Qi Zhuyin handed the book to Quedu, and he didn't hear back until February. She watched it in Cang County's mansion and said to Qi Shiyu who was lying on the bed: "I said that the Ministry of War was going to kill the green rat, but the Ministry of War did not agree. The queen mother was thinking about military spending, so she asked me to wait. But now China and Bo are going to war, I If you wait any longer, you will miss the opportunity.”
Qi Shiyu has been feeling better recently. Lying on the couch, he stuttered a little. He had to hold the handkerchief in his hand when he spoke, and said, "You, you are in a hurry."
Qi Zhuyin distorted his meaning, put the letter aside, and said, "Yes, I'm in a hurry, how can I not be in a hurry? This account is spread out, and the defeat of Libei will not benefit Qidong."
Qi Shiyu just finished the last sentence: "Urgent... what's the hurry!"
Qi Zhuyin leaned against the back of the chair and heard the aunt in the courtyard crying and chirping. She ran for half the night before the horse arrived. She sat here and drank tea to hang her spirits. She had to run back later. She was annoyed when she heard the crying, and said to Qi Shiyu, "Can you tell her to shut up?"
The aunt in the courtyard had given birth to a son to Qi Shiyu, and she was crying so much that she was crying, leaning against the maid, and shouting to the house, "Master... I can't even meet the master? What a cruel heart!"
Qi Wei's pestle was under the eaves, and she almost slipped to the ground when she saw that her aunt was crying with red and swollen eyes. He tutted lightly, moved his steps, turned his back to face the wall, and had a headache.
Qi Shiyu heard which concubine it was. He knew Lianxiangxiyu best before the stroke. At this moment, he tightened his handkerchief, his chest was heaving violently, and he shouted with all his strength: "Shut up, I told you to shut up, shut up!" After speaking, he gasped for a while. , covered the quarrel with a handkerchief, and said to Qi Zhuyin, "Li Bei, Bei Wu..."
"That's how many years ago," Qi Zhuyin took the words to him, "You are already old, and you are still angry with the old prince? The chief generals of the Libei Camp are a bit interesting, and they are not ten years old. It was like a few years ago."
"Then, that Xiao Jiming, and also, there is Xiao Chiye..." Qi Shiyu struggled to speak, and he frowned when he heard him, trying to speak smoothly, "Can you beat it, Amur? If you clean up the mess, in the heart of the queen mother, there will be suspicion, and when the battle is over, we will see how Qidu pursues it and will be held accountable!"
Qi Shiyu was the dream husband of Da Zhou's daughter decades ago. Among the four famous generals in the Yongyi period, he became famous first in Qidong. Feng Yisheng was all his generals. He was originally expected to be crowned king, but Xiao Fangxu suddenly rose in Luoxia Pass. I stepped on Qi Shiyu for a lifetime.
The two of them have no hatred, they just love to compete, and they have fought in each other. Qi Shiyu didn't look down on Xiao Fangxu's background, and Xiao Fangxu scolded Qi Shiyu for embroidered pillows. When Feng Yisheng was still there, he was the eldest among them, and it took a lot of effort with Lu Pingyan to make Qidong and Libei brothers for so many years.
Qi Shiyu gambled, not knowing that he didn't have a direct son. At first, he had the idea of letting Qi Zhuyin marry Xiao Jiming.
"What are you going to pursue?" Qi Zhuyin took off the knife, "If Libei is gone, Zhongbo will be gone; if Zhongbo is gone, Dancheng will be gone. Who is the Queen Mother going to pursue? Is she herself? Xiao Jiming and Xiao Chiye again. Shifu is also the son of the old prince, and with Han Cheng's ability, can he stop the Biansha cavalry
Qi Shiyu was gasping for breath from her choking.
Qi Zhuyin poured a cup of tea and said, "You can rest for a while."
