In a few days, Dingyuan City emerged in front of them.
The red brick city is bathed in the sandstorm of spring, showing a gray texture.
I saw the Feiyun Banner on the edge of the city from a distance, stopped the clouds and stationed the horse for a moment, gave a loud drink, and rode the horse through the wind.
The horse's head swelled with hoofs, and with a long neigh, it spewed out clumps of warm air with a sandy smell.
Yan Yuanheng frowned and looked back at Li Yeshu.
"That's the general's flag." Li Yeshu explained for Shi Tingyun, "The general has come to Dingyuan for inspection."
Shi Tingyun squinted and looked inside the city gate, and saw a familiar figure faintly. He flew off his horse and quickly ran across the suspension bridge that had been put down. The newly changed red brocade cloak was slapped by the sand.
At the other end of the suspension bridge, Shi Jinghong stood waiting for a long time.
Shi Jinghong smiled and said, "I think you will be here today, so..."
Before he could finish speaking, his son, who was already slightly taller than him, jumped into his arms and interrupted his words.
"… As usual?"
The man in his arms buried his entire face in his arms, hugged him like iron pincers with both arms, and trembled with force.
Shi Jinghong was stunned for a moment, and then issued an order: "Turn over."
Several adjutants and gatekeepers by the side followed the orders, armed with swords and shields, and turned around in unison.
Shi Jinghong lowered his head and asked, "What's wrong?"
The man in his arms didn't say a word, just held him tighter.
Shi Jinghong took off the helmet of the boy in his arms and straightened his long hair that had been ruffled by the wind and sand.
He thought the child was sad because his best friend betrayed him.
Shi Jinghong did not add any more blame to him.
In the years when he was not confused, a strange tenderness was precipitated in him: "Silly boy. It's a joke. Go and greet the thirteenth prince with father. If you have anything to say, I will enter the account in the evening. I will listen to you and talk about it. It's okay. I'll let you cry a stick of incense, okay?"
Shi Tingyun used all his strength to straighten up, and the blush from the sand appeared around his eyes: "Okay, father."
This was the third time that Chi Xiaochi felt the emotions of Tingyun when the original owner.
But either way, it was out of control.
Beneath the layers of oppressive gray waves, there are unsettling reefs and dark vortices.
Strangely, when he faced Chu Ziling, this emotion was restrained very well, as if he had forgotten that unbearable memory, or hid it under a deeper and darker wave.
The thirteenth prince's trip, with the name of the king's inspection, could have been full of royal style. Fortunately, Yan Yuanheng himself has a low-key temperament. Apart from the necessary etiquette, he rarely talks about superfluous etiquette. Uncle, after entering the city, he said that he wanted to visit the wounded General Wen Feiru and sent some condolences to express his feelings.
The father and son both spoke in unison on this matter, both saying that Wen Feiru was seriously injured and needed to rest and was not suitable for seeing guests.
The rhetoric was consistent, so Yan Yuanheng neither became suspicious nor insisted any longer. He only asked someone to send the gift. A few people set up camp in the city, and many chores were not mentioned for the time being.
The young master brought a lot of items on this trip. As if he planned to stay here, Chu Ziling put some large items that were not easy to carry in the house, and kept the small items in a few rattan boxes, which were neat and easy to take away.
When he closed one of the rattan boxes, he lost control of his strength. After a muffled sound, he came back to his senses. He pressed one hand on the rattan box, and listened to the movement outside, hoping that the person would not hear it.
However, he still couldn't escape.
Yu Fengmian's tone was like instructing a most normal servant: "Things need to be handled with care."
He gritted his teeth and replied, "Yes."
After speaking, Chu Ziling knelt down on the carpet and slowly exhaled the turbid air in his chest.
If in the past, facing mere orders, Chu Ziling would not be so irritable.
However, not long ago, he shot down Kong with full confidence. Who knows if Shi Jinghong was suspicious, did he find his hands and feet on the fire lacquer
Is it self-inflicted to come here this time
Just in case, he thought about quietly strangling the pigeon who was sending letters to the southern border for him, so as to obliterate the evidence, but each pigeon was carefully cultivated by the general's house, and one died inexplicably, the son must be tracked down. , I might have to punish myself for a crime of lax management. Besides, when Lord Aisha released the pigeons for the first time, he failed to hide his whereabouts and was bumped into by the night watch team.
The dead pigeons, on the contrary, attracted attention.
For this reason, he tossed and turned for several nights and couldn't sleep. In addition, he marched every day, and the wind and dust became heavier. In just a few days, he lost a lot of weight.
Shi Tingyun saw it in his eyes, thinking that he was tired and weak, and it was not appropriate to wait by the side, so he asked him to accompany the master, and put things together by the way.
A young master, how do you know how much hard work behind the words "to put together"
Chu Ziling supported his knees and calmed down, and it took a while to calm down.
Don't worry, don't panic, it's not time yet.
