On cold nights in late autumn, white dew turns into frost.
Xiao Xiu walked on the wooden corridor. He rubbed his hands, put them to his mouth and let out a breath, and a white mist came out of his mouth.
"It's really cold at night," he said.
The whole mansion was silent. Most people had already fallen asleep. Only the study where the master was was still brightly lit.
Xiao Xiu stepped into the room and first brought Zhang Fu a cup of warm eight-treasure tea, then stirred the brazier and added some silver frost charcoal into it.
Zhang Fu buried his head in the documents and said without raising his head, "You should go and have a rest first. I don't need anyone to serve me here."
"I'll accompany you, sir." Xiao Xiu placed a chair on the other side of the desk and sat opposite Zhang Fu.
He ground some ink, picked up a pen, and helped Zhang Fu copy various drafts.
"Take a look at this." Zhang Fu said nothing more and handed over a page of letter across the table.
"The 'Exhortation to Punish the Rong Bandits' drafted by Lord Zhou? Has the lord decided to go into all-out war with the Quanrong?" Xiao Xiu was a little surprised.
Zhang Fu's men kept writing, and he said, "Yes, Mo Qiaosheng is probably leading a large army out of Zhengzhou. We are about to face a great war. It's a pity that the time is too short. I had hoped to have another year or two to prepare."
"Since the enemy is unwilling to give us time and has already bullied our way to the gate, we have no choice but to fight back." Zhang Fu kept writing, "Offense is the best defense. The Lord's decision is right. I support her."
Xiao Xiu looked at the letter in her hand, revealing a trace of worry: "Lord Zhou is going to go on a personal mission? But his leg..."
Zhang Fu raised his hand and anointed the brush on the inkstone: “Although Zixi’s legs are disabled, his heart is stronger than most people. You don’t have to worry about him.”
"But since Lian Zixi is working so hard, I can't be lazy either. I'm afraid I'll be very busy in the next period of time." He glanced at Xiao Xiu across from him, "We will all be very busy."
"Yes." Xiao Xiu lowered her head and carefully copied the document in her hand.
He was thinking silently in his mind.
This year was a good year. The population of Bianjing, Qixian, and Zhongmu increased dramatically, and the national treasury had abundant revenue.
We had just won a victory in the State of Song, gaining new land and a large amount of compensation.
Xiao Xiu unconsciously began to simulate Zhang Fu's thinking.
He wondered what the gentleman needed to think about at this time
There is a war ahead, and what we need to do is to provide sufficient food and wages to the soldiers on the front line.
It is also necessary to step up the training of new recruits so that a steady supply of reinforcements can be provided when war is needed.
In addition, Bianliang had just become the new capital and there was a lot of work to be done. The court was divided into various factions and it was a time of chaos.
Sir, there are so many things for me to do. I have to work harder and try my best to help you, Xiao Xiu thought to herself.
Zhang Fu seemed to know what Xiao Xiu was thinking, and asked, "Besides armaments and food, do you know what is most important to us right now?"
"Is there anything more important than these two?" Xiao Xiu thought for a moment and then realized, "Sir, are you talking about... defending the country?"
"It's good that you thought of Weiguo." Zhang Fu looked up at him and nodded approvingly.
"Yao Hong of Wei has been coveting our Bianjing for a long time. Their navy is very powerful. It only takes a few days to sail from Daye Lake along the Ji River to Huangchi near Bianjing. We must be on guard against them to prevent them from taking advantage of the chaos. In addition, Song just suffered a defeat at our hands. Even if their monarch is cowardly, he must be unwilling to accept the defeat. We must not be careless."
"Sir, when you mentioned this, I remembered something." Xiao Xiu raised his head, "The hostage sent by the Wei Kingdom to our country encountered an assassin today. Fortunately, he was not injured thanks to the effective guards."
"Assassin?" Zhang Fu frowned. "A ten-year-old child is worthy of being assassinated. Send him some guards and don't let him get into trouble in our Jin State."
In Zhengzhou City,
Yao Tianxiang yawned and leaned over the table to watch Cheng Qianye who was busy with government affairs.
"Qiao Sheng has gone to war. I thought you would have time to accompany me, but I didn't expect you to be so busy."
Cheng Qianye laughed: "Stop complaining and help me with something. I'll be busy for a while. After 3 p.m., we'll go to Zhengzhou incognito and take a good look at the people's livelihood in this city."
Yao Tianxiang became happy, rolled up her sleeves to show her white wrists, took a pen from the pen holder, dipped it in ink and said, "Okay, what do you want me to do?"
"By the way, take a look at this first." Cheng Qianye rubbed his shoulders, picked out a letter from a pile of letters, and handed it to Yao Tianxiang, "Your nephew, who lives in our Bianzhou, was assassinated. Take a look at what happened?"
Yao Tianxiang took the letter, frowned and read it for a moment, then snorted coldly: "These villains can't do serious things, but they are very good at doing these dirty things."
Cheng Qianye couldn't help but think of the timid little boy.
Living in such an environment every day, it’s no wonder that he has developed such a timid and fearful appearance.
"He is only ten years old and was sent to our Jin State as a hostage. Is there anyone who is unwilling to let him go?" Cheng Qianye was a little puzzled.
