"This year is better than previous years." Cai Yan sighed.
In previous years, it was indeed Mu Kuangda who worked the hardest. Sometimes, Cai Yan had to make it easier for him. Mu Kuangda's book was handed over, and most of them were seen by Cai Yan. Instead, the two became tacitly coordinated monarchs and ministers. .
"Thanks to Your Highness and Your Majesty." Mu Kuangda said, "Naturally, it is getting better every year."
Cai Yan has an easy-going personality, and has been known in the imperial court. He has never been very polite. He toasted a cup first, and everyone drank it. Feng Duo served dishes behind him.
"Why don't you see Changpin and Lord Changliu?" Cai Yan asked strangely.
"Long hired to go home to save relatives." Mu Kuangda explained, "Changliu-jun went to the north to find Zhenshanhe."
Cai Yan nodded and said to Muqing, "No wonder you didn't run home either."
Mu Qing said, "It is also a pleasure to read and study history for His Highness."
Cai Yan thought for a long time, and then asked, "Is there any whereabouts of Zhenshan River?"
Just as Mu Kuangda was about to answer, he suddenly heard a communication, and his whole body froze.
"Your Majesty is here—"
Everyone in the Mu Mansion was startled. Cai Yan briefly showed a blank expression, and immediately turned to look at Feng Duo, who was also inexplicable.
Logically speaking, if the prince came in person, it was equivalent to Li Yanqiu’s visit. Moreover, after the capital was moved, the emperor came as a guest from the future minister’s house and actually came in person! Pick a time or New Year's Eve? What's the meaning
Only Mu Kuangda knew what this meant. When this time came, it was either a declaration of war or a reconciliation. The reconciliation is only a temporary move to buy time for both parties. Now Li Yanqiu can't kill him, and he can't kill Li Yanqiu either, and they are secretly secretive.
The secret trick that Li Yanqiu was holding was his treason, and the secret trick he was holding was the identity of the fake prince. First, Changpin disappeared, and then Changliujun's whereabouts were unknown. If both of them fell into Li Yanqiu's hands, he would be in trouble.
Everyone got up to pick up the car, and behind Li Yanqiu, only Zheng Yan was following.
"Turning around." Li Yanqiu said, "I have been working hard for a year to come to Mu Xiang, so I came here to have a look."
Mu Kuangda led the whole family to thank Tianen, and Li Yanqiu nodded to Cai Yan. Cai Yan smiled and said, "Didn't the fourth uncle fall asleep?"
"I slept for a while." Li Yanqiu explained, "When I woke up, I heard that you were out of the palace, and I suddenly got interested, so I got up and took a look. I guessed that you were also in the Shepherd's Mansion, so I walked around and left."
Mu Kuangda arranged for Li Yanqiu to take the seat, Li Yanqiu sat down, and Cai Yan moved one to the side to pour Li Yanqiu wine and persuade him to cook. During the banquet, Mu Kuangda was as usual, smiling and talking to Li Yanqiu, nothing more than saying that the New Year has come, the weather will be good for the coming year, and the country will be safe and peaceful.
Li Yanqiu casually called out the names of several people, who were Mu Kuangda's uncle and brother at the main table. The people who were called were in awe, and they were scattered in the Ministry of Household and Ministry of Industry. Most of Mu Kuangda's picks were low-rank important positions, each of whom was rich in his own pockets, and he didn't know how much money he made into the pocket.
Li Yanqiu was actually able to call out his name, and Mu Kuangda knew that this hint meant that his family was about to be raided and exterminated. One monarch and one minister, without the slightest gaffe, get along harmoniously as usual. Li Yanqiu even encouraged Muqing a few words.
But Muqing didn't know the inside story, so he smiled at Li Yanqiu: "There is still Wang Shan not yet here, I just don't know how to celebrate the New Year in Hebei."
"Wang Shan." Li Yanqiu nodded slowly and said, "Listen to the queen, you should be on good terms with him."
"Alas." Mu Qing sighed, shook his head, and said, "Now that I have gone to Hebei, I can't help but miss him."
Cai Yan's face looked a little unnatural, Li Yanqiu thought for a moment, and then said: "All the ministers are free, I will go back now."
Mu Kuangda got up in a hurry, took the cloak from Zheng Yan's hand, and served Li Yanqiu to put it on in person. He also took the lantern from the servant's hand, hit the front, respectfully, and sent Li Yanqiu out of the house.
There was no carriage waiting outside the street, which surprised Mu Kuangda.
On New Year's Eve, the long street was empty and empty, and firecrackers were hung in front of the doors to be set off tomorrow morning. Zheng Yan followed unhurriedly, keeping a long distance from Mu Kuangda and Li Yanqiu.
It was as if he had come here specially to walk such a long journey with Mu Kuangda.
"It has been nineteen years since you became an official in our Great Chen Dynasty." Li Yanqiu said.
"Reporting to Your Majesty, it will be the 20th year soon." Mu Kuangda said.
"I still remember seeing you when I was ten years old." Li Yanqiu said, "It was at the palace exam."
Mu Kuangda replied yes, although he was approaching the year of his destiny, his footsteps were still steady, carrying a lantern for Li Yanqiu.
"During the Wangshan Palace exam," Li Yanqiu said, "I thought of you before I knew it."
Mu Kuangda smiled slightly and replied, "I still remember the palace exam that year, when His Majesty looked in from outside the palace, and was persuaded by General Han to go back."
"The third brother tricked me into waiting in the imperial garden that day." Li Yanqiu said, "but he went out to hunt for himself. After the palace exam, you talked with me for a while and promised to take me out of the palace to play."