He had already sent a letter and explained to Aisha earnestly that it was not a one-time event to win Shi Jinghong. He also said that in the future, when they settled in Dingyuan City, it might not be convenient to send letters. Dingyuan City has empty spaces. Posts, observation towers are set up on the corners of eight city gates, changing the guard day and night, specially guarding against the meticulous work in the city to deliver news to the outside world.
Fortunately, he has some status in the army. As long as he speaks to the son and asks him to join the inspection team, he will have a way to contact Nanjiang Xizuo, who is stationed in the city, and find a way to pass the information out of the city.
The son dotes on him like that, and he will definitely agree.
One day, he will turn over and be the master, and he will also treat the son well.
Thinking of this, Chu Ziling was in a much better mood, and leaned over to tidy up the messy boxes.
But his pounding heart was getting colder the more he sorted it out.
The boxes of books were all owned by Yu Fengmian.
On the way, he took out the books to read, but his reading speed was fast, and now the order is completely out of order, so Yu Fengmian was very picky and gave him a catalog to sort it out in order.
For this batch of books alone, Chu Ziling spent a lot of energy to clean up, and after sweating all over, he managed to sort out an appearance.
He wiped away a sweat and looked up at the twilight window.
These chores were not meant for him.
Where did Li Yeshu go
After Shi Jinghong and Shi Tingyun settled Yan Yuanheng, they had a chance to talk about their father-son relationship.
Judging from his appearance, Shi Jinghong looks like a full-fledged scholar, which is different from Shi Tingyun's heroic spirit. His face is naturally white, like a flower-tanner with outstanding literary talent, and the sand at the border only leaves a trace in the corner of his eyes. When he was wearing a long gown, the only thing that could tell his identity as a warrior was a pair of amazingly long, sturdy hands and thick calluses between his fingers.
Shi Tingyun seems to have returned to normal, and he wants to bite when he picks up the dessert on the small table.
Shi Jinghong looked at him, and his voice was filled with indifference: "The appointment in front of the city doesn't count, right?"
Shi Tingyun said vaguely with some snacks in his mouth: "Why do you cry when you have maren sugar?"
Seeing that his son took out a handkerchief as he did when he was a child, and ate it while he was holding it, Shi Jinghong smiled helplessly: "The father of the thirteenth prince has already given it away, and these are all yours."
He knew that his son was on good terms with the Thirteenth Prince, and that the Thirteenth Prince loved this kind of sweet fruit. He brought some desserts back to the city. His child always eats a small half and carries a large half, and he always sends it to Yan Yuanheng. .
This was still before the age of twelve or thirteen.
Until that Chu Ziling entered the mansion, Shi Tingyun was like a nightmare, and he was lifted up in everything, and he even had less contacts with the Thirteenth Prince.
Shi Jinghong wanted to ask something, thought for a while, but didn't ask.
Let the kids have fun eating first.
At this moment, Li Yeshu came in, holding the freshly brewed apocynum tea and pouring it to the two of them one by one.
The clear tea slowly flows down the wall of the cup.
He thought that the father and son were talking about business, so he didn't make any unnecessary noise whether he was walking or pouring tea.
Shi Jinghong looked at him intently, and suddenly called out, "Li Yeshu?"
Li Yeshu had not heard his name from the general's mouth for a long time, so he raised his head and asked blankly, "General?"
"Drawing, literacy, I remember you can do it."
Before he could answer, Shi Jinghong threw an old grain station distribution map to him: "In the last three months, the distribution of grain stations has changed greatly, and the old map will be discarded. You take this map and go to the East Hall to find Sun Liangguan. , he will inform you of the location of the new grain station that he has found, compare it with this picture, and re-describe the distribution map of the grain station, and you will be the author."
His demeanor didn't seem to take this as a major event: "My lieutenants are busy with important things, and they can't find a more suitable candidate for a while, so just you."
Influenced by the general's relaxed expression, the panic that had just appeared in Li Yeshu's heart dissipated quite a bit, he answered yes with the picture, and withdrew respectfully.
Shi Tingyun chewed his snacks and said cheerfully, "Dad, you have to praise Ashu."
Shi Jinghong asked back, "I asked him to come here to serve, didn't I always want to lift people up? I just followed the trend."
Shi Tingyun cupped his hands and said, "General Shi is wise."
"To be able to get a compliment from Su Chang, it can be seen that this move as a father is really in line with Su Chang's intention." Shi Jinghong pressed the sword on his waist, "As Shu's affairs are finished, it's the other's turn."
Shi Tingyun looked at him suspiciously.
Shi Jinghong smiled and stood up while pressing his head.
"I know that my son has a pure and kind heart and can't bear to kill his friends for many years. My father is not harsh on you, this pure kindness is very dear to my father, I just hope that you can have this pure heart in your life and never change. Since Bring him here, and my father will execute the execution on your behalf. The Beifu Army can tolerate poor children, aliens, and slaves, but it is hard to tolerate rebellion."
When Shi Jinghong got up, he still had the appearance of a scholar, and even his gentle demeanor did not diminish a bit: "Sit down for a while, and kill him for my father."