"No!" Qi Shiyu got up and threw the handkerchief on Qi Zhuyin like a child, "You stupid woman! Talk to the queen mother, bargain, or bring a title, and then go!"
Qi Zhuyin was silent for a while, knowing that Qi Shiyu was hurting her. She has served as the military commander of the five counties in Qidong for some years, but she still has no title to stand by. Later, she was injured and disabled, and Qidu could withdraw her with a paper order.
"Anyway, live, be famous, die..." Qi Shiyu's voice trembled, "Death has a place!"
Otherwise, after a hundred years, she Qi Zhuyin will be "the daughter of the Qi family".
Qi Zhuyin held the teacup, looked at the pattern on the circle, and said, "I only need to solve the battlefield to die for the country, why should I return the body wrapped in horse leather. If I really die in battle, you can engrave my name at home, that's the same." She He raised his head and smiled at Qi Shiyu, "We Qidong are controlled by others, and we have to talk to Qidu about everything. The Queen Mother is willing to give military rations, so I don't want to be named, that's all."
Qi Shiyu didn't know if it was because he was getting old, and suddenly burst into tears. He didn't let Qi Zhuyin wipe him, so he lowered his head and whimpered, "If you were a man..."
Qi Zhuyin folded the handkerchief and placed it by the bed. After waiting for Qi Shiyu to feel better, he continued: "If there are too many brothers who died in the battle, can all of them be named in the history? Isn't General Feng also knighted. I tell you this because I want you to have a clue in your heart. , this year is really going to go to war. I heard that Chen Zhen was ill a year ago, the Ministry of War did not agree to my sending troops this time, and it was because he was not strong enough. When he retires, we will have no one in the city. I am worried that the army will be paid more. It’s hard to ask for. All the expenses in the house can be saved if you can. Don’t let the wind blow away from the pillow. These concubines want Zhuangzi to have Zhuangzi, and shops to have shops. Even if I die, they and your sons You can't starve to death."
Qi Shiyu said angrily, "The Zhuangzi capital I gave you, all..."
"It's all filled in," Qi Zhuyin thought for a while and comforted, "There is still one-third of an acre of land. My mother uses it for growing flowers and grass, and she's not willing to sell it, so she will be able to make ends meet in the future."
The auntie outside the house was silent. It was overcast in the afternoon and the sky was covered with thick clouds. Qi Shiyu was watching her daughter on the couch. Her thin shoulders were lined in the weak window light, and she was wearing the hairpin of her deceased wife.
Qi Zhuyin looked like her mother, and when her aura didn't overwhelm her eyebrows, she smiled charmingly, and the handsome man was not as heroic as rumored.
Qi Zhuyin waited for Qi Shiyu to fall asleep before leaving. She changed her shoes under the eaves, pushed her moccasin boots into the snow, and asked Qi Wei, "Where's the person?"
"Madam, please leave." Qi Wei said after him.
Qi Zhuyin had not seen Hua Xiangyi when she came back, so she hesitated for a moment, and when she passed by Hua Xiangyi's courtyard, she heard Yingying and Swallows. She saw Hua Xiangyi from among the plum branches across the cave door.
Hua Xiangyi was wearing a fox fur today, and the texture should have been brought from Qidu. It was white without variegation, and the fluff lined the cheeks, making Zhan Ruoqiushui's bright eyes more vivid. She looked at her daughter who had been pampered, and her fingertips on Mei's fingers were white and tender, and she had never touched any dust in her life.
Qi Zhuyin tilted her head inexplicably and looked at it for a long time.
"The accountant in the mansion has prepared the account book, waiting for you in the office. Our manor's expenses last year..." Qi Wei said, looking up to see that Qi Zhuyin hadn't moved, so he followed.
Qi Zhuyin raised Zhu Jiu and blocked Qi Wei's gaze with the scabbard.
Hua Xiangyi on the other end was holding a plum branch, and her eyebrows were lit with petal-like flower tins. She laughed while the accompanying maid whispered in her ear, and then she turned sideways and went in.