Things that happened twenty years ago suddenly flooded into each other's minds. After the title of the champion, he thanked Tianen and taught Li Yanqiu to read books for half a year. Li Jianhong went abroad to fight when he was young, and he did not have much affection for him. Mu Kuangda was released for three years, and after returning to Beijing, he entered the court as an official.
The year of the palace examination was the first year of moving the capital to Xichuan after the disaster.
In the dark alley, only the lamp in Mu Kuangda's hand illuminated the short road ahead of the two of them.
Later, the political situation gradually stabilized, and Mu Kuangda even married his sister Mu Jinzhi into the palace, forming an indestructible alliance with the Li family.
"In the years before the death of the emperor." Li Yanqiu said slowly again, "If you didn't take the lead in the overall situation and deal with Zhao Kui, I'm afraid it would be difficult to do good."
"It's all because His Majesty was diligent in political affairs." Mu Kuangda replied respectfully, "This minister is just doing his duty."
In those years, the old emperor was sick in bed and had a bad temper. The matter was proposed by Zhao Kui and Mu Kuangda, and Li Yanqiu decided that for nearly ten years, Li Yanqiu had to use Mu Kuangda's power to fight against Zhao Kui.
"I still remember." Li Yanqiu stopped and said, "The year I was shocked to hear the sudden change of the Northern Army was really like a lightning strike."
Mu Kuangda replied: "Now that I think about it, the most painful thing is the day the late emperor died."
"If I don't let him go on the expedition," Li Yanqiu said, "he is still alive now, and the one who died is me. No, it should be called 'dies'."
Mu Kuangda was stunned, and was about to express his consolation, but Li Yanqiu smiled at Mu Kuangda and said, "If the third brother is still alive, it would be a different situation."
Mu Kuangda didn't know how to answer for a while, and he naturally understood what Li Yanqiu's words meant - he had already investigated and it was himself who killed Li Jianhong. It was a thousand and one mistakes. He shouldn't have tried to calculate Li Yanqiu that day. He was too confident in Lord Changliu, Wu Du and Wang Shan.
"Go back." Li Yanqiu said, "Go back and have a good year."
Mu Kuangda had to answer: "Thank you for your grace."
"I'm a little tired today." Li Yanqiu said again, "I'll have a glass of wine with you after the Mid-Autumn Festival, and have a good talk."
Mu Kuangda chewed on Li Yanqiu's words while respectfully sending him out of the alley. Two horses stopped outside, Li Yanqiu first got on his horse, and Zheng Yan quickly caught up from behind, followed Li Yanqiu on his horse and left.
Mu Kuangda watched Li Yanqiu leave, and after thinking for a long time, he staggered when he turned around and left step by step.
In Yecheng, a snowstorm on New Year's Eve heralds the coming of another good year. On the first day of the new year, Duan Ling was wrapped around Wu Du, lying on his chest. Wu Du was drunk last night and was snoring, which woke Duan Ling and yawned.
Wu Du's snoring also stopped, and after a while, he also got up sleepily.
"Wear more!" Wu Du frowned and asked Duan Ling to dress neatly, and then grabbed him back to wash his face and brush his teeth before going out.
The two set off firecrackers outside the door, and the sun was shining brightly. The children waited for a long time and came in to kowtow to Duan Ling and Wu Du. Duan Ling smiled and gave them red seals one by one, while Wu Du sat in the hall drinking tea, dressed in a black brocade martial robe, with a golden unicorn curled around the edge of the robe, and black boots with a jade belt, quite like a master.
After the Spring Festival, the children of the soldiers came to ask for the lucky draw, and the women gave New Year's gifts. For a full day, the prefect's mansion was very lively. Then Fei Hongde came back, and Duan Ling was busy offering him the gift of an elder, inviting him to tea, and giving him a year of worship.
Sun Ting temporarily served as the city guard of Hejian City, and everything settled down. Finally, Shuluduan came to pay tribute to Duanling. The day was not over, and it was already dusk.
On the third day of the new year, the Spring Festival plan will be implemented, and there is still time. That night, Duan Ling closed the door and called Lord Changliu to explain Mu Kuangda's arrangement.
When you come to bow down, naturally you have to submit a certificate. Duan Ling asked Changliu-Jun to explain everything he knew about Mu Kuangda's family background, and then pressed his fingerprints to accept him.
However, Lord Changliu didn't know much about Mu Kuangda, at least he was not like a long-term employee, who managed the family business for Mu Kuangda and managed it himself.
"Who is Changpin?" Duan Ling asked, "When did you meet Mu Xiang?"
"I once heard them mention it." Changliu Jun replied, "Suffice to say, Changpin was once an orphan. He was originally going to be sold to the Liao Kingdom, but it was the shepherd minister who came forward and rescued him."
Duan Ling remembered that such a resourceful man died inexplicably with Lang Junxia's sword, and it was a pity when he thought about it. No matter how smart a person is, in front of a sharp blade, he cannot escape.
"Does Mu Kuangda still have private soldiers?" Duan Ling asked.
"I really don't know." Changliu-jun repeated, "I know, there is only so much. Changpin will leave the house once every spring and autumn to serve the shepherd minister. I have said all this. "
What Changpin said to the outside world was to collect rent for Mu Kuangda.
"If he had a private army," Wu Du said, "he would not use Han Weiyong's men."
It is the least safe to use Han Weiyong's men, but it is also the most sensible, because apart from Wu Du, no one in this world can recognize the origin of those assassins.
Mu Kuangda was planted in Duan Ling's hands all his life.