Yao Tianxiang looked at Cheng Qianye strangely, "Why is there so much trouble in understanding this? Wasn't your brother also killed by your half brother..."
She coughed and didn't say anything, thinking to herself, if your brother hadn't been killed by your younger brother, we might not have had the chance to meet each other.
"My nephews and their respective mothers have been fighting fiercely. Yao Shun is the third oldest and was originally insignificant. After he was sent to Jin as a hostage, you not only did not make things difficult for him, but also hired teachers for him and allowed him to study with the royal children of Jin. This aroused the jealousy of those narrow-minded people."
Cheng Qianye shook his head and began to be thankful that his harem was relatively simple. There was only one heir at the moment, and he was still struggling to make his way, so he didn't have to worry about such things for now.
After the afternoon.
The streets and alleys in Zhengzhou city gradually became lively.
It gets dark earlier in autumn, and it will be completely dark in more than an hour.
Therefore, this moment is the most crowded time. People from all walks of life appear on the way home, and the soldiers in the military camp also finish their training and disperse from the training ground.
Various steaming food stalls began to appear on the street, and the stall owners warmly greeted passers-by. When workers finished their work, some would sit down at these stalls and have a bite for dinner.
Pedestrians and old performers lined the road, shouting and hanging around. The sounds mixed with the aroma of food, filled with the breath of life.
Zhengzhou was once occupied by the Quanrong people from Weimingshan for a long time.
But it seems that the people's lives are still prosperous, and there is no sign of the panic and desolation of being ruled by foreign races.
In comparison, the Quanrong capital Haojing that Cheng Qianye had visited was not so comfortable and prosperous.
For most ordinary people, they don’t mind who the ruler is. As long as the king above them does not exploit them cruelly, does not wage wars wantonly, and provides a stable environment, they can live well on their own.
Cheng Qianye held Yao Tianxiang's hand, dressed in casual clothes, and ate snacks and bought groceries along the way.
This rare moment of leisure made her feel relaxed and comfortable.
Behind him, Cheng Feng and Ajia were accompanied by several attendants, providing protection.
There is a teahouse not far away, and the sound of stringed instruments can be heard from the distance.
"I haven't listened to opera for a long time, Tianxiang, let's go sit for a while."
Everyone entered the teahouse and sat in the private room on the second floor.
It is called a private room, but in fact it is just separated by two half-person-high screens. It is just well ventilated and has windows, so you don't have to squeeze in with the crowds of people on the first floor.
The performances in the teahouses were not as good as the skills of the entertainers specially raised by the nobles in the Wei State Palace. They were just for fun.
Yao Tianxiang recalled the days when she was still Princess Wei. At that time, she was like a canary in a cage, doing nothing all day long. Listening to operas for entertainment or going on picnics and banquets were her whole life.
She repeats the same days boringly, waiting for her father or brother to decide her life and use her as a bargaining chip to marry a husband who can bring the greatest benefits.
Then continue to live another boring and repetitive life, or indulge in intrigues just to compete for the favor of a man.
When did her life become so busy
There is little time even to listen to such poorly sung songs.
She is now the principal wife of Jinyuehou, Qianye treats her very well, and she could have lived a leisurely life. But she insists on keeping herself so busy, busy and fulfilled, and every day is very interesting.
Yao Tianxiang sat next to Cheng Qianye, drinking tea and clapping her hands to the beat of the rhythm.
Cheng Qianye sat by the window, looking at the street scene, the various pedestrians coming and going, and the various aspects of people's lives mixed in the soft singing.
A middle-aged man selling dry goods was squatting across the street, facing this window.
He was thin, hunched over, wore a bamboo hat on his head, and had an unremarkable appearance.
He raised his hat and glanced toward the window intentionally or unintentionally.
Just that one glance made Cheng Qianye clench his hands suddenly.
"What's wrong?" Yao Tianxiang asked casually, his eyes still on the stage downstairs.
Cheng Qianye gently squeezed her hand: "Tianxiang, don't look back, listen to me."
Yao Tianxiang paused. On the surface, she was still concentrating on watching the show, as if she hadn't heard anything, but she used a little force with her palm to respond to Cheng Qianye.
Cheng Qianye raised his teacup and whispered under the pretense of drinking tea: "We may have encountered an assassin."
Yao Tianxiang remained calm. She looked at the stage downstairs, but her slender white fingers reached into the teacup, dipped a little in the tea, and wrote three words on the table: "There is an assassin."
The man selling dried goods pressed down his hat, feeling confused and uncertain.
They spent a long time gathering information and found out that Jinyue Hou Cheng Qianyu was indeed a royal family member who had never practiced martial arts and had been brought up in luxury since childhood.
But just now, he just glanced at Jin Yuehou who was sitting by the window. Why did he feel like he was exposed
He raised his eyes and looked up through the gap in his hat.
The Marquis of Jinyue, who was traveling incognito, was half leaning against the window leisurely, sipping tea in an orderly manner with a teacup in hand. He did not greet the guards, and did not even speak to the lady beside him.
It must be an illusion. He can't see through me at a glance, the man thought secretly. Don't worry.