Liao's cavalry is strong in speed. The sturdy Khitan barbarians are paired with fast-moving horses. If the Dazhou soldiers are scattered, they will rush into the sheepfold like a pack of wolves. Therefore, the best way to deal with the cavalry is to form an army. Unbreakable, the cavalry can't rush in, so they can only ride on horses and work in a hurry. And if you want the army to be solid, you must have a bow and crossbow army to suppress the cavalry intrusion.
Zhao Heng had a very good idea. Each bowman should be equipped with a pair of warm holsters, but where did his holster come from? It was his concubine who carefully selected the best deerskins from various leather materials, and then flocked them to the palace to pay tribute to the first grade of cotton in the palace, which was naturally warm. The relationship between coach Li Long and Zhao Heng is not very friendly. They both feel that this leather case is good, and they also want to sew more widely according to the king's order, but the question is, where to find deerskin, cotton, embroidery mother
The military budget was limited, and deerskin could not be used, so inferior pigskin and sheepskin had to be used instead. Most of the cotton was old cotton. As for embroiderers, most of them were female relatives of common people’s families, and they were paid according to the number of leather covers they sewed. Under the supervision of Zhao Heng, Da Zhou worked intensively to sew leather covers, and finally made a batch when the cold winter hit.
The Liao soldiers attacked everywhere, and the cavalry was fast. Maybe they were fighting in Daizhou today, and they went to Xiongzhou in a blink of an eye. I don’t know if the holster played a role, or if the generals of the East Route Army were able to fight several times. It is true that the army that uses the holster wins more battles and loses less casualties.
"Fortunately, the lord has a clever plan. He expected that it would be difficult for the bowmen to draw the bow in the cold weather. He asked the army to make preparations in advance, otherwise the bow would not be able to draw the bow in the cold hands. At this time, the infantry will easily suffer." At dusk, Eunuch Fu followed his own family. The lord came back from his camp tour, and while pouring hot tea for the lord, he sincerely flattered him.
Zhao Heng said indifferently: "The work of the princess." She sent the leather case, and it's not that Eunuch Fu didn't know what to say to flatter.
Eunuch Fu's smile did not change, he brought the tea bowl to the lord, and continued to support him: "The princess has a wonderful idea, and the lord has a clever plan, it's a match made in heaven."
Zhao Heng glanced at him and didn't reprimand him again, but Eunuch Fu saw sharply that the corners of his lips raised slightly when the prince was drinking tea. Eunuch Fu understood again. The lord is humble and doesn't like being slapped on the horse, but the princess is the treasure of the prince's heart. When the princess is praised, the prince is happier than being praised himself.
Of course Zhao Heng was happy, because she deserved it. Song Jianing is gentle and obedient, but he is the only one who knows her goodness, and now...
At the entrance of the hot tea, Zhao Heng lowered his eyes and meditated. After a while, he swallowed the tea, put down the tea bowl, and whispered to Eunuch Fu: "The work of the princess, spread out secretly."
She remarried to the Guo family with her widowed mother, and her status was flawed. She is absolutely right, and it's funny but not elegant enough. She looked at Lu Zhen and was laughed at when she fell into the water. She had a rash on her face when she entered the palace draft, and there were many rumors about her appearance. Before she got married, her uncle came to Beijing to knock on the drums to recognize her, and the matter became a big one, and it became a topic of conversation for the common people after dinner, and so on, all of which damaged her majesty as a princess.
It's time to let the people know about Princess Shou.
Eunuch Fu stayed by the prince’s side every day, and he reported these matters to the prince. Therefore, as soon as the prince opened his mouth, Eunuch Fu understood the deep meaning of it, and bent over to assure: “Don’t worry, prince, I’ll arrange it when I’m young.”
Zhao Heng added: "It's okay to be truthful, not to exaggerate."
Eunuch Fu nodded.
So the origin of the holster was first spread in the mouths of the soldiers in the military camp, and gradually spread to the ears of the frontier people. Most of these people are old and weak women and children who have not participated in the war. The women helped to make leather covers and experienced the ingenuity of them. When I heard that the princess was afraid that the prince would freeze his hands, she figured it out herself, which implied the wife's concern for her husband at the border. Nostalgia is no different from the common women who hope for the well-being of their husbands, and they pity each other with the same illness. These women naturally lament the goodness of Princess Shou.
