Eight days later, the team that returned from Beiliang to escort Juqu Mujian to Pingcheng. Helianding, who sneaked up on Tuyuhun and obtained countless cattle, sheep and horses, also returned to Pingcheng. The team of several people who escorted Goguryeo ginseng, fur and other trophies was almost the same. Arrive with the front and rear legs of the Western Qin and Beiliang teams.
Pingcheng has not been so lively for a long time, and even Tuoba Tao has imposed a curfew, allowing the night to be decorated with lanterns to celebrate the victory.
With the return of Lord Suhe to Pingcheng, in addition to the Beiliang royal family who "conspiracy", there is also the abdication edict of Juquboti. Juquboti did not bear the pressure in his heart and finally chose to become a monk.
Queen Meng seemed to be unable to accept this blow, and could not afford to be ill, but Beiliang had a lot of affairs, and she had no time to recuperate for the "Queen Mother", so Queen Mother Meng could only drag the sick body and Yuan Po Qiang to deal with it, trying her best to return to the country. The northern Liang who fought for rights and interests in front of Wei.
Beiliang is different from Xia and Beiyan. It has always been very wealthy, and has long controlled the road from the countries in the Western Regions to the Central Plains. The relationship between horse thieves and officials on the entire trade route is complicated, and there are factors that make use of each other. If Beiliang If he can't find a suitable way to fully integrate into Wei's system, even if Bei Liang goes to the country, there will be countless hidden dangers in the future. If nothing else, the bandits who turn people into thieves are enough to give Wei a headache.
Yuan Po Qiang has not returned for a long time, and there is a vague hope that the court will make him the general of Zhenxi, but neither Han ministers nor Xianbei ministers in the court want Yuan Po Qiang to guard the Western Regions for a long time. He is the royal family of Nanliang, even if he is established He has made great achievements. If he is allowed to develop in his home country for a long time, it is difficult to guarantee that he will not raise tigers.
For a time, the dynasty was surging, and they all focused on the position of the general of Zhenxi. Tuoba Tao has been vigorously developing commerce in recent years. The caravans of Wei State developed in the southeast and northwest directions and gained huge wealth. The Western Regions produced gold, Gems, spices, and BMWs have always been sacred places in the eyes of businessmen. If they guard the Western Regions, they can gain a lot of wealth by themselves.
In contrast, the fact that Mulan is a woman has gotten less attention. A woman from a poor family, no matter how strong she is, can play a limited role. Except for some stubborn and stubborn old men who have always opposed women becoming officials, most of them waited for Tuoba Tao to make a decision with a bystander attitude.
However, Cui Hao and other ministers highly praised Hua Mulan as an official. The Han people value "filial piety", and Hua Mulan has half of the Han bloodline. Her example is enough to "exercise filial piety and integrity". In addition, the opportunity for the reform of the military government lies in this female general, so the ministers headed by Cui Hao naturally spare no effort.
No matter how lively it was outside, He Mulan, Adan Zhiqi, Hu Lihun and others only lived a leisurely life in the Hua Mansion. During this period, Di Yefei entered the city with too much momentum. A'Dan Zhiqi and Hu Lihun went out for a look out of curiosity, and they couldn't help but be amazed when they came back.
"Actually brought back such a small princess, and said that it is possible to have a kiss, Your Majesty... It's really... good appetite..." Tu Luo showed an indescribable expression.
"Some people said that the princess named Baima will marry Di Yefei in the future." Hu Lihun's face was also very strange, "Why didn't I know that Di Yefei was good at this?"
"Don't talk nonsense, people who haven't seen Princess White Horse, let alone people who don't know her age, spread the rumors." A Shan Zhiqi quickly explained for Di Yefei.
"There are many such things in the countryside."
"Pingcheng is really lively recently..."
Chen Jie looked around at the quiet General Huwei Mansion with some discomfort. On weekdays, people in this General Mansion came and went, and the people living in Changping Fang were used to it.