Qi Zhuyin didn't turn her head, she said to Qi Wei, "Let's go."
Qi Wei didn't see anything, and repeated: "Let's go?"
Qi Zhuyin walked away, but Qiwei Erzhang monk was confused and did not dare to ask any more questions, so he chased away. Qi Zhuyin went straight to the office and checked the books with the accountant. She didn't have time to sit, so she stood and turned a few pages.
"The manager of the family has been replaced?" Qi Zhuyin asked suddenly.
The accountant stood up and whispered, "If I go back to the commander, I won't change it."
"That's weird," Qi Zhuyin flipped a few more pages, "In the past years, the checkout was a mess, I wish I could remember it again. How could it be so clear last year?"
This account is not only clear, even this year's advance payment has been specially divided into this booklet, which clearly lists the expenses of each room in the mansion. The concubines' rouge gouache was once again saved by half on Qi Zhuyin's request, and Zhuangzi, who Qi Shiyu couldn't explain clearly, was also listed on it. This was simply more beautiful than the account of the Ministry of Household.
"Originally, the accounts in our house were complicated, and the words of each room were unknown, and the gentlemen had no way to start." The accountant took the tea cup and held it to Qi Zhuyin, "The commander asked the house to be frugal last time, but the Zhuangzi below can't figure it out. Tributes are all messed up in logistical expenses."
Qi Zhuyin looked up at the accountant.
"This time it's the eldest lady's calculation." The accountant was afraid that Qi Zhuyin would be unhappy, and then said, "The eldest lady is in charge of the backyard, and each room has to look at the accounts. She sent someone to tell us that this account is too messy, for your sake. The military salaries in the front have to be redone. We hurriedly reworked it a few times, but we couldn’t bear the trouble of various houses, and many courtyards were hidden in Zhuangzi, and they refused to tell the truth…”
This is true.
The concubines were afraid of Qi Shiyu's death, and they held the Zhuangzi shop tightly in their hands, and they had to work hard to fetch them from the mansion. Qi Zhuyin didn't stay in the backyard, and Qi Wei's confidants were also foreign men, and it was not easy to interfere, so the account had been messed up, and she had a headache just thinking about it.
This flower has some patience.
Qi Zhuyin held the account book and said, "Do the concubines just listen to her like this?"
"First off, I slapped the eldest madam," said the accountant. "They are all people who have given birth to brothers. Because of the master's distress, they have to go to the lord's yard to make trouble if they don't pay the bill. The majesty didn't use the Hongying girl for the eldest lady. Is it? The eldest lady asked Hongying girl to invite the aunt who was crying faintly back to the yard, and asked the doctor to see it. The doctor could not see the disease, and the eldest lady buried the aunt in the yard. "
Qi Zhuyin didn't react, she was stunned for a moment and said, "Buried in the yard?"
"Buried in the yard!" said the accountant, "It's done now, the concubines are crying into tears, saying they want to sue the commander."
"Ah," Qi Zhuyin said, "sue me?"
"The eldest lady gave the horses and opened the door to let them go."
The aunties usually have to be served by others, so who can ride a horse? Qi Shiyu is not good at that! On such a cold day, whoever dares to go to Qi Shiyu's yard to mourn and mourn, Hua Xiangyi will bury anyone in her yard, like growing radishes.
The aunts around Hua Xiangyi are all elderly people carefully selected by the Queen Mother. The concubines knelt down on the porch to make rules, and they couldn't even see Hua Xiangyi's face. When the aunts and wives returned to their yard crying, the sons were replaced.
"It's my brother," Hua Xiangyi said warmly, sitting behind the screen, "I heard that I owed several hundred taels of silver a few days ago, and people are chasing after our house. How can this happen? I am As a mistress, I feel pity for your brothers in my heart, so I ask my aunt to pay it back first. Don't be afraid, the notes are all signed and signed by hand, and I will keep them so that they will not default on their debts and go back to the master... Brother Don't you sit down?"