The people like to make irresponsible remarks, and the good and the bad are passed on. There is no need for Duke Fu to send people to build up momentum in the capital. This anecdote between the husband and wife of King Shou also floated to the capital with the bitter north wind.
Mrs. Tai and Mrs. Lin went to see Song Jianing together. Mrs. Lin looked at her daughter and smiled happily, but in front of her mother-in-law, she was embarrassed to praise her daughter. She doesn't praise her, but my wife praises her. She hugs Brother You, who has been getting more and more beautiful for five months, and she smiles and praises Song Jianing as the reincarnation of the Queen Mother. After all, Song Jianing's leather case is a blessing. Great blessings for soldiers and people.
Brother You couldn't understand, and looked curiously at the moving lips of the elder. Zhaozhao sat in his grandmother's arms, knowing that his great-grandmother was praising her mother, and her almond-eyed smile was crooked, as if Mrs. Tai was praising her. Song Jianing felt ashamed, and quickly explained that she really didn't think much of it when she made the leather case, she just wanted to help Wang Ye keep out the cold.
"This is called inadvertently inserting willows and willows to form shade." Mrs. Tai said lovingly.
Lin Shi said modestly for her daughter: "Stupid people have stupid blessings."
"Mother..." Song Jianing snorted coquettishly, she was uncomfortable praising her for being smart, but she couldn't say she was stupid.
Zhaozhao looked at his mother, then at his grandmother, understood, and giggled: "Silly mother!"
The little girl laughed heartlessly, teasing her mother, and when Brother You saw it, she also grinned stupidly. The five-month-old boy's eyebrows and eyes gradually opened, and he smiled a bit like his mother, but his clear eyebrows and long phoenix eyes all followed his father's. Song Jianing couldn't help staring at his son, and without warning, he suddenly missed him.
Fame, wealth and wealth are all things outside the body, only the prince is the one in the heart.
There was a sudden sound of footsteps outside, Jiu'er picked up the curtain and came in, saying that there was someone from the Zhonggong, and the female relatives on the warm couch hurriedly descended to the ground.
It turned out that Queen Li sent her father-in-law here, saying that Queen Li missed Brother You and Zhaozhao, and announced that Song Jia Ning Niang and the three entered the palace tomorrow.
The palace servant left after passing the decree, but Song Jianing's face turned pale, only to feel the cold air rushing up from under his feet. At the beginning, Queen Li lost her fifth prince and asked Sheng Ge'er to go to the palace to raise him. The King of Chu was convicted, and Queen Li was afraid of being implicated before she gave up Sheng Ge'er. Brother You has only been in the palace once since she was born. Empress Li talked about how she missed her. Could it be that she wanted to rob her children again
Daughter and son Song Jianing are reluctant to give up! Especially Brother You, who was just five months old and was really carried into the palace, will she still remember her mother in the future
With just a thought, Song Jianing burst into tears and looked at her mother in despair. The prince is not in the capital. What should she do if the emperor is really partial to Empress Li and orders her to hand over her children
"An'an, don't worry, she doesn't have that skin." At the critical moment, Mrs. Tai was not too particular, holding her granddaughter's hand and comforting her in a low voice. No one in the palace is a fool. It was the first time that Empress Li asked for the eldest grandson of the emperor. It was the new funeral of the fifth prince. Empress Li was indeed pitiful, and the emperor agreed with distress. Now that Empress Li has slowed down, she dares to ask for a prince again. The emperor is the first to hate her. Although the emperor is arbitrary, he is by no means a fool.
Song Jianing was just too afraid that Zhaozhao and Brother You would be taken away, so he panicked. After listening to Mrs. Tai's words, her mother said the same, Song Jianing thought about it carefully, and slowly calmed down. It's just analysis, no one can be sure of Queen Li's heart. That night, Song Jianing left her sister and brother in the upper room. She was lying outside, propping her chin to watch, the two little guys fell asleep, and she was still reluctant to shut up. on the eyes.