"Devouring the Starry Sky: Sign In to God"
But once there is a big victory and a more powerful person appears in Pingcheng, the past is the past, and it will always be quickly forgotten.
Regarding this, He Mulan was quite at ease.
"Thank you to Di Yefei and a few others for keeping me clean for a long time." He Mulan took a bite of the raisins and all kinds of preserved fruits brought back to her from Beiliang by He Mulan. The days could not be better, it was just a half-day leisure.
"Yesterday, a few people sneakily sent us a basket of ginseng as thick as the wrist, which scared us to death..." Tuluo scratched his head, "Is there so much ginseng in Goguryeo?"
If I can't live in the future, can I dig for ginseng
"It's estimated that the kid came out of the palace in Goguryeo, doesn't he mean that he has captured the entire family of the King of Goguryeo?" A Shan Zhiqi smiled as if he was still dividing the spoils of war in Montenegro: "You use a The basket is too exaggerated, it's just a basket."
"Huo Chang, have you seen anything good in the war for so many years?" Hu Lihun looked up at He Mulan curiously, the latter thought for a while, then shook his head: "I really don't know, it's usually that Luo Hun and Chen Jie will deal with the loot, and when Yuan Fang arrives, Yuan Fang will register it, and it should have the most weapons."
For the Xianbei military households, good weapons cannot be bought with money. A good weapon is enough to inherit the family, and it can also allow the dilapidated family to immediately obtain great achievements in the army with the power of the treasured armor. Therefore, military households like Narohun care most about all kinds of weapons and armor.
Later, when Tuoba Tao gave He Mulan gold, silver, and silk, he also donated a lot of weapons and armor.
Hu Lihun and others were also from military households, so they couldn't help showing envious expressions. For a young man like them, things like Korean ginseng and preserved fruit are far less tempting than magical weapons.
Seeing that they were all a little moved, He Mulan was in a good mood. Together, she sent someone to ask Yuan Fang to open the arsenal: "I don't have any special products of ginseng and deer antler to send you, why don't you go to the arsenal with me and choose one for yourself? The weapons that fit your hand and the armor that fit you will go back, where is Adanzhuo?"
He Mulan shouted loudly, and A Danzhuo, who was teasing the fish on the other side of the water pavilion, immediately said "hey" and trotted over.
"A-Danzhuo is not too young. It is the most critical time for learning martial arts. In the future, if you want to use a sword or a sword, you might as well decide now."
The most pitiful thing for a military family from a poor family is that what is the weapon of the family, and what is learned. For example, Mulan's wooden warehouse, Chen Jie's iron lance, and most people's knives.
Like Di Yefei's use of double halberds, that's because his family is a high-vehicle military household, and he makes his own weapons. Usually, he can also be a blacksmith to subsidize his family, so he can't be considered a poor family.
"Why is this so embarrassing?" Hu Lihun's eyes widened, "Could it be that Chief Huo thought that the brothers who went to Beijing were here to eat, drink, and benefit!"
"Come on, didn't you also bring me some good wine? Why are you being polite to me?" He Mulan said, "I can't give you the rock and Zhaoye lion armor, and I don't need any other weapons, so I keep them. , go and choose!"
She glanced at Chen Jie and Na Luohun beside her, "You guys go and pick too."
The two knew He Mulan's behavior, and they did not refuse, and thanked him generously. A-Danzhuo is a child. Hearing that this powerful Aunt Hua wants to give him good weapons and armor, he immediately cheered.
Tuluo Daman only looked at A'Dan Zhiqi with his eyes, nodded when he saw him, and laughed and rubbed his hands together: "That's great, my bow is about to break! There are good bows in the Fire Chief's arsenal. Do you have?"
"Have!"
