Liao Kingdom as a favor, which not only protects Daliang's face, but also takes the opportunity to exchange for some benefits."
After Su Xian finished speaking, the Queen nodded slowly, thinking it was reasonable.
Lan Ling and most of the ministers also agreed.
There were only a few extreme ministers who could not let go of their reputation as the "Celestial Kingdom" and disdained trade with the Liao Kingdom. However, these people did not dare to speak due to Su Xian's power.
In fact, Su Xian's words were not said by anyone just now.
But what others said is completely different from Su Xian's!
Su Xian's intimidating identity, as well as his incomparable achievements in the past, gave him a special aura, and his words were half believed.
Nature and ordinary people are not the same.
In other words...qualifications!
Su Xian is qualified to "set the tone" for something. This is a kind of aura that, although invisible and intangible, exists in the hearts of the ministers.
Su Xian continued:
"Second point, I have met Prince Nalanjie of the Liao Kingdom many times. He is very smart and admires our Central Plains culture. He also dresses like a scholar every day."
"Nalanjie made this request because he obviously wanted to try farming in the Liao Kingdom. I support this!"
"Throughout history, the fundamental reason why the northern nomadic tribes went south to invade the border was, in nine cases out of ten, because of the cold weather and the fact that their livestock froze to death and found it difficult to feed themselves."
"Can we grow food by farming in the Liao Kingdom? We don't know, but it's always good to try. What if we succeed? Will it reduce the possibility of the Liao Kingdom going south to invade the border to some extent?"
After hearing this, the Queen, Lan Ling and others couldn't help but nodded slowly again.
The Quyuan plow has been popularized all over the world, and it would not be a problem for the Liao Dynasty to imitate it.
It's better to give it away generously...
The Queen thought for a while and finally made a decision: "As for the Quyuanli drawings, just follow Su Aiqing's wishes!"
"Thank you, Your Majesty." Su Xian bowed.
"Your Majesty is wise." The ministers bowed.
Those die-hards who were unwilling to trade with the Liao Kingdom had no choice but to cease their activities when they saw this.
There was nothing they could do. They just looked at Su Xian and became intimidated. They didn't dare to express their opinions at all. What else could they do?
The Queen felt a little relieved when she saw that the situation in the court gradually became clearer.
Su Xian is indeed easy to use. He has just entered the court and solved the first problem in a few clicks. It can be said that it cuts through the mess quickly. The Queen is very satisfied.
So, Su Xian should be able to cut through the mess quickly when it comes to Ping An City negotiations.
The Queen, Lan Ling, and the ministers in the palace all looked forward to it. Su Xian had created countless miracles before, and I believe this time will be no exception.
If the problem in Ping'an City can be solved, then the problem of Yellow River flooding will not be a problem, perfect!
However, although Su Xian's expression remained unchanged, he said:
"As for the negotiation in Ping'an City, I...have nothing to do!"
"I knew that Su Aiqing would not disappoint me... Wait, what did Su Aiqing just say? Even you can't do anything?!" The smile on the Queen's face froze for an instant, and finally slowly disappeared.
Lan Ling, the ministers and others also had complicated expressions. Su Xian, who they had placed high hopes on, was actually helpless. It was really a headache!
Su Xian hurriedly said:
"Your Majesty, don't worry. The reason why I can't do anything about Ping'an City is because I don't understand the specific situation. For example, what are the real needs of the Liao Kingdom?"
"As a minister of Daliang, I should share your majesty's worries. I formally request your majesty to allow me to go to Youzhou to find out the situation and then prescribe the right medicine."
When the Queen heard this, her face looked much better, and she forced a smile:
"What Su Aiqing said makes sense. As the saying goes, only by knowing yourself and the enemy can you win a hundred battles. I have overlooked such a simple truth... Su Aiqing's request is correct."
"In order to facilitate Su Aiqing's work, I now grant you the title of 'Deposed Envoy of Hebei Province' and 'General Manager of the March of Hebei Province', and take charge of the military and political affairs of Hebei Province."
"In addition, Su Aiqing's female guard Yang Zhilan has been awarded the title of 'General Qianniu Guard' to protect Su Aiqing's safety along the way!"
Su Xian was slightly surprised. He was stunned for a moment and then immediately bowed:
"Thank you, Your Majesty. Please rest assured that I will do my best to handle this matter and live up to Your Majesty's expectations!"
