Mu Fulan was in the medicine room, sorting out the medical notes and drug diaries that Yao Weng had piled up in a box, which recorded his half-life of travels.
On an open space outside the window, Xier was holding an ebony sword and practicing with a guard.
The day after Xier came back, he took the initiative to learn sword from Yuan Handing. He studied very seriously and very hard. After being brought to Junshan by Mu Fulan these days, every day before dawn, as long as he heard the crowing of the rooster raised by Ah Da, he would open his eyes and get up to practice sword. After practicing sword, he would also practice calligraphy. Not only did he do this every day, but last night when he was taking a bath, Mu's mother actually found that he had several purple bruises on his body, which were obviously caused by being accidentally hit while practicing sword.
Mother Mu felt very distressed. She came to Mu Fulan quietly this morning to discuss killing the rooster and stewing the meat, so as to avoid the little master from disturbing him every day and making him suffer so much.
The sound of wooden swords colliding reached Mu Fulan's ears from time to time, and then suddenly stopped.
"The sword is made of wood, it won't hurt me! Even if you hurt me, my mother won't punish you! If you continue to be so perfunctory, I will replace you, and you don't have to follow me anymore!"
"On the battlefield, will the enemy treat me like you do?"
An angry child's voice floated in the wind.
"Young Master, calm down! I obey your orders!"
The guard seemed to kneel down.
Soon, the powerful sound of wooden swords clashing rang in his ears again.
Mu Fulan stopped writing, and her mind gradually became dazed.
This child seemed to have changed a little compared to the child in her memory who had spent several years with her in the old house in Xie County.
There were footsteps behind her. She turned around and saw the maid enter.
The maid brought a message from Hua Niang, asking what to do next.
The fact that Changsha State maintained an army became known to the world because of the war against Jiang Rong and the subsequent battle of Fuzhou.
Zhu Liu, the peddler who was sent to live in the shabby alleys of Yuecheng, is no longer important.
She stood at the window of the cottage.
The sunlight shone through the window pane, quietly falling on her face, and her skin seemed to be covered with a soft and velvety glow.
"Go tell Hua Niang to find an opportunity and come back."
After a moment, she turned her head and said.
The maid left and walked out of the house. She looked at the backs of the child and the guard facing each other with swords from afar across a herb garden.
Slashing, stabbing, leaping, striking. Every movement, that little figure practiced so seriously and meticulously.
"At that time, Master Xie would get up before five o'clock every day, and after reading, he would practice swordplay with it. The sword is not expensive, but it has been with Master Xie all these years. Now that you are leaving, I will give it to you. When you grow up, you should also study hard and practice swordplay, okay?"
Mu Fulan seemed to hear the words that the man said when he chased after the child and said goodbye to him in the gray dawn outside Guzang City that day.
She suddenly felt a little impatient. Not wanting to disturb the child, she turned around and was about to leave quietly when Ah Da came running over and said that Prime Minister Lu had arrived.
Mu Xuanqing rejected the marriage proposal of the Prince of Qi on behalf of his sister. There is nothing much to say about this, but he did another thing.
After hosting a banquet to entertain the group, Mu Xuanqing met with Zhao Xitai alone last night, and the two talked for a long time.
It is said that Zhao Xitai forwarded a handwritten letter from the King of Qi, inviting the State of Changsha to join forces to attack Empress Liu.
Over the years, Changsha State has been repeatedly suspected by the imperial court, and it is like a sword hanging over its head. The officials of Changsha State have long been accustomed to living cautiously. Although the sword has fallen now, Changsha State has something to rely on, and the situation is relatively stable.
As long as we can maintain the status quo, it will be the best thing.
The sudden news caused panic among the officials of Changsha State. Lu Lin was very nervous and thought of the princess. He came in person early in the morning and asked her to return to the city to discuss matters.
"I'm afraid something big is going to happen!"
"After the loss of the Prince of Pingyang's troops, the Prince of Qi led the coalition forces to continue attacking Shangjing, but was blocked by the troops deployed by Xie Changgeng and suffered repeated setbacks. Now the troops are blocked in Jinzhou and cannot move forward. Although my Changsha Kingdom is now classified as a rebel by the court, fortunately it can still be safe. But if the prince is persuaded and sends troops, Changsha Kingdom will never have peace again! The prince has always listened to your advice. Please ask the princess to persuade the prince to think twice before acting, and don't be deceived by the Prince of Qi and his son!"
Mu Fulan changed her clothes, called Xier over, told him to stay here and went down the mountain.
She returned to the city.
The city was not as peaceful as the lake and mountains. There were soliciting customers, peddlers carrying loads, and foreigners performing acrobatics. On the streets, there were cars and people coming and going. Thousands of miles away, on the land of Hexi, the war that was going on and involved hundreds of thousands of people had nothing to do with the sunny days in the south. In this noisy and bustling city, there was peace.
Passersby recognized the carriage that Mu Fulan was riding in and knew that she was returning to the city from Junshan.
Their princess, who was born noble, looked like a fairy, had a kind heart, but when Changsha was in danger, she was ruthlessly divorced by her husband, who was a bandit in the past. This news has long been known to everyone, but this has not damaged the princess's image in the hearts of the people of Changsha, but has won her more sympathy and love. In sharp contrast, recently, when the surname Xie was mentioned, the people cursed him non-stop, saying that he was willing to be a lackey of Empress Liu, with a wolf's heart and a dog's lungs, and was ruthless and ungrateful.