He Mulan stood up and led a group of people to the arsenal. As soon as he entered the arsenal, Yuan Fang opened the door, only to see the walls full of precious swords and swords that almost blinded people's eyes. There were weapon racks everywhere in the open space. Don't mention it too much, He Mulan is good at bowing and arrows, and the bows that can be picked by her are amazingly powerful.
Hu Lihun and the others were as happy as if they were celebrating the festival. Once they plunged into the pile of weapons, they couldn't get out. He Mulan took A Danzhuo's hand, touched his bones and joints, and recalled his future. He was looking for the right one for him among the piles of armor.
Just as the arsenal was screaming, Yuan Fang suddenly entered the arsenal, walked to He Mulan's side, and said in a low voice, "The palace calls you into the palace, it is the order of the Queen Mother Dou."
He Mulan was shocked.
"Queen Dou?"
"Yes, are you?"
At this time, He Mulan's hand was already very good, but no one outside knew that her hand was healed. If she blocked her with "unwellness", she would have saved the Queen Mother Dou's life and should be able to prevaricate it.
It's just not good after all.
The Empress Dowager never used to order military generals or civil officials to enter the harem. Even if they were to meet them, they would go to the front palace. At this time, she did not shy away from giving an order to summon them. Naturally, it was because she was sure that He Mulan was a woman, so there was no need to avoid it. .
He Mulan thought for a while, and finally shook her head.
"The Empress Dowager is not an unreasonable old man. She must be looking for me for something. I will go to the palace to see it."
She and A'Dan Zhiqi explained the situation and asked them to stay and choose to tell Yuan Fang. Then they returned to the main courtyard alone. After touching the purple clothes they wore that night in the room, they opened the cabinet and changed to court clothes. Still dressed as a man and rode into the palace.
When he arrived at the palace gate, there were already palace servants waiting at the gate. He Mulan almost rushed to the harem with the curious eyes of a group of palace guards, but when he got to the harem, the various visiting eyes did not end at all, even just a few years old. just started…
When did the Empress Dowager live in the Ci'an Palace where young men came? Even if the palace changed, most of the people who resisted were sturdy eunuchs. Now that He Mulan, a man who clearly did not look like an eunuch, had stepped into the harem, it was enough for many little palace maids in Huaichun to peek behind the pillars.
"Sister, who is that general?"
Covering her heart, the little palace maid, who secretly stretched out half of her head, asked the older palace maid beside her.
"Why can he enter the harem directly?"
"You said that?"
The older palace maid did not lift her eyelids, "That's a woman."
"Woman? Sister, you lied to me!"
The little palace maid widened her eyes.
"Obviously wearing court clothes! Can a woman be an official?"
The old palace maid was called "Elder Sister". In fact, it was enough to be "grandmother". She herself came from the age of Huaichun. He sighed: "You have no information in the harem, how do you know that your daughter's family can also be an official now. The newly appointed female officials in the palace will not say, the outsiders are the Yucui envoys of the Shaoqing of Honglu Temple, and the martial arts. , is the tiger general who just passed by, Hua Mulan..."
"He's Hua Mulan?" The little palace maid covered her mouth and sucked in a breath of cold air: "That's not what Princess Helian held together before..."
Many women in the harem used this to criticize Helian Mingzhu, saying that she was shameless, and many palace people saw it with their own eyes.
But if Mulan is a woman...
Did Helian Pearl know or not
"Women can be generals, and one day a man can be a queen, I'm not surprised." The old palace maid pouted.
"You've also lost the heart of your personal and foreign ministers. A calm person like the Queen Mother will not give you a chance. Even if you want to save your own life, you should have fewer dreams like this..."
"Oh… "
Besides, He Mulan entered the Ci'an Hall with a bunch of strange eyes. In the Ci'an Hall, the Queen Mother Dou was already waiting for her. When she saw her coming in, she quickly handed the little prince in her hand to Wang Muyun next to her, and stepped forward a few steps. Xu Xu helped He Mulan up.