The next morning, Song Jianing helped his son and daughter dress up. Brother You is easy to say, Zhaozhao loves beauty and wants to wear her favorite dress, but she is afraid that the little girl will simply leak her tongue. Song Jianing dare not tell her daughter that she is too beautiful and might be taken away by the imperial grandmother, so she hugged her daughter and explained softly: " My father is fighting at the border, my mother misses my father, but I don’t have the energy to dress up, does Zhaozhao want my father?”
Zhaozhao nodded and hugged her mother aggrievedly. She missed her father, and every day she wanted her father to come back soon.
"Then why does Zhaozhao still want to wear a beautiful dress?" Song Jianing questioned seriously.
Zhaozhao looked at her mother, then lowered her head again, and finally let go of the beautiful skirt that she was holding tightly, and put on the pink jacket that her mother had picked for her. In fact, people are good-looking and look good in anything they wear. Song Jianing just made her daughter less beautiful. She also knew that this kind of trick would be useless, but Queen Li really wanted to grab it. Unless the prince nodded, she would rather commit disobedience to the emperor, The Queen's crime will not agree.
Two quarters of an hour later, Song Jianing took his daughter, and the wet nurse held Brother You, and the family of three went into the palace.
He walked around to the middle palace, and when he entered the door, Song Jianing first caught a glimpse of a scarlet figure, and the emperor was also there!
Song Jianing couldn't help clenching her daughter's chubby hand.
Zhaozhao didn't pay attention. Seeing the grandfather, the little girl smiled habitually. She had a white face and almond eyes that were black and moist. The mother and two came in hand in hand, like two bright pearls, enough to brighten the dark room. Who has such a face and eyes? Also notice what the girls are wearing? Of course, Emperor Xuande was too old to be easily attracted by a woman's beauty, not to mention that she was his own daughter-in-law, so his gaze simply swept across Song Jianing's face, and then fell on the obedient little granddaughter.
"Zhaozhao is here." Emperor Xuande called with a smile.
Song Jianing let go, Zhaozhao happily ran over, like a little butterfly pounced in front of the emperor's grandfather, and was carried to his lap by Emperor Xuande.
Emperor Xuande looked at the top of his granddaughter's head with only a small ball, and asked casually, "Why didn't Zhaozhao wear flowers today?" Will wear a real flower or silk flower.
Song Jianing's heart tightened. He didn't expect the emperor to notice the change in his daughter all of a sudden. Then, would he suspect her of something
She pretended to look at her daughter calmly, while Zhaozhao touched the top of her head, suddenly stopped laughing, and looked at her grandfather aggrievedly: "Zhaozhao misses my father, where is my father?"
Emperor Xuande was stunned for a moment, and then he understood. The granddaughter thought that she could see her father when she entered the palace, so she was so anxious to enter the palace that she didn't even want to wear flowers.
The little girl is so filial, firstly because of the filial blood of their Zhao family, and secondly because of the good education of the princess. Emperor Xuande touched his granddaughter's head, and while coaxing his granddaughter, glanced at his daughter-in-law's skirt. Emperor Xuande was not very satisfied with Guo Boyan's cheap daughter, but the third child insisted that Song Jianing was really beautiful and had a gentle and obedient temperament, so Emperor Xuande gave her the marriage. Now it seems that Song Jianing can teach children well and assist her husband. She is clearly a good wife and good mother.
"The Liao army invaded, and the third child is out to defend the enemy. You are working hard to take care of two children." Emperor Xuande rarely encouraged his daughter-in-law.
Song Jianing's legs are softening. It's hard to bring two children, but it's easy to bring one? Does the emperor mean this? To coax her to hand over a child
"My son is not suffering, I just hope that the army can repel the Liao soldiers as soon as possible, the soldiers return home, the people are in peace, and they are free from the pain of separation." In a hurry, Song Jianing said steadily, only the almond eyes looking at the ground revealed the hesitation in his heart.
"Well said, this is also what I want in my heart." Emperor Xuande nodded, feeling more and more that this daughter-in-law was good and had the people in his heart.
Song Jianing was still worried, lest the emperor's next sentence was to want her child.