"That's it," said the accountant after learning from Qi Zhuyin, "The eldest lady holds my brother's account in her hand, as long as you report it to us, my brother's shop will all be under the name of the eldest lady, who would dare to make trouble? "
Qi Zhuyin closed the account book, she stood for a while, opened the account book again, and said, "It's quite temperamental."
This account is really beautiful, and Qi Zhuyin couldn't help but think, if the military accounts outside can do such a good job, she is still afraid of the old scumbags in the Ministry of Household? But Hua Xiangyi was the Queen Mother's apex, she thought about it, but she gave up.
* * *
In February, the snow gradually decreased, and the sunny days in Ibaraki increased. When Shen Zechuan was free, he took Yao Wenyu to the outskirts of the city.
Today is cloudless, the sky is clear blue, the snow in the forest is beginning to melt, the thawed stream is ding dong, and some wild things can be seen. Ding Tao wanted to let the wind and frost clothes go, so he brought Li Xiong to play on the edge of the woods.
"I don't seem to be in good spirits these days," Shen Zechuan wiped his hands on the snow and glanced at Yao Wenyu, "Is it because you didn't sleep at night?"
Yao Wenyu's pale face was reflected in the frosty leaves, he smiled at Shen Zechuan and said, "It's cold and my legs hurt..." He paused, "Second Master has been in Dunzhou for half a month, have you received the news? ?"
"Tantaihu found that there were still remnants of bandits wandering in Luoshan, and Ce'an was there for a few days. The night before, he said that the remnants of Luoshan had been swept away, and the Libei Tieqi occupied Luoshan." Shen Zechuan changed into a jade-colored narrow-sleeved robe today. The outer fleece coat looks younger. His right arm was bound with a dog skin, and when he raised his arm, he whistled and flew down from the forest, landing on his right arm.
It was so heavy that Shen Zechuan could only stand for a moment. He fed the two running messengers white meat and let them play again.
"No worries in Luoshan," Yao Wenyu looked at Fei Li, "It's difficult in Duanzhou."
The entire line of Duanzhou faces the Chashi River. In recent years, it has been thoroughly eroded by the Biansha cavalry. No one knows how many scorpions are in it. Xiao Chiye only brought 5,000 Imperial Guards, and the rest were Libei Iron Cavalry. He refused to give up Libei Heavy Armor completely. In the battle of Duanzhou, he was bound to find a way to deal with the scorpions.
Shen Zechuan's heart was hanging in Duanzhou.
"Now that the inn is open, even if the situation changes, troops can be dispatched to help immediately," Yao Wenyu said with relief when she saw Shen Zechuan's solemn expression.
"Lu Guangbai said that Amur planted grain on the other side of the Chashi River," Shen Zechuan pushed aside the dead branches in his ear, "I'm worried that he has long been wary of Zhongbo and placed the grain fields near Gedal, in order to better Fight a protracted battle with Duanzhou."
Libei can't stand the drag now. If Duanzhou can't be beaten, then Shasanying will be quite dangerous, and Zhongbo will not be able to completely close the door. Amur's eyes were too long, and Shen Zechuan even felt that he was watching from south to north.
Thinking back to last year's war, Amur first used Hu and Lu to hold Guo Weili and gave Hassen time to go north. At that time, Scorpions were smuggling luggage in the territory of China and Bo, just to prepare for the capture of the Libei Battalion. Now that he used Hasson to defeat Xiao Fangxu, the pressure on the northern battlefield has dropped sharply, and he has more confidence in the face of Qi Zhuyin. He relied on the scorpion to contain Li Bei, and then relied on the cavalry to stick with Qi Zhuyin. Zhong Bo was a weak stomach. As long as he freed up his feet, he would be able to stomp the battle line from here.