"Good boy..." Empress Dowager Dou looked at He Mulan up and down, and suddenly wiped away her tears, "So you are actually a woman! As soon as I got the news, I wanted to call you into the palace, but I was afraid of causing trouble for you, so wait. I dare to call you in when the wind is quiet. How much hardship does a woman have to endure when she joins the army..."
She rubbed He Mulan's slightly rough palm a few times, and her eyes were even more loving: "It's too hard for you to let you carry my old lady all the way down the mountain."
He Mulan began by revealing her identity as a woman. There were unbelievers, curious, disdainful, and many who silently accepted her without any change, but there were not many who loved her like a nephew in the family like the Queen Mother Dou.
Even though this may be 50% offended, He Mulan's heart is warm. She is a very affectionate person, so she immediately shook her head when she heard the words.
"Although it is hard in the army, but Mulan is willing to protect the family and the country, and serve the king, it is Mulan's honor."
"Okay...Okay..." Empress Dowager Dou patted He Mulan's hand, and she felt even more sad when she saw that even the skin that came out of her neck was black.
She was a typical noble lady in the palace. The hardest time in her life was when she was assigned to the palace and started to work as a slave. Even then, her skin was not as rough as He Mulan's.
"You go to the back with me, take off your clothes, and show me..."
Empress Dowager Dou suddenly said something that surprised He Mulan, almost falling out of her eyes.
"The Queen Mother... you are... "
"I heard that you have many old diseases. Now that you are young, you can take it seriously. When you are old, the wounds all over your body will change when it rains on a cloudy day." Nagging: "I know what you think, you have been a man for so many years, I am afraid that you think the same as men, thinking that these wounds are honors, no big deal, just like your majesty, but your body is your own, you don't take care You, who else can take care of you?"
She pulled He Mulan's hand firmly and firmly.
"You go to the back with me, and I'll take a look after undressing. I have a lot of wound medicine here, some from Daochang Kou, and some for scar removal and muscle growth. You have a righteous personality, and even if you recover your daughter's body, you won't be close friends. A friend reminded you of this, your grandmother heard that she has returned to her hometown again? Then no one cares about you... "
He Mulan obviously had a lot of strength, but at this time, the old man was holding her wrist, just like being bound, but she didn't dare to struggle, because Empress Dowager Dou's body has been in bad shape since the palace change. He was dragged to the apse with a ridiculous pace.
Wang Muyun hugged the little prince, his mouth opened in surprise, He Mulan winked at her with a wry smile, and the figure disappeared in the front hall.
The apse of Ci'an Hall was the resting place of the Queen Mother Dou. Even the concubines with low status had never entered here. Empress Dowager Dou seemed to have been prepared long ago. There were no palace servants in the apse. There was an incense burner in the empty hall.
"It's cold in the spring, you don't have to take it off. Just keep a little coat. I'll take a look. My wife is so old, don't be embarrassed."
Empress Dowager Dou let go of He Mulan's hand and pulled out a lot of medicines from a drawer.
"When the color was good, I couldn't bear a little scar on my body, and my heart was soft. I couldn't see the palace servants being punished for screaming all night long, but I prepared a lot of medicine..."
She spread out the bottles and jars, and asked her sideways:
"Do you have a maid in your house?"
"… No."
"Then how can it be good? You can't let your guards clean the wounds on your back, right? Did you deal with all your injuries for so many years?"
"Cough, except for some important things to be handled by yourself, most of them are taken care of by the guards..."
He Mulan's face turned red.
"But I rarely get hurt."
"It's also a loss that you kept it secret for so many years."
The Empress Dowager laughed.
He Mulan was a little overwhelmed by such an enthusiastic Empress Dowager, and she couldn't help thinking of other aspects.
Could it be that there are still people inside and outside the palace who don't believe she is a woman, so the Empress Dowager Dowager tested it for herself
But aside from the fact that she is a woman, how many promising military generals have ruined their future for such appalling reasons? It's not necessary at all
Although He Mulan, who was open-hearted, didn't understand why Empress Dowager Dowager did this, out of her trust and love for Empress Dowager Dowager, she took off her clothes.