People made way, knelt on the side of the street, and watched with bated breath as the car carrying her passed in front of them and headed towards the palace.
Mu Fulan returned to the palace and came to Xuan Chong Hall.
Her brother, the prince Mu Xuanqing, sat alone behind a desk, his eyes fixed on the golden seal in front of him, motionless.
Lu said that he had not come out since he went in this morning and had not seen anyone.
Her brows were slightly furrowed, looking worried.
Mu Fulan walked slowly to the front of her brother and stopped.
Her eyes followed her brother's gaze and fell on the golden seal.
She naturally recognized this thing. The Snake-knot King Seal had been a symbol of the royal power and glory since the Mu family was enfeoffed here more than two hundred years ago, and it remained so until today.
"Brother Wang, have you really thought it through?"
Mu Fulan asked him.
Mu Xuanqing slowly raised his head and looked at his sister.
He said, "Sister, I've made up my mind. Even if Zhao Xitai hadn't come, I would have sent troops anyway."
"My aunt's revenge must be avenged! War has already broken out in Hexi, and Xie Changgeng is in custody, so he can't return. He thought he had it all planned out, and before leaving the border, he had arranged his troops to deal with the King of Qi's men, but he didn't expect that my Mu family would be involved. This is the best opportunity God has given us."
"After the adulterer is removed, I will bring my aunt back home and bury her in our own cemetery."
He stood up, drew his sword, and swung it down, splitting the royal seal in front of him into two and sweeping it to the ground.
"I have been waiting for this day for a long time, sister, please don't stop me."
Mu Xuanqing's eyes were bloodshot as he spoke word by word.
Mu Fulan looked at her brother.
She didn't want her brother to get involved in such a war full of intrigues and conspiracies. But in her heart, she knew clearly that she couldn't stop her brother.
This had become an inevitable outcome since the day she rescued her brother. This was a hurdle that the Mu family could not ignore as long as they lived.
At this moment, it seemed as if countless words rushed to her lips, but she couldn't say a word.
She only remembered that many years ago, when she was still a little girl, her aunt, who was on her deathbed, asked her to sing folk songs from her hometown to her.
She also asked herself if Prime Minister Yuan was okay.
Mu Fulan's throat felt blocked.
She took a deep breath and said, "Brother Wang, I won't stop you. But you must go north with General Yuan and lead our most elite soldiers. You must be careful of those people."
"I'm here. I will protect the house for you, my brother!"
…
A few days later, the young king of the Mu clan, Mu Xuanqing, and Yuan Handing led the army to offer sacrifices to the heavens on the outskirts of the city. After the sacrifice, the army will set out to the north and embark on their expedition.
The people in the streets were talking about it. They were full of excitement and pride and rushed to see him off.
Zhu Liuhu was mixed in the crowd, looking at the Mu army on the field from afar.
There was no end to the procession, one after another. The soldiers were in bright armor and had long spears like a forest.
Something must have happened right under his nose in the past few days. Otherwise, it would be impossible for Mu Xuanqing to summon such a powerful army in such a short time.
He knew very well that once this army moved north, it would have a huge impact on the Jiedushi's plans.
It was too late. He had failed in his duty, completely.
I can't deceive myself any more.
He was so upset that he turned around and went back to where he lived without waiting for the army to leave.
The young widow broke her legs that night, and when she recovered, she became his. He moved away from his original place and moved to a small village in the suburbs with his people, lying to the neighbors that they were a couple.
Most of the villagers went to see the army off. The village entrance was quiet, with no one in sight except a big yellow dog, lazily lying on the ground, basking in the sun.
Before he returned to the hut, he was about to push the door when it opened from the inside.
The woman, with a small bag in her hand, was about to go out with her head down when she suddenly bumped into him. She seemed to be startled and the bag in her hand fell to the ground.
"where are you going?"
Zhu Liuhu raised his gaze from the bundle on the ground and fell on the woman's eyes, which were a little red and swollen as if she had just cried, and asked coldly.
Hua Niang looked a little pale. She quickly leaned over to pick up the bundle from the ground and said with a smile, "I just received a message saying that my hometown..."
Before she could finish her words, she was pushed inside by the man in front of her and roughly pressed against the earth wall behind her.
A flash of cold light flashed past. In the man's hand, there was a dagger. The sharp tip of the dagger was pressed against her throat.
"Are you the princess's man?" He asked viciously, his eyes bloodshot.
Hua Niang looked at him for a moment, closed her eyes, and said softly, "Kill me if you want. I won't blame you."
The author has something to say: Thank you little angels for voting for me~
Thanks to the little angels who cast [mines]: Flying Fish 4, Jiu Ma 1, Elbow Cissy 1, Hamster Shoulder Pads 1, Elephant Doesn't Like Bathing 1, 17624645 1, Yunpiaofeifei 1, Michael 1, Caramel Macchiato 1
Thanks to the little angel who threw the [grenade]: kd 1 piece
Thanks to the little angel who cast [rocket launcher]: 1 for the head of Jiyue Hall
Thank you little angels for irrigating me with nutrient solution~
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