Duanzhou is a tough battle.
Yao Wenyu was about to say something, but Fei Sheng rushed over. He dismounted and saluted Shen Zechuan, saying, "Master, Yan Heru is here."
Shen Zechuan knew that Xue Du had only finished investigating the water transport in Hezhou, so Yan Heru should have come to complain. The matter of Juexi Liuzhou Xingang had not been settled yet, he turned around and said, "Go back."
* * *
Yan Heru really came to complain. He arrived too late. Zhou Gui sat with him and talked a little about Liuzhou with him. When Shen Zechuan came back, he was honest and told about the Hezhou water transport.
"The official of the Ministry of Household, who was in charge of water transportation in Hezhou, was named Liang Caoshan, who was also in charge of the salt tax in Juexi. Last year, he and Jiang Qingshan arranged the thirteen cities clearly. Our business is not easy to do, it is the handwriting of these two people." Yan He Ru thought the chair was too hard, moved it a few times, and said in high spirits, "Ouch, Fu-kun, I'm so worried! This person is not easy to deal with, and he is a stubborn stubborn who doesn't accept anything. But guess what? This time Before I could think of a way, he was transferred away, saying that he was with the Dali Temple Chadan Chengtian, and the court helped me a lot."
Shen Zechuan heard the name familiar and said, "Liang Luoshan?"
"Liang Luoshan, the character is very deep," Yan Heru lay on the table and winked at Shen Zechuan, "Do you recognize it? Say it earlier! Then I won't worry about it."
Shen Zechuan naturally recognized that this person was the one he asked Xiao Chiye to recommend, and immediately asked, "Transfer him to Dan City to check the fields?"
"Yeah, Pan Lin is now fighting with Xue Xiuzhuo in the ring. Xue Xiuzhuo is the real husband, but he kicked a hornet's nest." Yan Heru said mysteriously, "Fu Jun, guess how much land the Eight Cities have occupied over the years? If Xue Xiuzhuo really settles the account, let alone the Pan family, even the Queen Mother will explain it, the family will want him to die right now."
The aristocratic family’s appropriation of private land has led to aggravation of refugees. All the people who flocked to Zhongbo last year were driven away. This problem was stopped by Qi Huilian’s implementation of the Yellow Book, but the effect was not good in Bacheng. Now Xue Xiuzhuo took Yao Wenyu’s incident as an opportunity to take it Pan Shidan City opened the first knife.
Even Yao Wenyu had to admit that Xue Xiuzhuo had courage.
"Liang Luoshan was promoted by Pan Lin," Shen Zechuan understood after a second thought, "The family wants to rely on the authority of Liang Luoshan's user department to obstruct Xue Xiuzhuo's land investigation and delay the time until the beginning of spring."
"It's a good time to fight the dragon and tiger, let them kill enough blood and rain," Yan Heru clapped his hands lightly and smiled at Shen Zechuan, "It's best to fight until Zhongbo is stable, and the ruler can free up his hands to teach them a lesson! "
"Then you're going to be disappointed," Shen Zechuan used a folding fan to remove Yan Heru's fingers, "this Liang Luoshan..."
There was a sudden quarrel under the eaves, Shen Zechuan stopped speaking, and all the gentlemen in the room looked over. Zhou Gui stood up slightly and asked, "What's the noise? What's going on in the hall!"
Fei Sheng lifted the curtain, looked past the crowd and looked at Shen Zechuan, and said with a white face, "Master..."
The dark sky leaked wind, blowing over the corners of the curtain, and the wind was so strong that gentlemen raised their sleeves to cover their faces. Shen Zechuan stood up and noticed something was wrong in Fei Sheng's expression. He even walked a few steps and stared at Fei Sheng in the flickering candlelight.
"Eight hundred miles urgently," Fei Sheng said solemnly, "Second Master—"
The author has something to say: ①: Selected from "Out of the Border"