Outer gowns, outer shirts, middle coats, outer pants…
Clothes fell one by one, revealing He Mulan who was only wearing a small coat, and the ugly scars all over her body fell into the eyes of the Queen Mother Dou.
Rao Shi Empress Dowager was well-informed, and when she saw He Mulan's scar, she couldn't help covering her mouth and taking a step back, with even more admiration on her face.
"Good boy, good boy, just look at your scars, and know how you won the fame. Twelve turns are well-deserved, and I owe you a lot!"
He Mulan glanced at the scars on her arms and thighs nonchalantly. She didn't think it was ugly before, but now she raised some meat, and looked a little hideous.
"Fighting is also for my own survival. Besides, I have also gained a lot, so I can't say whether I owe it or not."
The Empress Dowager nodded earnestly.
"It is because you are so humble that your Majesty and I trust you so much."
She stretched out her hand and pinched curiously on He Mulan's chest and waist, with a strange expression on her face: "...Why are you... so strong?"
He Mulan avoided her body uncomfortably. She didn't dare to complain. In fact, her chest was already starting to get a little fleshy. It was all because her shoulder was injured and she couldn't move more recently.
She is really afraid that her muscles will be lost in middle age and she will not be able to see people!
"This... Probably because the military has exercised too much... "
He Mulan stretched out a finger and scratched his face.
"I was born thin..."
Empress Dowager Dou stretched out her hand and touched the scars on He Mulan's body one by one, as if she was drawing these scars with her heart. When He Mulan showed an awkward expression, she finally put her hand away and regretted it. shook his head.
"Some injuries are fine, but those injured in the joints must be taken care of. You can take all my medicines back until the scars are all lightened..."
"It's too troublesome, the queen mother, I'm used to it..."
Empress Dowager Dou took out a few very delicate bottles from the medicine bottle, put them in the box and handed them to He Mulan.
"This is Yizhi!"
He Mulan grimaced, thinking of the little girl who had to warmly anoint her with facial grease a while ago. She only felt that one head and two were big, but she didn't dare to disobey the kindness of the Queen Mother Dou, so she could only continue.
'What did she ask me to do? '
The second monk He Mulan stared at the empress Dowager Dou, who had a face full of "poor child, why did you suffer so much?". She was rummaging through boxes in the hall to find fabrics and jewelry suitable for her skin color...
He Mulan's whole body became a little stiff.
She... Is that right, or should she not be disarmed and return to the field
When a general can still wear general clothes all day long, if after disarming and returning to the field, the bored Empress Dou in the palace has a "lovely heart" for a while, and the order is to let her wear those colorful women's clothes...
He Mulan couldn't help shivering.
"Cold? Hurry up and put on your clothes, don't freeze!" The Queen Mother Dou urged He Mulan to put on her clothes. She couldn't find any suitable materials in the apse. After He Mulan got dressed, she held He Mulan with one hand. Mulan, holding the wooden box containing the medicine jar in one hand, led her back to the front hall.
"Spring, summer, autumn and winter! Go and open my cloth library, and bring one of the Yunxia brocades on Liu Songgong's tribute! And Ziqi, makeup satin! Take one of each color!"
Empress Dowager Dou gave an order, and the two female officials walked out of Ci'an Hall without changing their expressions, and went to the side hall to fetch cloth for Empress Dowager Dou.
He Mulan stood foolishly in the hall, with a wooden box in his hand, and after a while, another palace servant knelt on the ground holding precious silk satin of various colors and held it for He Mulan to count.
Empress Dowager Dou is old, but Tuoba Tao's way of treating women has always been "gifting". He has no aesthetic sense, and he has given a lot of tender and old colors. Empress Dowager Dou has always been generous, and the female officials around him wear clothes. They were all bright, but some fabrics were impossible for female officials to wear, so they were taken out and given to He Mulan at once.