His hand was held down by Shi Tingyun.
Shi Jinghong looked at him, and when their eyes crossed, the two of them understood their own thoughts.
Shi Tingyun retracted his hand that was still stained with syrup.
Shi Jinghong sat back in his seat, handed a handkerchief, soaked it with tea, and motioned for him to wipe his hands.
Shi Tingyun said, "I have a reason not to kill Chu Ziling for the time being, and I want to tell my father."
Shi Jinghong said warmly, "You said, my father is listening."
It was the first time that the father and son sent letters to each other, and they were sure that there was rebellion in the general's mansion.
But Shi Tingyun's first letter was vague, and Shi Jinghong still didn't know who was behind the scenes.
When he sent the letter for the second time, Shi Tingyun wrote about the defensive tactics and strategies for dealing with the siege of Dingyuan, and also used cinnabar to outline which part was Chu Ziling's advice.
Shi Tingyun did not mention Li Yeshu in the letter, but he marked Chu Ziling with a cinnabar pen. As soon as he received the letter, Shi Jinghong knew who the traitor was and knew exactly who he was, but he didn't mention it when he replied. He only talked about the great victory of Dingyuan.
When he opened the letter again, the letter to Aisha in the southern border was the best proof that Chu Ziling was connected to foreign countries.
He doesn't even have to do it himself, just throw this letter out, and Chu Ziling will definitely be hacked to death with an axe, leaving no body behind.
Therefore, Shi Jinghong acted first, and also wanted to see Aier's face and leave him a whole corpse.
He knows his child's temperament, and now Shi Tingyun is blocking him, and he is definitely not trying to follow his own interests.
So he quietly waited for an answer.
Shi Tingyun did not disappoint him.
He paused and said, "It's useful to keep Chu Ziling. It's of great use."
The father and son closed the door for a long talk, and the hall door was pushed back open until the night was shrouded.
When he opened the door again, Shi Jinghong's face was warm, and he didn't mention the matter of killing with his sword: "I made red-billed geese for my father's instructions in the kitchen. You like to eat them most, and there are also pheasant dumplings. When you're full, stop early. , Get up early tomorrow and accompany the Thirteenth Prince to review the soldiers of Dingyuan."
Shi Tingyun seemed to let go of a worry, and finally regained a bit of his former liveliness: "I'll go to inform Yuanheng!"
Shi Jinghong's face changed: "How did your father teach you, called the Thirteenth Prince."
"Yes, the thirteenth prince, the thirteenth prince."
Shi Jinghong watched Shi Jingyun go away and sighed helplessly.
Anywhere is fine, but it doesn't look big or small, which is really annoying.
Fortunately, after experiencing this, this child still has the ability to believe in others, which is the most gratifying.
Shi Jinghong went to the kitchen, picked up a food box, walked to the inner courtyard, pushed open a west hall door, and walked in.
Inside the hall is Wen Feiru, who is said to be "recovering from illness".
Seeing the face of the visitor, Wen Feiru, who was about to hide behind the screen, immediately appeared and complained, "General, the last general is about to die."
"Don't be impatient." Shi Jinghong smiled, "The wine and meat are prepared for you."
Wen Fei Ru said with joy, "I'll see what it is at the end of the day. .
Mentioning Shi Tingyun, Shi Jinghong's face softened: "Yes, it's here today."
Wen Feiru took two of his chopsticks and threw them into his mouth: "That's it. In the past, the pheasant chicken dumplings were so precious that the last generals could have a bite. We are blessed by the major general. Please meet the major general, and the last general should thank him well."
Shi Jinghong said warmly: "Don't say that. Today is for the thirteenth prince to catch up with the wind..."
Wen Feiru chewed the dumplings: "General, there are no outsiders now, why tell me this. Who in the army doesn't know that you favor the Major General?"
After Shi Jinghong burst into laughter, he frowned slightly and mentioned the business: "What's the message from the southern border?"
"Really."
Since Wen Feiru cheated on him, listening to the sound of killing outside, it was very lively, but he couldn't participate in person. message.
"An official died in the southern border. I heard that it was a violent death." Wen Fei said, "Besides, there seems to be some changes in the Pasha tribe. The old boy Pasha ran back to the main city in the southern border. . . . The official who died was his brother-in-law, and he was not a close relative, but he actually ran back to the funeral, and I heard that Timur was very dissatisfied."
When Jinghong heard the news, he was slightly shocked.
The strategy of stealing the beam and changing the column was really made by this kid
You have always been straight and straight, when did you have the thought of such a plan
However, this one-handed killing with a knife is really beautiful.
When Shi Jinghong thought that his son had grown up so much in a place he didn't know, he was both happy and a little melancholy.
He thought for a while and asked, "...Am I really so petite?"
Wen Feiru took a sip of wine and nodded.
Shi Jinghong laughed and looked out the window at Haoyue, thinking of his deceased wife.
For her sake, pamper some Su Chang at home, it doesn't matter.