How could Emperor Xuande have such a spare time? He heard that the third daughter-in-law had made an unexpected contribution, so he used the name of Queen Li to send someone into the palace to encourage her. Rare, well-behaved and lovely granddaughter, hugging a good grandson who looks like the third child. After a short break, Emperor Xuande went back to his political affairs.
Song Jianing was finally able to stand firm on the soles of her feet. If the emperor didn't leave again, her little clothes would get wet in the winter.
"Jianning, sit down, don't be restrained by me." Empress Li pointed to the warm couch and persuaded intimately. A woman under 30, with black hair and shiny skin, her skin is delicate and bright like a flower, only the bottom of her eyes is dark and vicissitudes. King Shou hid too deeply, but whenever he revealed a little bit in advance, she would not give up on her promotion, nor would she be reduced to a lonely family, frequent wars, the emperor's unintentional harem, and no children around her knees.
She was as gentle as yesterday, but Song Jianing saw through those things. Although Empress Li was pitiful for losing her son, she was also an empress who took away her son.
"No, it's fine for Erchen to stand." Song Jianing lowered his eyes and said respectfully.
In one sentence, one gesture, Queen Li understood that if Song Jianing and King Shou built this road, it would be death.
Her heart was as heavy as a stone, and she had no intention of entertaining. After being polite for a while, Queen Li asked Song Jianing's three mothers to go back with the reward that the emperor ordered her to prepare.
Song Jianing was relieved and returned to the carriage. Song Jianing didn't look at the reward, hugged Zhaozhao and Brother You, and kissed them one by one.
She continued to live her own little life, only wishing that the prince was safe, and that Queen Li was in the palace, with all kinds of things going on in her head. In the winter months, it began to snow on the first day of the new year, and the cold wind cheered, so cold that people did not want to go out for half a step.
"Niangniang, I heard that Concubine Wu Gui gave the emperor a leather case and made it by herself." Aunt Mao, Queen Li's confidant, said sarcastically. Shou Wang and his wife are young. Shou Wang is in the north, so he really needs a leather case. The emperor stays in the warm pavilion every day.
Queen Li smiled wryly. Concubine Wu has Prince Rui, and she has something worth worrying about. She has nothing and naturally doesn't bother to fight.
"Is Princess Rui about to give birth?" Empress Li asked casually when she mentioned that.
Aunt Mao shook her head, pinched her fingers, and calculated, "It is estimated that we will have to wait around the Spring Festival, and the concubine of Prince Rui should be this month."
As the grand maid of the Central Palace, Aunt Mao also listened to all directions with her eyes and ears.
Unexpectedly, just after she finished speaking, a little eunuch came in with her head lowered and reported in a soft voice: "Niangniang, Prince Rui's residence has sent a letter to the palace, and the concubine is about to give birth."
Aunt Mao raised her eyebrows, really saying that Cao Cao is here.
Empress Li snorted, she was not interested in a side concubine's belly, and if it was Princess Rui, she might guess whether it was a man or a woman.
Prince Rui was different. He was nearly thirty years old but had no children. What Prince Rui lacked most now was a son, and his concubine was also a treasure. After he went to the emperor to ask for instructions, he returned to his palace with excitement and trepidation. Princess Rui had a big belly. She didn't want to take care of it and was afraid of taking responsibility for it. She just stayed in the main courtyard uneasy and waited for news, silently begging the Bodhisattva to grant Chen Xiu a daughter, and she didn't even want to give Chen Xiu the birthright of a concubine.
Prince Rui went directly to Chen Xiu's courtyard.
It is difficult for a woman to give birth to her first child. Chen Xiu started it in the morning and stayed up until midnight without giving birth.
Prince Rui was very anxious, and the imperial physician was even more anxious. If the concubines could not produce anything, they would also suffer.
However, she was afraid of what to do, and Chen Xiuzhen had a difficult labor. The opening of the cervix was too slow, and if she couldn't do anything about it, both mother and child would be in danger.
"My lord, the lower officials are incompetent, the concubine and the child can only protect one of them."
It was dawn, and Prince Rui had not slept all night. After washing his face, he barely regained his energy. The imperial physician knelt down in front of him and threw a difficult problem.