He Mulan was more than "flattered", she was so frightened that she was still confused to death before leaving the Ci'an Hall.
Does the Empress Dowager want to play and cultivate
Oh my god, pray she's just a whim, don't treat it as a routine!
Ahhh!
Who will take away this pile of material! She really can't use it!
***
Empress Dowager Dou watched He Mulan leave, and then Shi Shiran returned to the apse and said to a screen in the hall:
"Are you dead?"
The screen was as tall as a person. After the Empress Dowager Dou finished speaking, a red-clothed beauty walked out from behind. She had bright eyes, white teeth, and a beautiful color. It was the Pearl of Helian.
Seeing that there were still tears in her eyes, and her lower lip was bleeding, the Queen Mother couldn't help reaching out to touch the top of her head, and sighed, "Silly child, even if Hua Mulan is a man, it's not your good match. His heart is too big to hold the affection of these children. Even if she is a woman now, I am worried about her future destination, and the person who loves her, whether it is a man or a woman, is too pitiful. "
"The Queen Mother..."
Helian Mingzhu covered her face in embarrassment.
"me… "
"You don't need to say anything, just think about it. She doesn't know anything now. She's good to you, her, and His Majesty. You've suffered enough, why should she feel guilty about you?"
Empress Dowager Dou stretched out a side of Supa.
"Be good, wipe your face, and go out with your head held high. Now everyone knows that Hua Mulan is a woman, and those foul words about you are not self-defeating, raise your head to show people, and slap them in the face!"
This is the trigger.
Helian Mingzhu answered and took Supa, but she remembered the time when she was in the same room with Hua Mulan and cleaned herself up in front of her, but the other party did not covet her color.
It was precisely because of the other party's "gentleman behavior" that she was moved.
It turned out to be like this... Is she always winking at the blind
Wouldn't it be even more ridiculous if Mulan knew about her thoughts
Helian Mingzhu bit her lower lip again, only to feel a tingling pain between her lips, which pierced straight into her heart, and all her heart-filled daughter's thoughts were wiped away, and she became empty.
"Don't cry..." Empress Dou sighed again and again, "Seeing you cry, my old lady is also sad."
"Queen Mother, I don't want to marry Your Majesty, nor do I want to marry anyone else. How about I accompany you to be a female official?" Helian Mingzhu raised her head with rain.
"I will accompany you, just like the wife of the Wang family, I will leave the palace at the age of twenty-five. I will not marry..."
"You... hey!"
Empress Dowager stomped her feet.
"Why do I need you little girls to accompany me in my days like a dry lamp! Besides, His Majesty really likes you, so he keeps chasing you and doesn't let go. There are so many women in the world, why should he stare at you to marry her? You guys? How can you not understand this pair of enemies!"
Helian Mingzhu's tears were even more urgent, and she didn't know how to explain her thoughts at all.
"Your brother has returned to Pingcheng, think about it again, think about how the future will go." The Queen Mother Dou looked at Helian Mingzhu's crying face with a headache, only to feel that these little sons and daughters broke her heart.
The harem is difficult, but are other places so good
As a princess of a subjugated country, she sometimes chooses even less than her female official Yucui.
Not to mention…
In contrast, the grandson is much better, at least when he is young and has not yet reached the time for these things.
"The queen mother! The queen mother! Have you seen the prince's younger brother?"
With a sweet expression and sweet voice, Crescent Moon walked briskly into the Ci'an Hall, and stretched out her head to find her favorite Granny Dou.
"I can shoot a bird now! He promised me a horse like him when I could shoot a bird myself, but I didn't find him when I went to the East Palace!"
Empress Dowager Dou looked at Crescent Moon who was full of anticipation, only to feel her head hurt even more.
"Forget it, children and grandchildren have their own children and grandchildren, I don't care about my wife!"